American Quarter Horses
A Legacy in Motion..
The American Quarter Horse has been part of ranching, competition, and family life for generations. Known for its athleticism, versatility, and natural ability to work cattle, the breed has earned a lasting place in American horse history, from the open range to the cutting arena and beyond.
At CY Ranch, Quarter Horses are more than a breed we raise. They're part of our family's history, connecting four generations through a shared love of horses, horsemanship, and the simple joy of time spent in the saddle.
Built on American Soil
America's Horse
The American Quarter Horse earned its name from its remarkable speed over short distances, particularly the quarter-mile races popular in early America. As settlers moved westward, these compact, powerful horses found a new purpose working cattle across the growing ranchlands. Their quick reflexes, strength, and natural ability to read livestock made them invaluable working partners. In 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) was established to preserve the breed and document its bloodlines.
Today, Quarter Horses remain one of the most versatile breeds in the equestrian world, excelling in everything from cutting and reining to barrel racing, jumping, and pleasure riding. Their athleticism, intelligence, and willingness to work have made them favorites among riders of countless disciplines. At CY Ranch, our hearts have always belonged to cutting-bred Quarter Horses, particularly their natural cow sense, responsiveness, and the willing personalities that make them such rewarding partners.
The heart of cattle country
An Instinct for the Cow
Cutting began as a practical part of ranch work. When cattle needed to be separated from a herd, skilled riders relied on horses that could anticipate a cow's movement, respond quickly, and maintain control without constant direction. Horses with exceptional cow sense became valuable partners, and their natural abilities eventually developed into a competitive sport.
The first widely recognized advertised cutting contest took place in Haskell, Texas, in 1898. In 1946, the National Cutting Horse Association began organizing the sport around established competition rules. What had begun as a ranching necessity became an arena competition that continues to celebrate the working cattle horse's intelligence, athleticism, and instinct.
In a cutting run, the rider selects a cow from the herd and then allows the horse to use its training and natural ability to keep that animal separated. The horse must read the cow's movements, change direction almost instantly, and maintain concentration throughout the work. The result is an extraordinary display of communication between horse, rider, and cattle.
For CY Ranch, cutting represents far more than a competition. It's a tradition that has connected our family for generations, beginning with the horses our grandfather trained and continuing through the bloodlines we value today.
Preserving the record
A Heritage Written in Pedigrees
For generations, careful pedigree records have allowed Quarter Horse breeders to trace the bloodlines behind the horses they raise. The American Quarter Horse Association, founded in 1940, maintains the breed's registration records and establishes standards for recording ancestry, ownership, and other identifying information. At CY Ranch, our Quarter Horses are registered through AQHA, and those pedigrees are part of how we understand the history and potential of our breeding animals. They connect today's horses to the ranchers, breeders, trainers, and horses that influenced previous generations. Our approach remains rooted in selecting horses for the qualities we value.
“A pedigree is yesterday's trail map, showing how the horses of the past still shape the ranch horses of tomorrow.”
Four generations of horsemanship
A Legacy More Than 50 Years in the Making
Quarter Horses have been part of our family's story for more than 50 years, connecting four generations through a shared love of riding, training, breeding, and raising horses. What began with Phyllis and her love of horses in general became a tradition passed down through my mother, into my own life, and now to the youngest generation at CY Ranch. Even though our grandma had owned and shown horses for a decade or so before meeting Don, he opened her eyes to the beauty and strength of the cutting world. She instantly fell in love. and through that newfound love a legacy was born.
Some of my earliest memories include horses, long days at cutting competitions, and weekends spent traveling throughout southern and eastern Oregon. Even though I may have drifted away from cutting competitions and experimented with other disciplines of riding throughout the years, cutting is always where my roots lived. Even through it all, Quarter Horses remained at the heart of our riding, training, showing, and breeding experiences.
Sharing that passion with the community has always been important to us. When our hometown lacked a high school equestrian team, Phyllis built one. Her goal was simple, bring together families to create opportunities for youth to fall in love with horses the way she did. Years later, I had the opportunity to join her as a coach, continuing that commitment to youth horsemanship and our local equestrian community.
As the years passed, our lives grew and moved in different directions, but horses remained a constant. Eventually, in a way, they brought our households together again. Sharing the responsibilities of caring for the animals allowed Phyllis to continue living the life she loved, surrounded by horses and family. Today, watching her introduce her great-granddaughter to that same world is particularly special. Four generations have shared this passion, and we're grateful to see the tradition continuing.
Cutting bloodlines, family values
Carrying the Bloodlines Forward
Although our horse herd is smaller today than it has been in years past, our appreciation for well-bred Quarter Horses remains unchanged. We focus on cutting-bred horses with the qualities that have mattered to our family for generations: intelligence, athleticism, good minds, natural cattle-working ability, and the willingness to become dependable partners.
We believe the value of a horse extends beyond its pedigree or performance record. A horse's disposition, soundness, trainability, and willingness to work with people are qualities we appreciate just as much as its natural talent. Our goal is to produce horses that carry their cutting heritage while remaining versatile enough to find success in the different directions their future owners may choose.
An important part of our program is our stallion, Haidas Dancin Dipity, affectionately known as Dancer. When a dear friend asked Phyllis to give him a home when he couldn’t anymore, she didn’t hesitate. From that moment until the day Dancer crosses the rainbow bridge, he will have a home here at Cy Ranch. This 2004 AQHA-registered chestnut stallion is a son of the accomplished cutting sire Haidas Little Pep. Dancer earned $3,294 during his cutting career and holds an NCHA Certificate of Ability, reflecting his own experience and accomplishments in the arena.
While we're proud of his pedigree and performance background, what makes Dancer particularly special to our family is his disposition. He is an exceptionally kind, cooperative stallion who is a pleasure to handle, even in situations that can be challenging for breeding horses. We've also been delighted with the willingness, athleticism, natural cow sense, and good minds we've seen in his offspring.
One particularly exciting moment for our program was seeing a son of Dancer, named SteelDusted Haida sell for $80,000 at the Ranchers Horse Sale in Juntura, Oregon in 2025. It has been a joy to watch his offspring excel at whatever they do.
For us, Dancer represents the qualities we value most in cutting-bred Quarter Horses. Athletic ability and a strong pedigree are wonderful, but a horse's temperament, trainability, and willingness to work with people and heart are every bit as important.
The herd
Meet Our Quarter Horses
Get to know the Quarter Horses who call CY Ranch home. Explore their public profiles, photographs, pedigrees, family connections, and current availability. Each horse carries its own story, while together they reflect the generations of horsemanship and breeding that have shaped our ranch.
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