Forty-one of the top horsewomen in the United States and Canada are headed to Oklahoma City Oct. 3 -5, 2014 to compete in the American Horsewoman’s Challenge and join in the celebration of the Year of the Horse Woman. Tickets are now on sale to see some of the continent’s finest women trainers go head-to head in this unique contest to test their and their horse’s skill in Liberty, Cowboy Dressage™ and Extreme Ranch and Trail Versatility. Joining the competitors at the Finals will be clinicians Linda Parelli, Carolyn Resnick, Eitan Beth Halachmy and others who will be doing educational demonstrations.
Headlining the competitors are Mary Kitzmiller, runner-up in the 2014 Road to the Horse Wild Card Competition, Obbie Schlom, 2013 Road to the Horse competitor and Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion, and Mary Miller Jordon, 2013 Extreme Supreme Mustang Makeover Reserve Champion and star of the Mustang Millionaire television series. The women of the Challenge range in age from 19 to 68 years old and are training a wide variety of breeds from mustangs to rescue horses and well-pedigreed stock.
The three-day competition, to be held at the Lazy E Arena, will begin Friday, Oct. 3 with a Liberty test where competitors have to put their horse through a series of patterns with no ropes or headstalls, just their partnership and a willing connection. Day Two features Cowboy Dressage, a competition that combines classic equitation with Soft Feel and Western style. Day Three begins with the Extreme Cowboy Race hosted by Hall of Fame Cowboy Craig Cameron. Following the race, the Top Ten competitors go before a panel of celebrity judges to perform a Freestyle routine and be critiqued, live, in front of an audience of 4,000 fans.
Awards will be presented after the Freestyle competition.
Also part of the action is an Opening Ceremony on Friday evening at 8:00 p.m. Fans will thrill to the parade of athletes, exciting equestrian entertainers and a Boot Scoot Social where they can meet the competitors and enjoy the music of Nashville singer-songwriters Templeton Thompson, Mary Ann Kennedy and others.
Fans can also browse the “Shopper’s Corral” for American Horsewoman’s Challenge merchandise, unique products for the equestrian lifestyle and merchandise from Challenge vendors. They also can enter to win prizes from the sponsors.
Single event tickets for the American Horsewoman’s Challenge start at $20, with three- day packages ranging from $80 to $200. Special discounts are available for groups of 20 or more and Horsewoman’s Challenge Remuda Club members. Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com). Groups should contact the Lazy E Arena box office at: 800-595-7433
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