Road to the Horse

The first session of the competition went off without a hitch and each competitor had 80 minutes to get to know their colts. Each competitor started by haltering after gaining the trust of their colt.

John Lyons had excellent results from the very beginning. His horse was very responsive and John gained his trust almost immediately. His colt, A Dunn Wiggy, was pivoting on the forehand early on in the session and John had a blanket and saddle on him before the session ended.

Tommy was fairly surprised by his horse once the session began because he had originally chosen his colt, Blue Leo Bonnet, due to his ability to walk up and touch the colt during the running of the remuda. Once in the round pen, Blue Leo Bonnet proved to be more hesitant to be touched, however by the end of the first session Tommy had a blanket and surcingle on him.

Richard Winters’ horse, Plenty Brown Hancock, was timid at first but made a lot of progress at a fast pace toward the end of the session. Richard was able to lie across his colt’s back and place a blanket on the horse by the end of the session.

Tomorrow promises to hold a whole new world of excitement and as Rick Lamb stated, “the second day can change everything.”

The first day of Road to the Horse has kicked off with a blast of excitement and action. The All American Cowgirl Chicks presented the sponsor flags and Madalynn and Leslie Ann Saunders carried the American and Tennessee flags (a position which they have proudly filled since 2003) while Nealy and Hallie Rose Edmondson posted the notorious Road to the Horse flags.

Country singer and Beyond Rodeo host Susie Dobbs sang the National Anthem and not only brought the crowd to their feet but also to tears with her powerhouse voice.

The Battle for the Bling between Road to the Horse owner and producer Tootie Bland and Extreme Mustang Makeover founder Patti Colbert brought a slew of surprises to the plate. This match-up paired 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover winner Mark Lyon against Road to the Horse come back kid Tommy Garland and 2009 Extreme Mustang Makeover finalist Wylene Wilson against Road to the Horse boss wrangler Thomas Saunders.

The first part of the competition featured Mark vs. Tommy in which both performed a reining pattern. Second, Wylene and Thomas pulled out all the stops in an obstacle course in which Wylene surprised the audience by choosing to perform bareback.

At the end of the Battle for the Bling, the audience texted in their votes on who they thought should win the infamous Rickrageous jacket. Patti Colbert and the Extreme Team won by a vote of 60% to 40%.

The running of the Road to the Horse Remuda provided by Bath Brothers Ranch of Laramie, Wyoming presented 10 three-year-old colts. Keeping in tradition, Thomas Saunders provided his hat for the drawing of chips. Starting with the oldest competitor, John Lyons drew chip number 8, making him the third person to pick. Next, Winters picked chip number 2 and the crowd thought he might be the first to choose from the remuda. A roar of applause erupted when Tommy Garland drew chip number 1, making him the first competitor to choose his colt for the competition.

Tommy Garland chose colt number 8, Blue Leo Bonnet, a grullo by Wyo Blue Bonnet and out of Blues Leo Lady.

Winters chose colt number 9, Plenty Brown Hancock, a bay by Valentine Red Rogers out of Plenty Black Hancock.

Lyons chose colt number 1, A Dunn Wiggy, a sorrel by Valentine Drift out of Hairpin Wiggy Babe.

Stayed tuned for more news from the 2009 Road to the Horse!

Sold-out for the fourth consecutive year, Road to the Horse in Franklin, Tennessee will open the doors to the public free of charge for the Wahl Shopping Extravaganza on March 13 from 3-7 pm (CDT). As a kick-off to the legendary colt-starting competition that combines education with entertainment, around 100 vendors will be bringing everything from apparel to tack and home décor to equine health products.

Sure to top all previous years, the free Shopping Extravaganza will offer the public the opportunity to meet competitors John Lyons, Tommy Garland and Richard Winters. Included in this meet and greet will be the opportunity to take photos and autographs from each clinician and the future 2009 Road to the Horse Champion.

“Road to the Horse listens to its fans suggestions and this year we are bringing in a Texas Style BBQ, Famous Daves, to round out the experience of great food, great shopping and the who’s who of the clinician world all on the arena floor during the Wahl Shopping Extravaganza. This year we’ll have something for every horse lover. Whether you need to buy a new saddle or are looking for some new instructional DVDs, we’ll have a little bit of everything for you to choose from with some really new and exciting vendors that are sure to catch your interest.,” says Tootie Bland, Road to the Horse owner and producer.

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 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 the 2009 Road to the Horse judges or to purchase your 2009 tickets, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000. For a press credentials request form, email press@roadtothehorse.com.

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Each year Road to the Horse chooses highly qualified experts in the equine industry to judge their one-of-a-kind colt starting competition. During the 2009 Road to the Horse in Franklin, Tennessee on March 14-15, the event judges will give insight into what they are looking for by presenting a brief judging clinic on Saturday morning of the event.

Road to the Horse fans may send in questions prior to the event and the judges will answer a small number of previously chosen questions. If you have a judging question, you are invited to submit your inquiries at www.roadtothehorse.com for a chance to have your personal questions answered by the nationally and internationally esteemed Road to the Horse judges.

Less than 500 tickets remain for 2009 Road to the Horse. Don’t miss out on an event jam-packed with entertainment and education for the whole family. To purchase your tickets online go to www.roadtothehorse.com/tickets.html or order by calling 1-877-772-5425.

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 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 the Road to the Horse or to purchase your 2009 tickets, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

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Each year, Road to the Horse selects outstanding men and women in the equine industry to judge their one-of-a-kind colt-starting competition. Road to the Horse 2009 will feature the best of the best including Bob Moorhouse, Dr. Robert Miller, Jack Brainard, Toni Warvell, JD Yates and Dr. Jim Heird.

Returning judges Moorhouse, Miller, Brainard and Warvell will lend their previous experience and expertise while newcomers Yates and Heird will provide a fresh outlook to the judging of the event. As senior judges, Moorhouse, Miller and Brainard know Road to the Horse inside and out.

“I go all over the nation on the lecture circuit and attend many events. Out of all the things I do, Road to the Horse is my favorite. It’s for my personal pleasure and it’s one step forward for civilization,” says Miller.

All of the 2009 Road to the Horse judges practice and advocate natural horsemanship. With a wide variety of experiences including writing books, ranching, veterinary practice, performance horse training, AQHA director, equine studies professor, rodeo and natural horsemanship, this panel of judges covers all the bases.

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 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 the 2009 Road to the Horse judges or to purchase your 2009 tickets, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

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