BRAVE HORSE

OCTOBER     2012

 

Welcome to the Extreme Cowboy Association   

We are excited about 2012 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 mm photo

Photo By:  Marilyn Merrick

Riding Tips From Craig Cameron

 

Craig Cameron on Horsemanship - Part 4

 

Be Willing to Change

Be willing to change, to let go of your ego and pride.  The horse doesn't have an ego or pride like a human does, which is one reason he's easy to teach.  So if you find something that's not working for you, be willing to change.  It doesn't matter who taught you - your dad or granddad or the world's latest champion.  If you try a method or technique with your horse and he isn't getting it, try another approach.  Read another book, watch another video, take constructive criticism, but find another approach to help your horse understand what it is you're trying to teach him.  You'll know when he's confused because 

he'll start to show signs of nervousness and what you might take for belligerence.  

Actually, he just doesn't understand what you're asking of him.

 

Remember:  If you can't change, then you can't grow.  If you can't grow, then you can't be your best.  And if you can't be your best, what else is there?

 

Horseman Versus Trainer

A great horseman is a fair and patient communicator.  Her'es an interesting analogy when it comes to training horses.  

Say you measure knowledge in terms of electric volts.  One trainer has 100 volts and another has only 75. But the trainer with 100 volts can communicate only 40 volts to the horse. And the trainer who has 75 volts can pass along all 75 to the horse.  Which trainer do y9ou want riding your horse?  I'd rather have the trainer with 75.

 

There's a difference between a great horseman and a great horse trainer.  I've known a lot of horse trainers, even champions, whom I don't respect.  Horses are just things to them, just objects, something they use on their way to glory.  The championships are always about them, not their horses. 

 

To me, a big part of horsemanship and horse training is trust and it's a two-way street.  It's a trust I must have of my horse and he of me.  In the dictionary, trust is described as faith, hope, and a reliance on another.  It also mentions confidence and doing things without fear or misgivings.  These are all qualities I try to develop in my horses.

 

To trust is to believe in something.  As horse people, it's easy for us to destroy the trust or belief our horses have in us.  

If you train through pain or fear, you destroy the trust the horse has in you.  Trust, like confidence, can be gained and lost.  You can't make something or somebody trust or believe in you, you can only gain this trust or respect by the way you 

work with or train your horse.

 

Enough is Enough

How do you know when you've trained or ridden enough for a day?

Recognize when your horse is trying.  Even though you might now have gotten to the point you had in mind that day, 

if your horse is trying, maybe that's enough for that day.  Don't push it to where things become bad.  You always want to end on a good note.

 

One thing I see people do, even at my camps and clinics, is after they learn new training techniques, they make the mistake of never stopping their training. I'll yell out to them:  "When are you going to stop training on that horse?" 

 they look at me and say, "What?"

 

There have to be resting spots for horses.  Resting spots are extremely important to the horse, especially when you're doing things that are mentally and physically taxing to him.  Learn to find a stopping spot.  Drop your reins, turn loose of

 the horse and let him relax and catch is breath.  This is part of giving something back to the horse.  Rest, relief, release, relaxation, reward, a pat on the neck.  Let him res a minute or two.

 

You've also got to take into consideration a lot of different things.  How long have you been riding the horse?  What is his disposition?  How hot is it outside?  When you add the humidity and temperature together and they total 180, be careful.  Then enough can be enough real quickly.  The hoarse can become overheated and not able to cool himself down.  He could even die.  If you get a horse too hot and too tired, he can't learn or think anymore.  And if you push, the horse will become angry.  You can't train an angry horse.  An angry horse can't learn.

 

Be a great teacher to your horse.  To do so, you need to be a great student of horsemanship.  Teaching is the art of communication.  Work on the little plateaus, the little changes, the little tries.  Reward them and build upon them. 

 Those are your building blocks.

 

Goal-Setting

Set goals for yourself in horsemanship because that's the only way you'll know if your relationship with your horse is working.  But come up with small ones - they're more believable and therefore achievable. 

 

Work on reaching small plateaus, not climbing insurmountable mountains.  I think a big mistake that many of us make 

is that we ask way too much way too fast of ourselves and our horses.  We need to slow down. Take our time.  

Don't get in a hurry with horses.

 

Excerpt from:  RIDE SMART by Craig Cameron with Kathy Swan.  Pages 37-45  Published by Western Horseman.  

