Road to the Horse

Battles have been fought in the name of religion, politics, honor, love and economics through the ages, but for the first time ever, rhinestones will be at the center of the fray when Road to the Horse crew and clinicians square off against Extreme Mustang Makeover trainers in the The Outrageous Rickrageous “Battle For The Bling” at Road to the Horse in Franklin, TN March 13-15, 2009.

Road to the Horse owner and producer Tootie Bland and Extreme Mustang Makeover founder Patti Colbert will be pitting two of their best horsemen and horsewomen against one another for bling and bragging rights. The spoils that will go to the victor? A rhinestone laden jacket by western couturier Rickrageous.

Bland threw down the gauntlet against Colbert during the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover Finals when the two entered the arena to announce the Road to the Horse Extreme Road Trip winner. Both cowgirls were glitzed-out in their Rickrageous jackets when they got into a standoff about who had the most bling. Of course, both being fashionable, strong-willed cowgirls neither would concede defeat to the other.

To settle the matter of who laid claim to the most rhinestones, Bland challenged Colbert to a competition for a new Rickrageous jacket, a challenge that Colbert quickly accepted.

Plans are for 2008 & 2009 Road to the Horse competitor Tommy Garland and his 2008 Road to the Horse colt, Spirit, to face off with the Extreme Mustang Makeover Legends division champion Mark Lyon of Arlington, Nebraska and his his three-year-old bay mustang, Christian. In addition, Bland challenged Patti to put up her toughest, wildest, most outrageously bold mustang trainer to compete against the infamous Thomas B. Saunders V, Road to the Horse boss wrangler.

Colbert came back with the statement that “a girl could beat Thomas Saunders” and put her bling where her mouth was by choosing Extreme Mustang Makeover trainer Wylene Wilson of Queen Park, AZ to go head-to-head with Saunders. Wilson competed during the Extreme Mustang legends finals (bareback and bridleless with a broken hand) on her mustang Filthy Rich.

Details of the match-up will be announced at Road to the Horse in March, but rest assured with these two dynamic cowgirls at the helm both teams will surely “bring it” in the Battle for the Bling.

Road to the Horse is unlike any other event in the equine or entertainment industry. It is “the original colt starting challenge”. The two-day sold out event matches the absolute best horse trainers and clinicians of today against one another as they train unbroken colts to ride in just a few short hours in front of a packed live audience and television cameras. By combining education, edge-of-your-seat suspense, entertainment and the love of the horse, Road to the Horse has been responsible for solidifying the position of today’s horsemanship heros and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a shining star of horse industry. Hosted by Rick Lamb, of RFD-TV’s The Horse Show with Rick Lamb, spectators are guaranteed not only to have a good time, but also to walk away with training knowledge that will improve their relationship with horses.

Road to the Horse is proud to partner with many outstanding companies including Horse & Rider, Mustang Makeover, Cinch, Cruel Girl, Gist Silversmiths, ABI Equine and John Deere . For more information on Road to the Horse and Tootie Bland Productions, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

A crowd favorite at the 2008 Road to the Horse, Tommy Garland, will return in 2009 applying his CPR method in his quest to win this prestigious competition. Garland’s method is all about confidence, patience and respect when working with and training horses.

Garland is considered one of the best trainers and showmen in the world of Arabians and half Arabians and was named the Western Pleasure Trainer of the Year in 2002 by the Arabian Professionals and Amateur Horseman’s Association. When he entered the competition in 2008 he was unknown by many outside the Arabian show ring, but he certainly left with many followers and believers of his natural horsemanship methods.

Using confidence, patience and respect to tame and start young colts, Garland adapts his training techniques for each individual horse he works with. Understanding that no horse is alike, he believes that a cookie-cutter training program does not work for each horse.

“A horse isn’t a car; you don’t just turn the key and go. It takes a little while for a horse to figure things out. CPR Horsemanship is not pre-packaged fast food so to speak, it is home cooking like your grandma used to make,” said Garland.

With the use of his horsemanship techniques he will go up against John Lyons and Richard Winters for the title of Road to the Horse 2009 Champion. There is no doubt that this competition will be action-packed and full of education with lots of entertainment.

The Road to the Horse competition is like no other. It is “the original colt starting challenge,” combining the love for the horse, the love of competition and the love of education and entertainment. Hosted by Rick Lamb, of RFD-TV’s The Horse Show with Rick Lamb, this event has something for everyone. It is a weekend filled with endless horse-knowledge, excitement and friendly competition among some of the world’s top horseman.

Road to the Horse is proud to partner with many outstanding companies including Horse & Rider, Mustang Makeover, Cinch, Cruel Girl, and Gist Silversmiths. For more information on Road to the Horse and Tootie Bland Productions, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

The Extreme Mustang Makeover competition, held by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, will be held September 18^th-21^st in Fort Worth, Texas. This competition gives trainers across the country 100 days to train wild Nevada mustangs and then tests their progress for over $50,000 in cash and prizes.

With three different levels of competition including stars, idols and legends, these trainers have two days to prove that they can train the American Mustang. Started as a way to increase the exposure of wild mustangs, this event has led to increased awareness, education and adoption of these amazing horses.

“We wanted to show people that these mustangs can be changed and transformed into great partners. It really showcases the trainability of these horses,” said Patti Colbert, Extreme Mustang Makeover founder.

Last year’s even turned out to be bigger than imagined, with standing room only. In attendance at the 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover was Tootie Bland, owner and producer of Road to the Horse, “the original colt starting competition”. Bland was thrilled with the event and invited two of the finalists to exhibit their horses during Road to the Horse. This began a lasting relationship between Bland and Colbert.

