Russ grew up in the northwest as a young cowboy. He was high school rodeo state champion and qualified for the finals three years in a row and was his high school state president. He work and looked up to Frank Beard (a well known rodeo stock contractor in the northwest). He then started breaking colts for local cattle ranches. He realized he had a love and passion for a good cowhorse and an opportunity to work for the legendary Buster Welch and Russ moved to Texas.

    It was then that Buster and Sheila were at the peaks of their careers and Buster was training 75 head of horses a day. Not only did he get to work for the best, but he was surrounded by other great hands and great horses such as CD Chica San Badger, Haida’s Lil Pep,   Doc O Leo and so on. It was an experience of a lifetime.

    Russ has been a professional cutting horse trainer now for over 20 years. He was inducted in the NCHA Riders Hall of Fame. He is also a NCHA Judge. A few of his accomplishments include PCCHA Open Champion, NCHA Super Stakes Reserve Champion, and NCHA Classic Challenge Reserve Champion. Russ has been champion or a finalist at every major event from the West Coast to Texas. His lifetime earnings exceed $1,500,000.

     His wife Janet is a NCHA Non Pro Hall of Fame rider. She was a 2000 NCHA Non Pro Futurity Reserve Champion aboard CD Royal a stallion that they now stand. She recent was the NCHA World Finals Show Champion. Russ and Janet have an young cowboy named “Brandon” that shows too.

    The Westfall’s spend their time between two ranches. The main ranch is located in Los Olivos, California on the beautiful central coast where the climate is mild year around. A lot of the time is also spent in Weatherford, Texas (Cutting Capital of the World) which enables them to be in close proximity to the NCHA Aged Events and the many weekend shows in the area.

    Russ usually rides 20-25 outside horses at a time, consisting of starting 2 year olds on cattle to finished show horses. He takes pride in doing the training himself. Horses in training see a lot of fresh cattle which there is no substitute for.