Talafa Rey Dox has taken owner Jessie Britton to success at levels that have surpassed all her expectations. This outstanding horse has enabled her to excel in her preferred sport of campdrafting, and in new disciplines along the way. He is one of very few horses that can quickly and easily go from one discipline to another, adapting with apparent ease.
Jessie bought Talafa Rey Dox at the Nutrien Classic Sale in 2016. Although he was a trained cutting horse, Jessie could see that he would make an outstanding campdrafter.
TRD, as Jessie calls him, was trained by Dan Lithgow and competed in the NCHA Open Derby. He had two very impressive rounds and just missed the final by 1 point. What was very evident was that this was a horse with enormous potential and ability.
Jessie had no cutting experience prior to buying TRD, so initially, she stuck to her intentions and gave him a light introduction to campdrafting. Once she started riding TRD, however, she decided to give snaffle bit cutting a go. She and TRD won two titles in one season.
Jessie then took TRD campdrafting as was her original intent and has had huge success with him, winning multiple Ladies, Novice and Open drafts, running consistent scores in the 90’s and up to 93.
TRD won his first Open draft on Jessie’s 21st birthday and carried her to become the champion 2020 ABCRA Lady Rider.
The confidence Jessie has in TRD has enabled her to excel in whatever they try. “Along the way, I thought I would take him to a couple of cowhorse events. We had little experience and minimal preparation, but with TRD, I successfully won and placed in them.
Then, in 2023, after 7 years competing on TRD, I handed over the reins to Isaac to ride him in Australia’s Greatest Horseman event. They finished 6th amid a field of the best cow horses. That same weekend, I made the final of the Open campdraft”, Jessie said.
This shows what a versatile, consistent, adaptable and talented horse TRD is. Proof of this was the result of Jessie and Isaac’s next decision to take TRD back to the cutting pen, not to snafflebit but to give hand-down cutting a go. He had been campdrafting for 7 years.
Not many ex-cutting horses return after several years of campdrafting. Adapting back to the very different discipline is demanding and requires a good mind, intelligence, and a whole lot of talent. Even fewer are able to compete in both sports at the same time and do so successfully.
“He came back in like he had never left and placed in non pro cutting events, while still winning and placing in campdraft events most other weekends. He was the Darling Downs Cutting Club $15,000 Non Pro Reserve Champion with a 219!”
