3rd Annual Cowboy Challenge

Our club's Cowboy Challenge took place on Saturday evening.  The turnout was only fair.  There was another horse show on the other end of the county the same day.  I was ringmaster once again which gave me a good view of everything.  So, while I was out there in the middle of the ring I thought I might as well take some pictures.  

 The course started off with a pony express mail delivery.  Open the box, get the mail then race around the ring,

and put the mail back in the box.  (obstacle I constructed)

 Then across a bridge that was laying on top of a tarp. (bridge I constructed last year)

 Then through the "cowboy" noodles.  A lot of horses didn't care much for trying to walk though pool noodles.

 Then the rider had to get the pruners from one barrel and clip a branch off of the "tree".  Several horse had a little snack here and pruned on the tree themselves.

 We originally wanted to fill the tractor tire with dirt so the horse would step up onto it and do a 360.  But it was decided that it would be to difficult and we might not get the dirt packed well enough.  So we changed it to picking up a board and walking a 360 around the tire. (similar to an ACTHA obstacle)

 Side passing over a water line.

 ball and broom, 5 extra points if they made it into the barrel

 hay bale lunge,

 L back (nearly every horse bumped the poles, it was my job to measure and reset this one)

finally, put on a rain coat while mounted, then dismount and lead out of the ring.  Each obstacle had a time limit as well as an overall time limit.  This kept things moving at a pretty quick pace and made for an entertaining and exciting evening of horsemanship.  Maybe next year I can find one to go to with one of my horses to show if I don't have to help run it.