Hold on to your hats and get ready for a wild ride! California Heartland's George Reading visited the annual Cutting Horse Competition in Rancho Murieta, California. The competition evokes the spirit of the old west. "All of us in here kind of look at ourselves as being born 100 years too late," said competitor Randy Lynn. "I think this is the old west personified." The goal of cutting is to isolate a cow and keep it separated from the herd. "It's an issue of just getting out there and just being sure that you're kind of dancing with that cow rather than trying to work the cow. Cutting is something where you have to let it happen, you can't make it happen," offered Lynn. Back in the 1800s, cowboys relied on the technique to separate a cow from the others for branding, medical treatment or sorting. Cutting is not for amateurs. It takes years of practice and some hard-earned cash. Quality cutting horses can cost up to $100,000. It can pay off, though. "I've won about $1.5 million," said Sandy Bonelli, cutting horse competitor. "There's just no better feeling then sitting on a great cutting horse. It's hard to explain, but when a horse really reads a cow, they can read a cow better than I can. It's just really a thrill," continued Bonelli. And for both riders and fans, the thrill is also in keeping the spirit of the old west alive. If you have comments or questions about this story, please E-mail Producer Allison Thompson at athompson@kvie.org.