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Colt Murphy at his home in Okeechobee, Florida.

Story & photo by BOBBI POOLE

OKEECHOBEE, FL — A hot morning in Okeechobee brings us to Big Lake Cutting Horse Ranch, off the 710 Highway. Driving in, you know you are in for a pretty special visual treat, as it is very spacious with tall pines, grass and woods all around. As I drive up to the 12-stall barn, I see the farrier busy trimming one of the horse’s feet.

Walking through the breezeway comes our next up and coming World Champion Horse Trainer. He is tall, thin, and his spurs on his boots are clanking. He begins by expressing his dream, goal, and his life’s ambition. For now though, his daily tasks are patching fence, cleaning of the barn, and riding young colts under the supervision of his father Reuben Murphy.

There are as many as 80 head of horses here on any given day to be worked with where, Colt Murphy trains them every day for reining competition, and he loves it. It is what gets him up every morning, it is his purpose. To be in the solitude of being on top of one of these young colts, away from the hustle and bustle of life, is what he does best.

He is just 19 years young, as his father states, “He is the backbone of this operation. We could not do this without him.”

Colt believes in training these very special horses with confidence, consistence, and a dash of gentleness. He does not believe in any cruelty towards them. His one year goal is to train a World Champion horse that he has put a great foundation into. A foundation that represents him.

Colt’s personal accomplishments include competing in Lady Lake, Sunshine State Cutting Horse Association, winning in SCHA held in Plant City on “Flowing Hot”, and it doesn’t stop there, as he considers all of this just the beginning for his career.

Be looking for this fine young man’s name to be very prominent in the world of reining horse competition. Guaranteed, he will be there.