The Animal
May 23, 2025
Cindy Perez didn't set out to be in the horse business. Her
background was in transportation logistics, and she built Cat 5 Resources into
a disaster-response powerhouse—deploying across the Southern U.S., Puerto Rico,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands after major catastrophes. But in 2013, after buying
a ranch in Winnie, Texas, one unexpected deal changed everything.
"On a fluke, I lent money to a gentleman in Winnie, who
used his cutting horses as collateral," Cindy says. "He ended up not being an
upstanding citizen and has since found himself behind bars on federal
indictments. I ended up with 46 head of horses and a cutting bred stallion
named Fantastic Cat. Until then, I'd never been in the cutting
horse industry."
She sold off most of the horses—including the stallion—but
the experience opened a new door. In 2019, Cindy went all-in, purchasing The
Animal, a 15-hand son of Cat Ichi with over $260,000 in lifetime earnings.
A decorated competitor himself—NCHA Futurity Reserve Champion and NCHA Summer
Spectacular Champion—The Animal now stands at Solo Select in
Gainesville, Texas.
His first foal crop is just 5 years old, but already making
a name across multiple arenas. From the cutting pen to the rodeo world, The
Animal's offspring are proving they're built to perform. He's producing
horses that are smart, quiet, willing, and wickedly athletic—traits that are
catching the eye of some of the top competitors in the sport.
"The Animal's athleticism is captivating, he's so smart,
and has a huge personality," Cindy says. "His offspring are easy to train,
good-minded, and they want to work."
And they win. His progeny are now in the hands of elite
competitors like three-time NFR heeler Tyler Worley, eight-time
PRCA World Champion Fred Whitfield, and WPRA World Champions Lari
Dee Guy and Hope Thompson.
To reward that kind of performance, Cindy created the $160,000
Animal Incentive—exclusively for The Animal's offspring—paid
out at the prestigious NCHA Futurity each year. That's on top
of eligibility for the Riata Stallion Incentive and major
programs like the Legendary Stakes, Royal Crown, NCRHA Cow Horse Incentive,
Breeders Invitational, PCCHA Cutting Stakes, the NCHA Stallion Foal Program,
and the Solo Select Stallion Incentive.
"When the Riata opportunity came up, I didn't hesitate,"
Cindy says. "My goal is to give progeny owners every opportunity in every
discipline possible."
From a bad loan to one of the industry's most exciting
sires, The Animal isn't just a name. He's a game-changer.
