By Katie-Rose Watson
Quarter Horses can dance! After a stellar career showing through Third Level and earning her owner a USDF Bronze Medal, Codys Cutee is a mom! The 15.2 hand palomino Quarter Horse by Quick Skipping Zans and out of Codys Bare Essence had a decorated show career with owner Danica Norred, competing through Third Level dressage before being matched with a stellar stallion. Their accolades include Top Ten Horse, High Point Senior Horse, and High Point All Ages at First and Second Level. “We earned bronze together, and that was our goal,” says Danica, who first owned and competed on Cutee’s mother, Codys Bare Essence. Cody was Danica’s first Quarter Horse; together they had a long, successful western show career until Cody retired at age twenty-two. Danica bred Cody, raising, starting, and training Cutee from the day her hooves hit the ground.
Now at thirteen years old, Cutee gave birth to a gorgeous chestnut colt by the handsome Black Star Sport Horses stallion Cavallo Star, owned by Lisa and Jackie Blackmon. “I liked Cody so much, I got a Cutee, and I liked Cutee so much, I got a Cosmo,” laughs Danica.
Danica first met the Blackmon family at a rated show and has taken students to Black Star’s annual schooling shows. Danica was impressed with the Blackmon’s program. Lisa has helped Danica with everything from her breeding program to helping her teach her students. In fact, one of Danica’s students interned at Black Star Sport Horses last summer. Cavallo, now eighteen years old, was bred by Black Star Sport Horses and has lived at the farm his whole life. The lovely 16.2 hand Oldenburg stallion earned a high index in jumping and dressage with brothers and sisters who have competed in the Olympics.
Lisa tells us, “I showed both of Cavallo’s parents. Cavallo’s mother is by Ulft, a KWPN stallion, one of the highest ranked dressage producing stallions, and Cavallo’s father, Calimero, was my Grand Prix mount.” Cavallo is one of the few Warmblood stallions in the nation with live cover. He’s known to put a strong hind leg and uphill neck on his babies, along with a thick mane and tail and lots of white markings.
“Cavallo is an excellent stallion,” Danica enthuses. Cavallo did indeed pass down his thick mane and tail and ample white markings to Cosmo, who was born on Danica’s husband’s birthday, the same day as the Space X launch. They decided to name the colt Cosmic Endeavour after the spaceship. “Space inspires Americans to dream,” explains Danica,“and Cosmo is my dream.” The Space X ship was then named Endeavour, which Danica took as a good omen.
The strikingly handsome colt was born at midnight on May 29, 2020, breaking Danica’s longstanding filly streak. Cosmo was her first colt in twenty years. “He’s all boy,” she says affectionately. “He’s a quick learner too. At just two weeks old, he’s already used to baths and fly spray. He’s a good boy, leggy, uphill, and smart.”
Cosmo is enjoying the summer sun at Danica’s private farm in Quitman, Louisiana. He will be Danica’s next dressage horse and she couldn’t be more excited. Cutee is retired but continues to give lessons to Danica’s students. “We mostly trail ride now. She’s such a good mare,” says Danica. “It’s fun to see how much like her Cosmo is. When Cutee was a baby, she’d nicker at me when I’d say her name. Now Cosmo does the same thing at just two weeks old. He already knows his name!”
Lisa added that Cavallo’s babies start particularly well under saddle due to their willingness to learn and agreeable attitude. “Cavallo is a lovely stallion,” says Lisa. “He’s easy to handle, easy to have around the farm. We’ve never had a Cavallo baby that we’ve been disappointed in. We’re very happy with Cosmo. He’ll be a great partner for Danica.”
Danica gushes, “I’m already so in love with him. He’s going to be a really special dressage horse.”
