The story of Cuttabar Cole Fusion began with his full sister. Daz Cox, a cutting horse trainer from the Gold Coast in Queensland, had always loved Cuttabar Stylish Kitty. When her full brother came up for sale as a rising two year old from Kim and Fred Johnson, it was an opportunity she did not want to pass up.
Daz bought him in partnership with her father, and the plan was always to keep him. She saw him as her own stud prospect, a colt she could take through his Futurity year and build a future around.
His pedigree was a large part of that appeal. Bred by Cuttabar Q Horses, he is by NRR Cat King Cole out of Bit Stylish, the Dam of Cuttabar Stylish Kitty. It was a cross that had already produced a mare Daz admired, and one she believed could offer something different to Australian breeders.
His physical type stood out just as much. He is a big boned, strong bay Stallion with a clean front and a beautiful type. Even then, Daz could see that his build would suit a long career, and that it would one day appeal to Campdrafters.
He was one of the easiest horses Daz has ever broken. Even as a young horse he was unbelievable to work on the flag. He would stop and turn low and correct, doing his job so naturally that he made training easy.
He was the first colt Daz had ever trained, and it was his mind that excited her most. He was so trainable that at times it felt as though he was training himself. His personality stood out too, along with his ability to make the job easy for himself.
Daz showed him herself throughout his 2025 Futurity year. They had some bad luck at the Futurity in Tamworth, but after that event he made the final in every Non Pro Futurity they entered. He placed 6th in the Non Pro Futurity at both the Darling Downs Cutting Club Futurity and the Balonne River Cutters Futurity Show. He also finished 2nd in the $15,000 Non Pro at the Northern Rivers Cutting Horse Club in Kyogle.
He was always a sensitive horse, and one Daz admits was very spoilt. Every time they showed, he gave her 100 per cent of his try. That held true even when Daz was worried about tough cattle or when his works at home hadn't felt successful.
St George became a standout moment. Daz went in with extremely low expectations of putting together a decent run. He stepped up and marked a 217 in the first Go Round.
His trainability was shown again when Lincoln Veraat took the reins at the Victorian Futurity after only two works on him at home. Horse and rider didn't know each other, yet they put together two solid Go Round runs and finished just a couple of points off making the final. It was a credit to both of them.
When he finished his three year old year, Daz's father decided he would like to sell. That decision opened the door for Jesse Ball.
Jesse had first seen "Handsome," as he is known at home, as a young horse with Daz and had followed his show career from there. She had always been drawn to NRR Cat King Cole, and Cuttabar Stylish Kitty had long been on her radar. Above all, it was his genetics that appealed to her.
In January 2026, at the start of his four year old year, Jesse purchased him privately from Daz for one hundred thousand dollars. Three weeks later, on Daz's recommendation, he was sent to Lincoln Veraat to continue his training as a Derby cutting horse.
From February to August 2026 he was in training and being shown by Lincoln. He continued to show plenty of talent, though he has not yet had much luck drawing cattle. By all accounts, a promising future lies ahead.
Jesse's goal is to show him herself in the Non Pro Classic and enjoy him through to the end of his aged events. After his cutting career, she hopes to see "Handsome" move into both the Challenge and Campdrafting arenas to show his versatility and talent.
That next chapter is the one Daz pictured from the start. With his bone, strength and ability to chase cattle, she always believed he would Campdraft with ease and appeal strongly to Australian breeders. With lifetime earnings of $1,761.10 and his aged event career still ahead, she sees the NRR Cat King Cole and Bit Stylish cross, together with his type, as a valuable outcross for the Australian market.
What began as one trainer's admiration for a full sister has grown into a horse two owners have believed in. From Daz's first colt to Jesse's Non Pro partner, Cuttabar Cole Fusion continues to carry the promise that first caught their attention.
