Biography
Corey Cushing of Scottsdale, Arizona, claimed the first of his three World's Greatest Horseman titles in 2015 aboard PRF Spoonful Of Gold — a gelding known around the barn as 'Rock Star,' a nickname that proved prophetic. Their 889-point composite announced Cushing as a legitimate WGH force and Rock Star as a horse of exceptional versatility. As a Member of the NRCHA Million Dollar Rider club and a past Snaffle Bit Futurity champion, Cushing arrived at the WGH with credentials — and the 2015 championship validated them at the sport's highest level.
Rock Star's performance across all four events reflected the preparation that Cushing had invested in the gelding and the natural ability the horse brought to every phase. The 889-point composite was among the highest in WGH history at that time, and it established a benchmark that announced Cushing as someone who would be contending for WGH titles for years to come. His program in Scottsdale had produced a champion, and the sport took notice.
What the 2015 championship could not reveal at the time was that it was only the beginning of Cushing's WGH story. He would return in 2019 and 2022, each time with a different horse, to claim additional titles — ultimately matching Dilday's three-championship record and cementing his place as one of the two most decorated riders in the event's history. The 2015 title was Chapter One.