FORT WORTH — Jo Anne Carollo of Atascadero has more than $523,000 in reined cow horse earnings, so now she’s taking a stab at cutting. The seasoned horsewoman took Fort Worth by storm, winning a Champion title at her first National Cutting Horse Association Futurity aboard What A Rey.

What A Rey (TR Dual Rey x Roosters Chicaroo x Gallo Del Cielo), owned and bred by Carollo and her husband Jim, marked a 214 from the first draw in the first bunch in the Limited Non-Pro finals. That score was enough to hold strong against the other 33 finalists, earning Carollo top honors and a $9,610 check.

While she is new to the cutting pen, Carollo has impressive experience in reined cow horse. She has won multiple titles at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurities since she began competing in the 1980s.

Carollo was not only the first rider to crack the herd, she was also riding a homegrown mare she bred out of the mare she rode to the 1999 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity championship. What A Rey and Carollo marked a 214 that stuck through the duration of the finals.

“It was like a dream to watch all those good horses, thinking that no way my score would hold up,” said Carollo.

Carollo primarily trained What A Rey on her own, but was assisted by NCHA Professional Trainer Russ Westfall, who was also the driving force behind her competing at Fort Worth.

“I didn’t have time to be nervous,” she said. “All week it’s been a learning curve, and I couldn’t have been happier with my horse.”