Who ever said “build it and they will come” couldn’t have said it better. We did and they came. Boy did they ever. Riders, spectators and horses attended in record numbers.
The ideas behind Cowboy Dressage are simple…be kind to your horse and your fellow horseman; Live honorably and always choose the high road when dealing with your horse no matter what the competition demands; When you fail, try again.
Cowboy Dressage originated with the great Holiday Compadre and Eitan Beth-Halachmy. The Morgan Stallion Santa Fe Renegade and Eitan were to carry on where Holiday Compadre left off and bring Cowboy Dressage to the forefront of the equine industry around the world.
Our first Cowboy Dressage show was held in August of 2012. After that it exploded here on the West Coast. Record numbers of horses and riders began to show up at shows as the word spread. Shows were starting in the 50 ride range and quickly began to grow to 100 to 200 rides per show with in the first year.
Many of these early shows were associated with A rated Morgan shows. They were held a day before the Morgan show started. The additional rides created large additional income for these shows. We like to think of it as “paying it forward.”
This did not happen by accident. The growth and support was well earned. Cowboy Dressage World Partners, Debbie and Eitan Beth-Halachmy, Garn Walker, Lyn and John Moe, Susan and Terry Tomasini and Sarah Dickinson worked tirelessly and gave endlessly to build the lifestyle and Hand Shake Code of Cowboy Dressage World.
This group of people are driven by a shared passion and it is contagious. People fell in love with it. It is simple…be kind to your horse and your fellow horseman. Live honorably and always choose the high road when dealing with your horse no matter what the competition demands. When you fail, try again.
In August as a group someone mentioned we should put on our own show…a Final with no qualifying. Make it affordable, give them education and a place for all to show. We had hoped to get 200 rides, maybe more if we were lucky. When the numbers came in we had over 500 rides and had to turn many away. We had 4 rings with 4 judges going for 2 days. It went like clockwork.
$10,000 in awards were given to the highpoint riders and over all highpoint riders. Overall highpoint award was a Cowboy Dressage Saddle by Dale Chavez, Silver Headstall by Carlos Silver, CSI Saddle Pad by Saddle Fit Revolution, Custom Bit and Spurs by El Gato donated by Carlino Family Morgans, show reins by Buckaroo Leather, halter, reins, and DVD’s from Charles Wilhelm, DVDs from Richard Winters and CD set by Mary Ann Kennedy, two books authored by Jack Brainard and Hollywood Hoofbeats by Petrine Mitchum just to name a few of the fantastic prizes.
Twenty-six buckles designed by Dale Chavez and Skyline Vaquero were also awarded to highpoint division winners. Unique to Cowboy Dressage eight buckles were given to the highest scoring “Soft Feel” riders.
During the highpoint awards and overall highpoint awards the lights went out in the indoor arena where the awards were being held. Garn Walker lit a match and read the awards by match light. His remark was, if this isn’t Cowboy I don’t know what is.” The lights did come back on but it was a special moment that grounded us all.
Last August at a show two young adults showed up to show at a Cowboy Dressage World show. They were Vaquero riders and totally unprepared. When the young man went to ride his test he got so lost it was a disaster. Garn Walker stopped him in the middle of his test and walked him through his test…teaching him, not judging him for his 6 minute ride. The judge allowed it.
The two youngsters got a lecture from Garn Walker and Eitan Beth-Halachmy. The two returned to the Finals and were fantastic. They went home, did their homework and returned in top form. Breaking the rules and doing the non-norm changed these rider’s lives.
Another great story is about a Mule at the finals who entered the ring and was frightened by the table and judge at C. The judge got down from her table and walked out to the Mule and helped her get comfortable with the table and the people on the judges stand. When the mule relaxed the judge said, “now you can ride your test.”
Comments often heard at the show, “I have been waiting for this kind of horsemanship, I have found my home, I have found my people.” The joy that people felt, the memorable moments that they had at our Finals Show were our reward.
Cowboy Dressage World will be offering a four show High Point Series at Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, CA. The dates are Jan 18-19, June 20-22, Aug 1-3, Aug 27-28. Same horse and rider combinations will receive high point awards with their best scores from three out of 4 shows.
Cowboy Dressage World will be holding their second Cowboy Dressage World Gathering and Finals Show at Murieta Equestrian Center Nov 13-16, 2014.
Cowboy Dressage is growing fast in OR, WA, OK, KS and TX. It is coming to a place near you….