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Welcome to the Extreme Cowboy
Association
We are
excited about 2009 and the many fun filled and exciting
Extreme Cowboy Racing events that are on the schedule. The
formation of EXCA has been an thrilling and challenging
adventure! Many people have worked tirelessly to create an
association that you will be proud to tell your friends
about. This is the first issue of your monthly newsletter,
The Brave Horse.
You will
receive it each month electronically around the middle of
the month.
The Brave Horse
will be full of interesting stories,
EXCA event results, point standings, human interest stories
about EXCA members and Tips and Tales from our founder,
Craig Cameron. We encourage you to communicate your
suggestions for stories and ideas that will make
The Brave Horse
fun, better and more informative.
The Brave
Horse
the best
newsletter in the equine world. Please forward your ideas
and suggestions to Bill Hull at
bhextremecowboy@gmail.com.
Breaking New Ground
Craig
Cameron, considered one of the original clinicians, has a
passion for horses, ranching, cowboying and anything
western! He has devoted his life to horses and dedicates
his work to people who educate their horses by first
educating themselves.
As a young boy, Craig was influenced by old time cowmen that
he met and lived with on his family cow ranches in Cat
Spring and Giddings, Texas. “It was not only the cowboy way
of life, but their mannerisms that moved me. I knew I was
going to ranch and cowboy, and that was going to be the only
trail for me”.
Although
Craig went to high school in Houston, Texas, he spent his
extra time and summers on the ranch. As a teenager, he
began to enter the open rodeos in the rough stock events,
which seemed to suit him. It wasn’t long before he won his
PRCA card. He rode in some of the biggest and most
prestigious rodeos all over the United States, Canada and
Mexico.
Craig
lived on and managed the family ranch which involved cattle,
horses and haying operations while he continued to rodeo
nationwide. Craig also took on horses to start and train
for local ranches. Craig grew up in the era of rough
handling of horses. “I always knew there had to be a better
way to handle horses. I believed horses did not need to be
abused or beaten to learn and I saw a lot of that as a young
guy. I tried a slower, more natural approach. I did not
have any teachers except the horse, so I felt my way along
and it seemed to work; you know just old common sense”.
A friend
of Craig’s, Hank Kershner told him he needed to meet a guy
named Ray Hunt. Hank said, “He’s great. You won’t believe
what he can do with a horse”. Craig first met Ray Hunt
around 1984. That was a turning point for Craig Cameron.
Ray impressed upon Craig the importance of working with the
horse and not against him. Craig took that information and
ran with it.
For the
last two decades, Craig has traveled internationally
influencing people with his down home style that horses and
people seem to love. Called the “public defender of the
horse” is exactly that. Having been in countless magazines,
Craig is also the only horseman with two award winning
television shows on RFD-TV – “Ride Smart” and” The Extreme
Cowboy Race”.
Now, Craig
Cameron is branching out and breaking new ground again by
developing and starting the Extreme Cowboy Association
(EXCA).
When people
ask how he came up with the concept of Extreme Cowboy
Racing, Craig calmly replies, " We call this a new wave of
horsemanship - "natural horsemanship". However, every event
is inside, somewhat mechanical, highly monitored and
regulated.
I thought, why not have an event that emulates what we as
cowboys and ranchers do on the ranch; you know, water
crossing, dragging logs, ground tying, trailer loading,
going through rough terrain and shooting. So, I just made
up an event and did it.” Now Extreme Cowboy Racing is not
only sweeping the country but taking the world of
horsemanship by storm. What a great fast moving, exciting
event for riders and spectators! With the development of
EXCA, everyone can get involved at their level and join in
on the fun. Points will be tracked and we will crown State,
Regional and World Champions in all Divisions. Pass the
word and let’s get EXCA going strong in all 14 Regions
across the United States.
What’s Craig doing now? He is doing lots of clinics, lots
of horses and working hard to develop EXCA. Craig says, “I
am just an old cowboy trying to learn more about the horse”
We know he’s lots more than that. Thanks Craig, we’ll see
you on the trail.
Contact Craig and send your comments to,
www.craigcameron.com.
2008 Extreme Cowboy Racing
National Championship
The 2008
Extreme Cowboy Racing National Championship was held last
November at the Saddle and Sirloin Club in Kansas City,
Missouri. The event took place over 3 days with the 22
contestants each riding 3 rounds. The weather was cold with
a little snow flurry thrown in to make it event more
challenging. The National Champion was determined by the
total combined score for the three rounds.
Congratulations go to 2008 Extreme Cowboy National Champion,
Cam Schryver,
from Ojai, California. The Reserve National Champion is
Teryn Muench from Alpine, Texas. Teryn was the Extreme
Cowboy National Champion in 2007.
Third
place went to Jennie Wentworth from Doniphan, Missouri;
fourth place went to Kansas cowboy Lee Hart from Gardner,
Kansas and fifth place went to hard and fast riding Wylene
Wilson from Queen Creek, Arizona. The remaining National
Championship Qualifiers were:
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Donny
Anderson. Los Angeles, CA.
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Taylor
Binkley, Rolla, Missouri
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Michelle
Blasi, Sulphur, Kentucky
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Leah
Burke, Frankston, Texas
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Ryan
Hanna, Killdeer, North Dakota
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Si Jarboe,
Eagle, Colorado
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Jason
Keeker, Otwell, Indiana
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Lance
Monagon, The Dalles, Oregon
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Sherry
Oncale, Willits, California
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Rick
Rosendale, Rye, Colorado
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Luke
Searcy, Liberty, Missouri
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Wendy
Stephens, Vivian, Louisiana
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Bob
Walden, Ft. Peck, Montana
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Nick
Wright, Chandler, Texas
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Skye,
Wright, Chandler, Texas
All of
these competitors did an outstanding job and should be very
proud of their accomplishments! You can count on that they
will be back competing in Extreme Cowboy Racing this year in
an effort to qualify for the EXCA World Championship.
The 2009
EXCA World Championship will be held in Kansas City,
Missouri, October 16-19, 2009.
The Dalles, Oregon
A
First Class Community
It was
truly a heartwarming when we heard how the community of The
Dalles, Oregon rallied behind 2008 Extreme Cowboy Qualifier,
Lance Monagon. Lance qualified for the 2008 Extreme Cowboy
Race National Championship by finishing in 5th
place in the Extreme Cowboy Race at the Northwest Horse Fair
and Expo in Albany, Oregon.
In a
successful effort to help Lance afford the trip to Kansas
City, Missouri, the citizens of The Dalles got to work.
Lance’s employer, Temple Distributing, Inc. donate 100% of a
days revenue. The employees donated 50% of their days pay
back to their employer to help out. The local radio station
interviewed Lance several times; the donations flowed in.
The Fort Dalles Riders Association held a spaghetti feed and
silent auction; again the community supported the effort.
Lance, his
wife, Mariah and two of their three children, McKenzie, 9
and Jesse, 3 made the long trip to Kansas City. Lance rode
hard and fast during the Extreme Cowboy National
Championship. He always had a quick, genuine smile and a
infectious sense of humor. The citizens of The Dalles should
be proud of his performance. The Extreme Cowboy Association
is proud to have the Monagon family as part of the EXCA
family of members. All of our hats at the Extreme Cowboy
Association are tipped to the community of The Dalles,
Oregon. |
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