01/26/09 Big money winners in 2008

The economy might be tough for a lot of folks owning performance horses but there are still segments of industry that made record amounts of money in 2008. I'm Jeff Keane, stay tuned I'll be back to tell you who took home the bacon last year and where the payout opportunity in year. If you compete in the sport of rodeo or cutting, 2008 was a banner year, here is Susan Allen with some numbers and some record setting professionals. Despite the high cost of fuel some rodeo contestants still came out on top. Like professional bull riding super star Justin McBride who retired this year. Justin even beat Trevor Brazile's earnings earning the title of the world's richest cowboy chocking up more than five million dollars during his ten years on the PBR. No pity parties for Trevor though he has made over three million to date, a much tougher accomplishment because he needs to compete in several events to accumulate even close to Justin's winnings because the PBR has such deep pockets. 08 was a record setting year as well for the cutting horse industry, considered by some to be the fastest growing equestrian discipline. Fid you know that trainer Phil Rapp's cutting earnings to date top Justin Mcbrides, at more than 6 million dollars? The National Cutting Horse Association paid out more than $4 million dollars& at just one event. With open division winners earning a quarter of a million dollar paycheck, now that's big bucks. I'm Jeff Keane