Biography
Corey Cushing made history in 2022. Aboard Hott Rod — a stallion he had envisioned as a WGH champion since purchasing him as a two-year-old — Cushing claimed his third World's Greatest Horseman title, matching Russell Dilday's record and becoming just the second rider in the event's history to win three times. The margin of victory was four points over Phillip Ralls and Call Me Mitch, a result that reflected the extraordinary quality of competition at the top of the 2022 field.
Hott Rod, bred by the Hottish sire line and owned by Lynne Wurzer, earned $102,000 in WGH earnings through his championship performance — a figure that reflects the significance of the title and the quality of the horse's competitive career. Cushing had developed Hott Rod from the ground up with the WGH as the ultimate goal, and the 2022 championship was the fulfillment of that long-range vision. The stallion's performance across all four events demonstrated the thoroughness of that preparation.
Cushing's three WGH titles — 2015 with Rock Star, 2019 with Sonita Lena Rey, 2022 with Hott Rod — represent something extraordinary in the history of this event. Three different horses. Three different years. The same championship result. No other program has produced that kind of sustained excellence at the WGH level. His three titles define the modern era of the championship.