We are excited about 2015 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 latest 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 Frank Turben at webmaster@extremecowboyassociation.com

Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Association and the Southern Obstacle Challenge Association are pleased to announce that the EXCA National Championships will be held at the Circle E Guest Ranch in Belvidere, Tennessee, June 5^th and 6^th, 2015.  The Nationals will be held in conjunction with the Fiona Rose Murphey Foundation National Charity Trail Ride.  Judges for the Championships will be Peter Fraser, Alberta, Canada and Diana McMurtrey, Winter Garden, Florida - both are Calgary Stampede and level 5 EXCA judges.  SOCA President and Nationals judge, Diana McMurtrey said "SOCA is proud to once again have the opportunity to host the EXCA Nationals."  She added, "We are so excited to be working with a great charity and expect to see some of the best horse and rider teams in North America at this event".

The FRMF National Trail Ride will benefit the foundation and will feature nightly concerts, vendors, live and silent auctions and great food.  The beautiful Circle E Guest Ranch (www.circleeguestranch.com) is located in the Cumberland Mountains on highway 16, just 8 miles from Winchester, Tennessee. Nestled on the fringe of over 100,000 acres of uninhabited mountain lands, Circle E offers 120 miles of marked trails with breathtaking views of the mountains, caves, waterfalls, creeks, four seasons of color and an abundance of wildlife.  Circle E has 240 campsites with water and electric, as well as 400 stalls with shavings.

The Fiona Rose Murphey Foundation (http://www.fionarosemurpheytrust.org) was established by singer Michael Martin Murphey and named after his granddaughter Fiona who was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Fiona has endured multiple fractures of arms and legs since birth. She was diagnosed with a broken collarbone, arm, femur and several broken ribs in utero.  The Fiona Rose Murphey Foundation Charitable Trust helps children with bone diseases and other debilitating conditions and is a non profit 501 (c) (3) organization based in Georgetown, Texas.  With more than 10 years of experience, Fiona Rose Murphey Foundation Charitable Trust functions to provide aid to families and children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta and similar conditions.

Extreme Cowboy Racing combines horsemanship with speed.  The event is judged, as well as timed.  Horse and rider teams must execute a series of obstacles that represent trail or ranch work.  Obstacles may include water crossing, shooting, roping, negotiating trash or dead fall, ground tying, jumping, dragging and always includes the signature free ride.  Horses must be able to run wide open and then rein back to perform slow, technical maneuvers or obstacles.  Horses can be of any breed, age, size and sex.  The cowboys and cowgirls range in age from 8 to 80!

There will be world champion riders and horses competing for over $5,000 in prize money, various prizes and the coveted EXCA Nationals belt buckles that are awarded to the champions and reserve champions in each of the divisions including Pro, Non-Pro, Ride Smart (55 & Over), Novice, Intermediate, Youth, Young Guns (11 & Under) and Green Horse.  Each division will run once on Friday and then again on Saturday, with the scores from both runs being totaled to determine the winners.  The course will be different each day and riders do not know what the obstacles will be until the morning of the race.

On top of all the awards, this will be a triple point event to earn those coveted points toward qualifying for the World Finals in Hamilton, Texas.  Additionally,  SOCA has successfully negotiated with the famed Calgary Stampede to, once again, give an automatic invite to the 2015 EXCA Nationals Pro Champion to participate in the 2016 Cowboy Up Challenge, a by invitation only event. 

Come see why Extreme Cowboy Racing is the fastest growing equine sport - It is almost as exciting for the spectators as it is for competitors.    For more information, volunteer opportunities, entry forms, or sponsorship packages, please email southernobstaclechallenges@gmail.com or go to www.extremecowboyassociation.com or www.southernobstaclechallenges.com.