In This Issue

Craig Cameron Tools of the Trade

Sponsorship Opportunities

EXCA World News

Message From Our New NAB Chairman

World Sponsors Spotlight:

NAB Member Input Needed

Article: Dalene's Corner

Article Headline

Article Headline

 

Craig Cameron Collection 

CC logo

  

Click on logo above to take you to Craig's collection. These are the tools & equipment he uses everyday.  They will help you to Ride Smart and achieve success in any discipline you choose. 

  

Especially Extreme Cowboy Racing!  

 

Quick Links

EXCA Web

EXCA Rule Book

EXCA Schedule of Events

Craig Cameron

EXCA Store 

  

 

Visit Our Sponsors

  (click on logos)

Instant Replay

Instant Replay Productions

 Merrick 

Twister  

Roy Frey    

Mounted Shooting logo

Cowboy Sports Assoc Logo

 

  

  JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

  _____________________________ 

 

Find us on Facebook  Find us on Facebook

  _____________________________

  

 

SPONSORSHIP

Become a 2012 SPONSOR

 

Corporate Sponsorships, Branding, Display & Signage Opportunities.

Visibility for sponsors is offered through web, advertising, printed flyers, signage and race day promotions.

Corporate sponsors are encouraged to take advantage of the various opportunities 

for exposure. 

 

CLICK BELOW LINK FOR DETAILS: 

Become a World Sponsor  

 

  

Contact Us

EXCA Texas Headquarters

 

Phone: (254) 728-3082

Fax: (254) 728-3081

Email: doublehornd@lipan.net 

 

2012 EXCA WORLD 

November 2 - 4, 2012 

 

Location:

Circle T Resort 

4007 W. Hwy 36 

Hamilton, Texas 76531 

 

Attention:  Mustang Owners 

Earn a Dale Martin High Point 

Saddle!  

 

Bring On The Mustangs!

The top year end point mustang will win a custom Dale Martin Saddle to be presented at the EXCA World Championship.

MUSTANG HIGH POINT APP (CLICK HERE) 

 

EXCA World Prizes:  

  • Buckles will be given out to the winners of each go round.

  • Final Run: starts with a clean slate (winner of Final Round takes the title)

 Show Committees:

Committees: now forming

Sponsorship Committee:

Cece Lamborne Bulkley

Volunteer for EXCA World 2012 here 

 

 Spectator Passes:

Sponsors and competitors receive two extra passes.

 

EXCA WORLD SCHEDULE: 

  • Young Gun, Novice, & Non Pro on Friday

  • Ride Smart, Youth, & Pro on Saturday  

Entry fees: 

* Pro $200

* Non Pro $175 

* Novice & Ride Smart $150

* Youth & Young Gun $100

  

CRAIG CAMERON SHOOTOUT

  • Limited Entries

  •  "Man" on "Man" heads up competition

  • 10 riders (two at a time)

  •  $100 entry fee - 80% payback

  •  Fastest time wins

  •  No judges - No points

  •  Open to all riders 18 & over

Futurity Division

Don't forget to get your entries in now. 

 

 

Welcome Bluegrass EXCA Club

Bluegrass EXCA

Bluegrass EXCA

 

Our World Title Sponsor:  
Harmony Farms Kentucky

Harmony Farms Stallion

"Brink of Darkness" AQHA Stallion 

standing at Harmony Farms

MESSAGE FROM OUR NAB CHAIRMAN - BILL CAMERON

Bill Cameron

Photo by Andrea Kaus

Ask the Judge:

 

Question:  

 

No one so far can explain and show me exactly the pattern for  the Daisy chain. 

Thanks...     Brandi

  

Answer:  

The Daisy Chain Pattern:  one cone in center with four cones on the outside.  Spaced 21' to 28' apart.  The rule is when you pass your first cone make sure it is on your right.  Go thru the center cone passing it on your left continuing to the cone in front of you turning right.   Head back to the center cone keeping it on your left and turn right around the cone that you started at.  You have now completed two cones and you are heading back to the center.  When you get to the center, make a sharp left and turn right around your third cone heading back to the middle keeping the center cone on your left and turning right around the final cone which is in front of you,  head back to the center and continue past it leaving on your left and proceed out at a lope to the next obstacle.

 

  - - -     Bill Cameron

 

 

2012 World Sponsors 

 

 

Focus Media 2012 World Sponsor

Storms Hamburgers 2012 World Sponsor  

SOCA LOGO

  

DARBY OAKS STABLES LOGO

 

Attention:  NAB Members

 

Please forward your ideas suggestions for discussion at the annual NAB meeting.  email to :  BillCameron01@gmail.com

 

International News From

EXCA International Board Member

Evon Kurtz

 

Sweden EXCA Racers Bring 23 New EXCA Members!

