Page 85 - July 2015

Monte CluCk II
A 15-year-old freshman at Boerne High School who lives in Boerne, texas
by Tracy Gantz
though most children raised around Quarter Horses ride before they can walk, Monte Cluck II took that to an extreme. At only 10 days old, he traveled to Guthrie, Texas, with his parents for a cattle delivery.
“I shared the saddle with my parents as a baby,” Monte said.
By age 5, Monte was dragging calves to the fire aboard his Galiceno horse Pedro. His parents, Monte Sr. and Katsy, borrowed Pedro for young Monte from their good friend Burke Adcock.
“Pedro was a special horse that you could do anything on,” said Monte. “He and I traveled many miles in the pasture together.”
The Cluck family not only raises cattle and ranch horses, but they also own racehorses—and not just any racehorses. They were co-owners of multiple Champion Ochoa, the all-time leading earner with $2,781,365, now retired.
“From the first time that I met Ochoa, I felt that he was the most amazing horse in the barn,” said Monte. “Ochoa loves having all of your attention. When you walk in the barn, he looks at you like, ‘You better come over here and pet on me right now.’ He would get so antsy and worked up if he was not getting your attention.”
Monte with Ochoa’s 2011 All American Futurity trophy
The Cluck family experienced the ulti- mate Quarter Horse racing thrill when they witnessed Ochoa’s victory in the 2011 All American Futurity.
“I remember being very nervous before the race,” said Monte. “The excitement of him win- ning was so awesome for me and my family—I really can’t explain it.”
Monte has attended the races throughout the Southwest. In addition to Ruidoso, he has been to Los Alamitos, Remington Park, Sam Houston, Lone Star Park, and Retama Park.
School takes up a good deal of his time most of the year, and he excels at his studies. He hopes to attend Texas A&M University and pursue animal science.
Science and reading are Monte’s favorite subjects. He is on his school’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) team. He and a team partner, Wyatt Mobley, qualified for and won the state finals in problem-solving competition.
“This was an awesome accomplishment for us because we had worked very hard all year long to prepare for it,” Monte said. “We also took top honors in welding and onsite welding events.”
In school sports, Monte plays football, basketball, baseball, and golf. He competes
Monte and AQHA’s all-time leading money earner, 4-time Champion Ochoa
in track and field, and has won in his district in shot put and discus.
As busy as all this keeps him, Monte continues to work hard as part of his parents’ cattle opera- tion. That means long hours in the saddle on the many good ranch Quarter Horses they own.
“I help anywhere that I am needed,” Monte said. “I am involved in gathering, processing, shipping, receiving, branding, doctoring— really all of it. And horses are essential tools in our business.”
Monte also helps by raising quail and chu- kar partridge to populate the ranch with birds. He enjoys bow hunting for hogs, turkey, and whitetail deer.
For the summer months, Monte is working for Lynn and Buzz Jacoby at their Jacoby Cattle Company in Cuero, Texas.
“Buzz and Lynn are like my family, and they have taught me so much,” Monte said.
Monte is not only planning his career path with care, he follows his passion, which cer- tainly includes Quarter Horses.
“I feel that I will always be involved in the horse business in some way,” he said. “I know that I will have horses to use in my business. And I would like to have racehorses in the future because it has been a lot of fun for me and my family.”
Monte out working the cattle
SPEEDHORSE, July 2015 83
YOUTH INDUSTRY PROFILE