Hello everyone,  We are HOME!!

I had a wonderful time and even Frank enjoyed the trip, except for the long trailer ride.  We did not place in the finals although we did stay and watch them.  We will be having a get together in Woodville at the Cubby Hole Restaurant and Lounge owned by one of my sponsors Ben Jung, we’ll show my audition video that got me into the race and also my run at the Expo in Kansas so that everyone can see what it was like.  

We met with Craig Cameron before the race to walk through the pattern on foot, the horses were not allowed in the arena before hand, no practicing the obstacles. The pattern was:  walk in to the start line at the north end of the arena, then to pick up a right lead in a “Free Ride” circling the arena at a controlled run followed by three apprx 2 foot jumps and then to a bridge surrounded by boxes of flowers, followed by going into a pen with a mini donkey and pulling off a playing card taped to a pipe panel and proceeding to a side pass with a pole under the horses belly, opening a mailbox depositing the card and side passing back out again, go to a rectangular swimming pool, sans water, filled with rubber tub toys and two life like looking snakes about 3 feet long.  The pool was surrounded by straw bales with one way in and one way out. Next was the stock tank pull a 100 gallon tank was placed on it’s side and you were to dally up and pull it over and drag it between two cones.  Canter circles around cones both leads correctly , wither simple lead changes or flying changes were allowed with the points reflecting the execution of the changes, followed by running towards a pole back up course, two poles making an alley with a 90 degree turn that you must back through.  Then another jump approx 3 feet tall which was made out of some type of plastic and looked like two culverts with a small narrow bridge over it connecting the two then on to another free ride on the left lead controlled and with speed the full circle of the arena and then load your horse into a stock type trailer shut the door and run on foot to the time line in the middle of the arena.   

The runs were anywhere from 3 ½  to 7 minutes long.  I came in at just under 5 minutes. Refusals of the obstacles were granted no points, trying, depending on the outcome, were granted something at the judges discretion and onwards up to 10 points for perfection. There were two judges and they walked the arena to every obstacle while you were competing. 

Each obstacle was rated, horsemanship was the most important factor with time being the least important factor.  The obstacles were heavily geared to reining precision and were a lot of fun!

The final course was changed and the 10 finalist followed this pattern:  Walk in, left canter lead into a Free Ride,   once around the arena fully 3 roll backs, move to a cone with a golf ball on it, smallest style of cones, then pick ball up and move to next cone and replace it, come around to the bridge while shaking out your rope and roping a steer head placed two bales high, throw the rope when complete and go jump three 2 foot jumps then head around to the rail on the long end of the lope off to the dragging obstacle which was a pallet with a cooler with wheels on it sitting on the pallet and on top of the cooler was a orange cone, the cowboy must dally the rope and perform a controlled drag without the wheeled cooler rolling off the pallet, move on to a box made out of poles on the ground and four spins to each side, then walk to an orange cone and dismount and throw 3 bales will your horse is ground tied, remount run half of the arena and stop, stand on your horse and hit a bucket suspended from the ceiling with your hand, proceed ¼ way around the arena and dismount strip off your tack remount bareback and free ride 1 ½ times around the arena, dismount lead your horse while you both jump over the 3 jumps and cross the finish line. 

As far as the facilities went this Expo was much smaller that what we are used to in the Twin Cities or even Madison.  They were very security conscious which allowed me to relax about leaving Frank over night, they locked the facility down and had security guards posted.  During the day the heat was on in the barn for human comfort and the horses tended to get a little warm. We had access to an indoor arena, none outdoors, but were allowed to ride where ever we wanted I spent a lot of time riding around the parking lot through traffic etc.  The weather was great 40’s and 50’s during the day and high 20’s low 30’s in the evening.   

The people in general in Kansas were very friendly and helpful and open to talking even though they didn’t know us, they were also very courteous.  As for Craig Cameron and his staff they were happy to have us come down for the competition.  When I had completed my run Craig spoke with me for a couple minutes and thanked me coming all the way from WI, he invited me to participate again and was very cordial, he did like the fact that I was having such a good time and it showed.  The audience was very into my ride with clapping, hollering and cheering.  It was a wonderful experience and I do plan on competing again, the next time I may decide to compete on one of the out door courses.   

We arrived home on Sunday night, Monday morning about 2:30am.  It took about 15 hours to make the trip one way.  It’s great to be home and I can’t wait to go again! 

Thank you everyone for all your help and interest!! 

Chris Chapman