Linda Ohgren & Jeanette Svenson put on an informative EXCA Clinic Oct 6, where they went over the event and rules.  23 people signed up as new members of Sweden EXCA Racers.  

 

 

 

Circle T Logo

 EXCA World Finals - Important Information

 

Be sure to get registered for the EXCA World Championship soon!

Register Here

 

Circle T Resort  welcome letter with some Helpful Information: 

Click Here  

 

Here is a good map to the Circle T Resort: 

Map

 

 

World Title Sponsor Spotlight:  

Harmony Farms Kentucky 

World Title Sponsor Harmony Farms Banner

  Written by Evon Kurtz, NAB International Board Member

 

I had the opportunity to spend time on the phone with our World Title Sponsor, Laura Rendon. She and her husband Nick operate Harmony Farms Kentucky, located in Leitchfield, Kentucky.  They have 20 head of horses on their breeding farm, including some very nice stallions standing at stud.

 

She is originally from Florida.  Nick is from Colorado. His family is known for their fine ranches in Colorado. Laura and Nick were attracted to the state of Kentucky because of their Incentive Breeding Fund.

 

Extreme Cowboy Racing...Got the Itch.

When Laura and Nick first found out about the EXCA competition, they had just acquired their farm.  "It is the perfect property for EXCA events; 40 acres with beautiful rolling hills. We saved up excess wood in the back pasture for obstacles. This area offers tons of barrel & pole events and I wanted to try out something different", Laura commented.

 

EXCA brought back Laura's memories as a child in Florida, when she would ride bareback on the shore and thru natural obstacles.

 

Bluegrass EXCA Makes a Big Splash

They formed their club, Bluegrass EXCA, late June of 2012.  It took them some time to get sponsors lined up and the course built.  Their first Bluegrass EXCA Club race was held on August 11 & 12th, 2012.  They had a fantastic two-day show with 15 contestants.  They must have had a hundred people come and go over the weekend with five vendors attending.   They held their second on Sept 15 & 16, 2012 and they had more contestants competing.  Donna Waldrup is their level one EXCA Judge and her husband Dewayne Waldrup, of the the Bluegrass Cowboy Churche, puts on the Cowboy Church sessions on Sundays.  "Donna & Dewayne helped us greatly with our first two shows", said Laura.  Laurie Westmorland, Harmony Farms Kentucky Resident Manager, did all the EXCA computer work and contestant sign up.

 

In Site For 2013

They are very excited to be part of EXCA.  "It is so fun to watch the riders ride and some of the people who came who have never done it before, watching their progression and having it at our farm", commented Laura. Laura & Nick's goal in 2013 is to put on one race a month, offering improved obstacle courses and better equipment. 

 

Laura is always asking her contestants what they can do better in 2013.  "We have gotten feedback to do more clinics for EXCA and we plan on offering better prizes with more sponsor contribution", Laura said.    March 2013 they are having their next EXCA event and they hope to have a saddle series event as well as a regional show.  They plan to get their local Saddle club in Leitchfield interested in doing EXCA.  The Saddle Club enjoys running barrels and poles.  Harmony Farms has an ideal location bordering seven states.  Their goal as World Title Sponsor is to attract people from Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Alabama and get them involved in the EXCA sport. 

 

They had a blast doing EXCA and look forward to doing more EXCA events on the farm.  Laura would like to show case her stallion offspring in EXCA in the future.  She and Nick have been so busy getting the ranch ready, getting good help, as well as promoting horses and doing breeding, they haven't had time to compete themselves.    Laura is anxious to start training her World Champion cutting horse, "All My Troubles Are Over", for the EXCA circuit. 

Harmony Farms EXCA Stallion

Tyler Moore & "All My Troubles Are Over"  Stallion

World Champion Cutter & EXCA Prospect

Harmony Farms Stallion

"Clear Vission" Appaloosa Stallion standing at Harmony Farms Kentucky

 

Laura will be offering breeding to her stallions in an auction format or raffle format to help raise funds for Bluegrass EXCA club in 2013.

 

You can learn more about Harmony Farms here: 

 

Harmony Farms Kentucky 

Owned & Operated by Nicholas & Laura Rendon

 (772) 633-0384

  

 

  

 


 Sponsors