More than a few years ago, a young Matt Gaines went to work at the C Bar S Ranch for Mr. Charles Spence. Charles was a major player in the National Cutting Horse Association world, and it was a great opportunity for the young trainer transitioning from success as a non-pro exhibitor to life as a professional. What Matt gained was the chance to ride good horses and earn an education.

Charles became quite fond of the young trainer. One day, Charles came to Matt with an offer. He would give Matt a free breeding to his stallion, Kit Dual, with the stipulation that the resulting foal would be sold and that Matt would put that money into the bank for a college fund for his two young children, Lauren and Garret. How could Matt turn that down? Kit Dual was a son of Dual Pep, out of the Smart Little Lena daughter Pretty Little Kitty, and 1994 edition Kit Dual went on to amass $251,691 in NCHA lifetime earnings.

There was a hitch: Matt didn’t own a mare. But his father, Dick, sure did. He loaned Matt a mare named Winnie Wood, a daughter of Zack T Wood who had lifetime NCHA earnings of $167,339. So Matt bred the mare and in 1999, Winnie Wood foaled a cute little sorrel stud colt, with a star, strip and snip and white feet. He was a sharp looking little fella, with a promising future – for three of them.

As an homage to the story, and his friendship with the man responsible for it all, Matt named the colt College X Spence, and “Chucky” became his nickname. Chucky lived life as all the other cutting-bred colts do, growing up until it was time to be broke and go into training.

Matt started Chucky as a 2-year-old. Chucky was an outstanding student, a really cute colt, with expression and athletic ability. All in all, he was just what you’d hope for as a prospect in training.

And then one day, about halfway through his training, Chucky checked out. He didn’t want to be a cutting horse anymore.

So Chucky forged his own path. Unlike his peers, 3-year-old Chucky entered the Will Rogers Coliseum not as a 3-year-old NCHA Futurity horse … but as a 3-year-old turnback horse.

Now, nearly two decades later, Chucky still rides into the Will Rogers as a turnback horse. It’s estimated that he has been in every NCHA event finals held in Fort Worth since his debut in 2002.

He has definitely become a respected star as a turnback horse. Chucky is a steady fixture at many a major limited age event, even if Matt’s not in his saddle.

It’s hard to say how much money has been won with Chucky’s help in the corner. So many of the trainers respect Chucky and the part he may have played in their wins.

“They’ll come up and comment, ‘Chucky sure saved the day,’ and we know how much they appreciate him,” says Tara Gaines, Matt’s wife.

Chucky takes his job as a turnback horse very seriously, and he does it like no other. Tara remembers Michael Cooper using him to turn back.

“Michael was watching the cutter and his cow closely. A cow tried to pop out of the herd so Chucky moved to put her back, without warning Cooper.”

Tara says Chucky is just so smooth, and that’s part of what makes him such a great turnback horse.

“You know when a cow just won’t turn off? He comes in so smooth to bump the cow and push her off the cutter. He’s always in the right place at the right time to help.”

As a young horse, Chucky worked the hard job as the main ranch using horse. While Chucky might have begun his turnback career as the unpaid intern, he certainly proved his value and has earned his seniority perks, including cookies. He has all of his own blankets, slinkies, halter and tack. He enjoys the same level of care as the show horses, has the big stall in the trailer, mats in his stall, baths and treats.

Chucky doesn’t work as a using horse at home anymore. He gets his exercise on the walker or Tara ponies him. To save him for the big events, Chucky skips the smaller shows, and one of Matt’s younger using horses steps in as the B Team. But that might not be Chucky’s choice, if he were asked.

“We left him home a few years ago when we were going to be on a long road trip,” Tara says. “He paced the fence and was very upset when those trailers left without him.

“When we did a 28-day trip that took us to Idaho and California, I suggested that maybe Chucky stay home,” Tara says.

But Chucky went.

Matt, an NCHA $8 million rider, won the NCHA open world title in 2015 on Special Nu Baby. Tara had won the NCHA non-pro world championship in 2010 with her gelding Patrick La Dual.

“We had a photographer out to the ranch and did photos with our two world champions and, of course, we did some with Chucky.”

“When we were decorating the house, our interior designer put a picture frame on each side of our bathroom and told us to each pick a photo for our frame. Out of those 287 photos, Matt picked the photo of us with Chucky. That’s how he feels about that horse.”

Chucky has had a front-row seat to some of the Gaines’ best memories. Matt and Special Nu Baby marked an NCHA record score of 234 at the El Rancho Futurity. Adan Banuelos was on Chucky to help for that run. “Baby” didn’t like many horses, but she was fond of Chucky, so they were traveling buddies during her show career.

Tara remembers the trip in 2015 to Canada when Matt was campaigning Special Nu Baby for the world championship. There were several exhibitors from the United States at the show, and since it was the Fourth of July, they all lined up for a commemorative photograph with a U.S. flag.

No one gave a thought back to when the turnback guys would all line up and run out into the arena after the national anthem played. No one but Chucky. And off he ran, surprising his rider.

There was the time in California where the show held a team bridleless cutting to benefit breast cancer awareness. The guys all wore pink, including Chucky, who also wore a big bra for the occasion. It was four Texans vs. four California trainers. Texas won so they took their victory lap, with Matt on Chucky leading the way. Adan Banuelos made a charge for the lead and caught up to Chucky, who was not about to be passed.

“Chucky actually ran out from underneath Matt,” Tara laughs. “It was like you’d see in a cartoon!”

Chucky’s dependability, his work-all-day job and his 20 years on earth do not keep him from feeling frisky, and perhaps squealing and bucking … if the mood strikes him. It’s part of his charm, and excusable behavior only for Chucky.

“Matt loves Chucky so much and worries about him,” says Tara. “If he coughs, Matt calls (Dr.) Charlie (Buchanan).”

“Last year, at a show at Silverado, Chucky suffered a seizure,” Tara recalls. “Michael Cooper got him up and we got him home and got the vet there. He came out of it fine. We still don’t know what caused it.

“Half the trainers there at the show came by the ranch to check on him, as if he was one of them. That says a lot,” Tara says.

Right now, Matt has no plans to retire Chucky. Tara says Matt has been casually looking for a replacement, but those will be big shoes to fill.

“He might just not want to admit that Chucky won’t be here forever.

“If Matt could move him into the house, I think he would,” Tara admits. She describes Chucky as a piece of the late Charles Spence that Matt keeps with him.

For those who may be concerned about the departure from the original plan, where College X Spence’s high-dollar sale should have filled a college fund – have no worries. Both Lauren and Garret Gaines attended college without a Chucky sale contributing to their tuition. He contributed to it indirectly, for sure.