ST. GEORGE – Local teen Beau Hutchings’ lifelong passion for horses and motivation to pursue his career dream have earned him a spot in the upcoming reality show “The Horsemanship Showdown” and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work alongside master horseman Chris Cox in Texas.
The 19-year-old Southern Utah native has literally spent his entire life in the saddle. His family lives and works on the Gold Diamond Ranch in St. George, which they founded in the early 1990s.
When Beau Hutchings was a baby, his father, Karl Hutchings, would place him on a calm, gentle horse every day for his afternoon nap. He was taught from a young age to understand and respect horses, not just as livestock, but as complex animals with unique talents.
His connection to equines grew stronger throughout his childhood as he worked alongside his family. He began researching training techniques on the internet, enhancing his repertoire as a horseman.
At age 14, Beau Hutchings combined his business sense, ambition and skill to find work privately training horses for Gold Diamond clients.
“I was born to be a horseman, trainer and entrepreneur to better the experience and communication (between) horse and rider,” he said.
“Beau can read a horse like most students read books,” Karl Hutchings said. “He can see their design and what talents they possess.”
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Video courtesy of Mike Gardner, DMG Films
While attending Dixie High School, Beau Hutchings excelled at football and basketball. But he gave up sports his senior year in favor of pursuing horsemanship opportunities.
After graduating in May 2013, he discovered “The Horsemanship Showdown” and sent an application. Along with nine others from across the United States, Beau Hutchings was chosen to take part in the exclusive competition at Cox’s Diamond Double C Ranch in Mineral Wells, Texas.
Men and women, from teenage to middle age, of varying skill levels with diverse backgrounds and techniques, are vying for the ultimate prize. It’s an opportunity that money can’t buy; it must be earned. The contestants will spend a total of 11 days on the ranch, as their skill, knowledge and work ethic are evaluated by professional trainers, including Cox.
At the end, the top two will be selected for a four-year apprenticeship with Cox and his team, living and working at the ranch. Their status as a member of this elite horsemanship collective, along with the experience they will acquire, will lay the foundation for a successful career in the equine industry.
“The Horsemanship Showdown” is being filmed from now until Nov. 21. for the RFD-TV satellite network; air dates and broadcast availability have yet to be determined.
Producer/director Curtis Leitko said that the show was developed as Cox’s response to the numerous inquiries he receives each month from aspiring trainers looking for a way into the business.
Cox is a three-time colt breaking world champion. He was raised in a ranching family in the Australian Outback and has spent nearly his entire life training, bonding with and gaining a unique understanding of horses. Earning a name as a respected horseman, Cox has released instructional videos, performs at equine events throughout the nation and hosts a series of exclusive hands-on horsemanship clinics every year.
Cox’s success has inspired Beau Hutchings, whose burgeoning horsemanship career holds many similarities to Cox’s own decades ago when he was a young man.
“Chris speaks my language,” Cox said.
For Beau Hutchings, winning the showdown would be the fulfillment of a goal he has been working towards since he was a child, doing something he truly loves.
“This is the greatest opportunity of my life,” Beau Hutchings said. “To live my dream, my passion, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
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