Road to the Horse

Always pushing the envelope and wowing the industry with her groundbreaking ideas, Road to the Horse Producer Tootie Bland has done it again by pioneering an entirely new concept in the selection of the 2010 Road to the Horse World Champion of Colt-Starting. Spectators at the March 6-7, 2010 event in Murfreesboro, TN will be pulled into the action by voting for the competitor they believe has best earned the title of Road to the Horse Champion. These spectator votes will be combined with the expert opinions of the official Road to the Horse judges to determine the 2010 Champion.

Like judging any top level competition, many elements must be considered in the determination of the next champion. Included in the 2010 Souvenir Program will be a break-down of judged elements for each segment of the competition so that spectators can join in on the excitement of choosing the next heir to the Road to the Horse throne.

Selected due to their experience and expertise in the equine industry, five official judges will score competitors Richard Winters, Craig Cameron and Ken McNabb during the two days of competition.

Returning to the arena floor,  Jack Brainard, Toni Warvell, Marian Buehler and James Gholson will judge along-side Road to the Horse newcomer Eitan Beth-Halachmy. Each of the official judges lends a unique perspective the evaluation of the competition thanks to their divergent experience in the ranch horse, rodeo, reining, natural horsemanship, cutting, reined cowhorse, dressage, show jumping and western pleasure facets of the horse industry.

“What sets Road to the Horse apart is not only the quality of our competitors, colts and judges, but the education level of our audience. While industry leaders grace the arena floor as our official judges, sitting in our stands we have horsemen and women with hundreds of thousands of years of horse experience combined. It is only natural that we tap into that great resource and at the same time give our audience the respect they are due in being a part of the excitement of choosing the next champion! The competitor that wins the 2010 event will not only be winning the title, prestige and honor of being the 2010 World Champion of Colt-Starting, but will also be validated by the opinion of 6,000 horseowners!” says Tootie Bland, owner and producer of Road to the Horse.

“You lay yourself on the line through performance, but I’ve done that my whole life. You’re out in the eye of the storm, but for me that’s what Craig Cameron is all about. I’m determined to go to Road to the Horse and do a great job!” says Cameron.

Trainer and clinician Craig Cameron of Bluff Dale, Texas is not only known for his great horsemanship but also for his sensational personality. Displaying his skills and entertaining the audience at the 2010 Road to the Horse, Cameron will compete against Richard Winters and Ken McNabb on March 6-7, 2010 at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, TN.

“Craig is the chili in chili pepper. He electrifies the crowd with his personality and wit. Part of Road to the Horse is entertainment and Craig sure knows how to entertain a crowd. You never know what’s going to come out of him, but it’s always fun. We’re really excited to have him back,” says Tootie Bland, Road to the Horse owner and producer.

Sharing his experiences and knowledge with others, Cameron uses his witty and entertaining personality to make horsemanship fun and easy to understand. His love for horses and people is evident not only in front of a crowd or camera, but also in his day-to-day life on the ranch.

A life-long rancher, rodeo cowboy and horse trainer, Cameron has developed his own unique style and method through years of hands-on experience and hard work. He says that experience is the key to horsemanship and will be a factor in Road to the Horse 2010.

“Experience is the one thing you can’t buy and it’s something that can’t be given to you. The key is to take the fear out of the horse. Then they’ll relax and work with you. Everyone’s approach is different, but not necessarily better. You just have to present it to the horse in a way they understand and then give them time to understand it,” says Cameron.

When asked about his competitors, Cameron says he is looking forward to visiting with Winters and McNabb and that they are two horsemen that he highly respects. Competitively however, Cameron has his eye on the prize and is focused on performing to the best of his abilities.

“I found out a long time ago when I was in rodeo that you can’t worry about your competition. You just do the best you can do, but you can’t worry about your competitors,” says Cameron.

To buy your Road to the Horse 2010 tickets and see Craig Cameron in action, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or order by phone at 1-877-772-5425. To learn more about 2010 Road to the Horse competitor Craig Cameron, visit www.craigcameron.com.

Road to the Horse

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 three of the country’s 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 heroes and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a catalyst for the advancement of natural horsemanship. 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 across the equine industry. For sponsorship opportunities and more information on the 2010 Road to the Horse visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

Road to the Horse owner and producer Tootie Bland judged the Western States Mustang Makeover on June 12-13, 2009 with two past Road to the Horse competitors, Ken McNabb (whom will compete in 2010) and Tommy Garland. Part of the Western States Horse Expo, the Mustang Makeover featured 22 participants who had 90 days to train and compete with a wild American Mustang.

“Patti Colbert graciously asked me to judge Mustang Makeover and I accepted the invitation. It was an honor to judge the event and I was in great company. There was great camaraderie between the judges,” says Bland.

Mustang Makeover competitors and their horses were judged in three specific categories including conditioning, groundwork and a “horse course”. The 22 competitors were then narrowed down to 11 finalists which performed in a freestyle competition.

