On the vast prairies of Texas, cattle came first, then horses, then the cowboy, and the needs of handling herds for select breeding or for markets led to the development of the cutting horse. That work remains the same, but the pleasure and pride of riding a good cow horse also gave rise to the cutting horse contest. Beginning in 1946, Parker County supplied three of the eight founders of the National Cutting Horse Association, the first three presidents, and the first three world champions. Parker County also produced the first rider and horse to win three consecutive world championships, a record that still holds. Regarded as the place where it all began, Parker County continues to produce more cutting horses than any other county in Texas, and the county honors the horses, cowboys, and cowgirls whose skill contributed to its economy and cowboy heritage.