Road to the Horse and Extreme Mustang Makeover have put together 2009 Extreme Road Trip packages. The winner of the Road to the Horse trip will be announced on September 20^th during the event finals. It is not too late to enter the 2009 Road to the Horse package, and you may begin entering for the Extreme Mustang Makeover 2009 package after this year’s event.

Also featured will be Road to the Horse two time champion Chris Cox. Cox will be acting as an announcer during the competition finals. Originally slated as a judge, he has stepped into the position of announcer and will also be interviewing contestants from on-top a horse.

The day after the finals an auction will be held in which all the horses seen in the competition will be up for adoption. Although the Bureau of Land Management has a $125 adoption fee minimum, the horses are auctioned of for an average of $2,300. It is without a doubt that the buyers are getting every penny worth of hard work, sweat and tears put into them by their trainers.

For more information on the Extreme Mustang Makeover and the Mustang Heritage Foundation, visit www.extrememustangmakeover.com and www.mustangheritagefoundation.com, or call 512-355-3225.

Richard Winters is excited to combine over thirty years of experience as a horseman and cowboy in the esteemed colt starting competition Road to the Horse. After training nearly every breed and studying many disciplines, ranging from dressage to cow horses, he is clearly an excellent candidate for Road to the Horse. Based out of Ojai, California, Winters would like to bring a little California style and flair to the competition.

“I like to change things up and make them different. I want to educate people about the California brand of cow horses, and I have some new ideas that I haven’t tried before that could come to a fun conclusion,” said Winters.

Along the way, Winters has had the opportunity to work with great horsemen who have helped influence and build his style of colt starting and training. Starting a colt during the Road to the Horse will be no new feat for this west coast cowboy. In addition to his list of championships and accomplishments, Winters conducts clinics across the nation for horse lovers and enthusiasts.

The California natives have already produced an amazing response to his participation in the event. Winters says they have really created a buzz on the west coast, and people from all over are buying tickets to see the competition.

Winters has been following Road to the Horse since its inception and is thankful to be chosen as a competitor. The competition symbolizes a lot to him because he says the audience is extremely appreciative and it’s great entertainment and education for horsemen and women across the nation.

“When looking back at past competitors, it’s an honor that I’ve been selected. It’s an honor and a privilege that I am allowed to be part of such a great competition. I’m just going to go out there and do what I do,” said Winters.

The Road to the Horse competition is like no other. It is “the original colt starting challenge,” combining the love for the horse, the love of competition and the love of education and entertainment. Hosted by Rick Lamb, of RFD-TV’s The Horse Show with Rick Lamb, this event has something for everyone. It is a weekend filled with endless horse-knowledge, excitement and friendly competition among some of the world’s top horseman. Road to the Horse is proud to partner with many outstanding companies including Horse & Rider, Mustang Makeover, Cinch, Cruel Girl, and Gist Silversmiths. For more information on Road to the Horse and Tootie Bland Productions, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 352-736-5000.

The groundbreaking colt starting event Road to the Horse, which gives three clinicians three hours to break an untouched colt to ride, has been honored with it’s second Telly Award for production excellence. Road to the Horse was selected for a Silver Telly Award (the highest honor awarded) for it’s 2007 DVD documentary featuring competition between clinicians Chris Cox, Stacy Westfall and Clinton Anderson.

Accepting the award for Tootie Bland Productions Inc. are Tootie Bland – Producer/Writer and John Fox – Director/Editor.

“Wow, It is absolutely amazing to win a Silver Telly, what a great year for Road to the Horse and all our wonderful crew that make the heart of this organization tick. It was a thrill to win my first one, but the second is even better. I would like to congratulate John Fox our Video Director and Editor, behind every successful Producer is a great editor and John has been making me look good for years!” says Bland.

About the Telly Awards:
Founded in 1978, the Telly Award is the premier award honoring outstanding TV programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work of the most respected production companies, television stations, cable operators and video productions in the world. The Telly Award is widely known and highly respected national and international achievement recognition and nominates over 14,000 entries annually from all 50 states and many foreign countries. When asked what makes a Telly Award Number 1 in the Film and Broadcast Industry, there is only one answer. The past winners reads like the“Who’s Who” of industry leaders and creators. Past “Silver Telly” winners include: Sony, Warner Bros., Kaleidoscope Pictures, PixelFish Inc, Film Media Inc, 1K Studios, Badami Productions, Blue Telescope, National CineMedia, Columbia Pictures and many more. There is only one Oscar, one Emmy and one Telly!

About Road to the Horse/Tootie Bland Productions
The Road to the Horse competition is like no other. It is “the original colt starting challenge,” combining the love for the horse, the love of competition and the love of education and entertainment. Owner/producer Tootie Bland and Tootie Bland Productions have developed one of the most sought after events in the equine industry. Each year Road to the Horse continues to build – drawing larger audiences and raising the bar for competitors. Road to the Horse shows spectators that ultimate harmony between man and horse is achievable, and always leaves them wanting more. Hosted by Rick Lamb, of RFD-TV’s The Horse Show with Rick Lamb, this event has something for everyone. It is a weekend filled with endless horse-knowledge, excitement and friendly competition among some of the world’s top horseman. Bland’s production company, Tootie Bland Productions, is currently accepting an elite clientele for new projects. For more information on Road to the Horse and Tootie Bland Productions, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 352-736-5000.