Scores in the finals were based on points awarded from both technical and artistic merit. Bland, along with McNabb, Garland and Donna Snyder-Smith, had a difficult decision in the end as a tie was determined and a battle of the sexes ensued.

Katherine Cumberland of Santa Maria, California rode her Mustang, Wendy, in a tie-breaker against Joel Sheridan of Acton, California on his mare, Lilly Bet. While Sheridan won over the judges and the crowd with his theatrics and artistic content, Cumberland amazed with her style and grace.

With nearly 5,000 spectators in attendance, Bland and her fellow judges awarded first place to Cumberland for her technical skill and outstanding horsemanship.

Providing witty commentary and contestant interviews during the event were 2009 Road to the Horse competitor John Lyons and two-time World’s Greatest Horseman, Russel Dilday.

The same weekend, Lyons was named the 2009 inductee into the Western States Horse Expo Hall of Fame. The Horse Expo Hall of Fame Award was established in 2002 to recognize an individual and/or organization who has made a substantial contribution to the equine industry in the United States.

“I was delighted to be on hand at Johh Lyon’s induction into the Hall of Fame. Nobody deserves that honor more than John. Western States Horse Expo is one of the nation’s top-notch expos and I’d like to thank Miki Cohen for her outstanding hospitality. As far as Extreme Mustang Makeover goes, no one does it like Patti Colbert!” says Bland.

Road to the Horse

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 three of the country’s 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 heroes and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a catalyst for the advancement of natural horsemanship. 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 across the equine industry. For sponsorship opportunities and more information on the 2010 Road to the Horse visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

Referred to as a modern day Roy Rogers, Ken McNabb, nationally known clinician and RFD-TV personality, will once again step onto the floor of the Tennessee Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee for Road to the Horse 2010. While his performance in 2008 did not win him the championship, many people were inspired and won over by his good nature as well as his colt-starting talent and ability.

Born and raised on a working ranch in Cody, Wyoming, McNabb is the embodiment of the word “cowboy”. Being a true cowboy, big dreams were on his horizon, even at a young age.

“I always knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how I was going to accomplish it. I went to a natural horsemanship clinic when I was 16 and within 15 minutes a light bulb turned on and I knew this was it. From that moment on, I knew it was through natural horsemanship and teaching that I would make a difference for people and their horses,” says McNabb.

Since realizing his calling, McNabb has been changing people’s lives through his weekly television show, instruction of clinics nationwide and special appearances at large expos. Whether it is working young colts, dragging a calf to the fire or leading guests on a week-long mountain vacation trail ride, McNabb puts his whole heart into the task at hand.

His participation in Road to the Horse 2008 wowed the audiences and the judges as he made an extremely impressive turn-around with an aggressive colt and received a standing ovation after the obstacle course round.

“I had a tough colt in 2008, but I got him turned around pretty nicely. I’m really excited about the opportunity to compete again at Road to the Horse and show people natural horsemanship techniques that they can bring home to their own horses,” says McNabb.

To learn more about Ken McNabb visit his web site at www.kenmcnabb.com. For more information about Road to the Horse 2010 or to buy your tickets today, visit www.roadtothehorse.com.

Road to the Horse

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 three of the country’s 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 heroes and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a catalyst for the advancement of natural horsemanship. 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 across the equine industry. For sponsorship opportunities and more information on the 2010 Road to the Horse visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

Road to the Horse is excited to announce that the remarkable colt-starting sensation will be returning to its roots back in the “Boro” (Murfreesboro, TN) on March 6-7, 2010. Returning champion Richard Winters and clinicians Craig Cameron and Ken McNabb will go toe to toe at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum for the prestigious honor of being crowned the 2010 Road to the Horse Champion.

As a first time competitor in 2009, Winters traveled across the country from Ojai, California to Franklin, Tennessee in the quest to become champion. Succeeding in his mission, Winters performed with flying colors and wowed the audience with his natural horsemanship knowledge and talent.

No newcomer to natural horsemanship or Road to the Horse, clinician Craig Cameron will also be vying for the much coveted title. The witty and entertaining Cameron, of Bluff Dale, Texas says he is thrilled to return to Road to the Horse.

Ken McNabb, a return competitor from 2008, will bring his style of colt-starting into the Road to the Horse arena. Often likened to a modern day Roy Rogers, McNabb carries a strong passion and commitment to improving people’s lives through natural horsemanship.

Road to the Horse owner and producer Tootie Bland has carefully chosen each competitor. While trainers and clinicians from across the country apply to compete in this career advancing competition, only the elite are chosen.

Tickets will go on sale Monday, May 11^th, 2009 at 9 am Central time and can be purchased on the Road to the Horse web site or by calling 877-772-5425. Stay connected with up-to-date news and information by visiting www.roadtothehorse.com.

Road to the Horse

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 event matches three of the country’s 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 heroes and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a catalyst for the advancement of natural horsemanship. 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 across the equine industry. For sponsorship opportunities and more information on the 2010 Road to the Horse visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.