Road to the horse
Road to the Horse, (produced by Ride the Remuda Productions and owner/producer Tootie Bland), is the first documented competition where horse trainers compete to show their training skills.
Similar to "horse whispering", trainers use NATURAL horsemanship techniques to "gentle" horses in one weekend. Horses selected for the annual competition are gathered from one breeding farm. Before the competition, the horses do not have previous training experience, other than being halter-broke and sharing a common history of basic handling as foals so that they are unafraid of humans. On the second day, trainers step into the saddle and demonstrate what they've taught their horses in an obstacle course challenge. Horses must cross tarps, go over a jump, pull a log, accept a rope swung overhead, and weave poles, to name a few.
Clinton Anderson won the first two competitions. In 2006, the first female competitor, Stacy Westfall, won. During the show weekend, clinicians work with their horses in round pens. Clinicians compete annually for the Charity Challenge--money won is presented to a charity of the winner's choice.
Other competitors have included Craig Cameron, Martin Black, and Van Hargis. Also Josh Lyons (son of john Lyons), Curt Pate and Pat Parelli when the competition was known as "In a Whisper."
2008 Event is scheduled for March 1 & 2. Competitors include Chris Cox, Tommy Garland and Ken McNabb.