Cross Brand Cowboy Church of Waurika
by Carol Mowdy Bond
Photos by Krista Davis Signature Portraiture
There’s a lot of horsin’ around in Waurika, Oklahoma, and at the heart of it is Cross Brand Cowboy Church (CBCC). In addition to traditional worship services, the church is widely known for its thriving arena ministry. Ministry team members are the cowboy boots on the ground, serving at every arena event.
Arena ministry team leader Clay West, and his wife, Leah, owners and operators of CW Elite Cow Horses in Healdton, lend their experience and leadership to the church’s growing arena ministry.
Leah produces the church’s ranch versatility shows, creating a welcoming environment for a wide variety of horses and riders. Cash prizes are awarded in all divisions and classes, along with buckles and trophy saddles for senior and junior year-end champions, drawing more participants each season.
CBCC offers four ranch versatility classes to showcase an all-around horse. They include reining; cow boxing, where a horse and rider work a single cow; ranch pleasure, which evaluates a horse’s ability to move like a practical working ranch horse through the various transitions; and an outdoor trail course featuring natural obstacles found on the ranch.
The ranch versatility shows bring in the largest annual participation numbers, with seven divisions: Open, Green Horse, Novice Rider and Amateur, which nonprofessional adults typically enter. The youth divisions are Senior Youth (ages 13-18), Junior Youth (ages 12 and under) and Lead Line (ages 12 and under).
“Our Lead Line division is different than any other lead line you would see at a show,” Leah says. “We allow youth on a horse to be assisted by an adult on a horse. So they can follow the adult or be coached by the adult while they’re showing. This is very beginner friendly for really young kids to learn how to show.”
Also produced by Leah, CBCC’s ranch cutting shows offer classes for every horse and every rider, including those who have never cut before. The arena ministry fosters an everyone-is-welcome environment where riders of all experience levels can compete and learn.
CBCC hosts monthly ranch cutting and ranch versatility shows during its annual spring series in March, April and May and its fall series in September, October and November. The Wests orchestrate a broader ranch cutting circuit, producing 10 additional shows each year for two other churches with arenas and arena ministries — Cooke County Cowboy Church in Gainesville, Texas, where the program began in 2020, and Montague County Cowboy Church in Montague, Texas.
At the end of each year, the Wests bring the three arena ministries together for a big year-end event featuring awards. The church congregations refer to the arena shows as “Church Cuttings,” a name widely used throughout the region.
CBCC also has an Obstacle Challenge, overseen and designed by Leah’s mom, “Miss Deb” Sundberg. “There are extreme obstacles that challenge a horse and rider’s relationship and trust. This class is for people to ride the horse or lead the horse through the obstacles,” says Leah.
Open to all ages and experience levels, barrel racing is a new addition this year. CBCC also offers a variety of clinics, including reining, mechanical flag and cow work. A wide range of opportunities and events keep participants busy, and by-donation concessions feature home-cooked goodies and favorites made with donated ranch-raised beef.
The church property includes a 130-by-200-foot covered arena, bleachers, team roping boxes, stripping chutes, covered cattle pens, restrooms, a café, covered judges stand, outdoor trail course, outdoor arena and a double-bay outdoor wash rack. CBCC also owns all the equipment needed, making it easier for producers to join the arena ministry.
Rooted in accessibility, connection and personal interaction centered around the Western horse world, CBCC’s arena ministry goes beyond competition.
Through horse shows, clinics and other events, the church creates community and relationships while sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with participants and families. The Gospel is shared through various means at every arena event. For more information about Cross Brand Cowboy Church and upcoming arena ministry events, visit crossbrandcowboychurchoklahoma.com.
A Cowboy Calling
Pastor Sean Mayfield
As one of the springboards and driving forces behind CBCC’s arena ministries, Pastor Sean Mayfield was one of the church founders 16 years ago. Growing up in the world’s cutting horse capital of Weatherford, Texas, he became a pro bull rider at 21 years old.
While Mayfield is CBCC’s pastor, he is also a full-time saddle maker. Additionally, he has trained horses for 26 years in various disciplines — cutting, reining, ranch versatility and ranch horses. To date, he has started about 1,500 colts.
“We reach so many people for Christ, including the unchurched, because of the arena setting and also every event has a completely different group of people,” says Mayfield. “People drive three to four hours to the shows from across Oklahoma and Texas.”
