The first Canadian Cowboy Challenge event of the season is slated to run March 9-10 at the Cochrane and District Agricultural Society indoor arena.
The weekend clinic aims to give horse and rider combinations the chance to practice the obstacles typically seen in challenge events, said Michelle Grasley, organizer of the event, and a regular Canadian Cowboy Challenge judge and competitor.
“When you show up at a race, you only have 30 seconds to complete each obstacle — if you don’t complete the obstacle you have to move on,” said Grasley. “This clinic will let riders and horses practice the different tasks, and build the trust and relationship aspect of the competition.”
A Cowboy Challenge race is like an “extreme trail class,” Grasley described. Contenders will tackle a variety of obstacles on horseback, like dragging logs, walking over bridges, and opening and closing gates.
A selection of new obstacles, constructed by Grasley’s husband, will be on hand for clinic-goers to test out.
In the afternoon, horses and riders will compete in a mock run, which will be timed and judged by Grasley. Afterwards, entries will be able to look at their scorecards and ask questions about their performance.
“It’s a great way to build your relationship with your horse,” she said. “And it’s a lot more exciting than doing circles in a ring, doing the walk, trot, canter basics.”
There is no more room for horse and rider pairings in the clinic, but Grasley said anyone interested in the event is welcome to head to the Ag Society to take in the action.
Anyone looking for more information on the Canadian Cowboy Challenge can visit thecanadiancowboychallenge.camp8.org.
