The extreme cowboy challenge is a hang-onto-your-hat event where skilled horsemen race against the clock to show off their ranch skills.
“You have to do everything just like you would on the range,” said Craig Cameron, creator of the Extreme Cowboy Race that made its Canadian debut with the Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge July 10-12.
“You need loose reins and a willing horse.”
Cameron, an ex-bull rider and long time horse trainer who invented the sport on his Texas ranch six years ago, is away from home 44 weeks a year sharing what he knows about people, horses and their ability to communicate.
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The sport is inspired by cow horse competitions, team penning and day to day ranch work. Cameron opened it up to all riders and all kinds of horses and only required that they use western tack.
“Everything was so specialized so I thought why not have an event that has a little bit of everything,” he said.
Horse event organizers ignored his proposals at first, but that changed when he got a spot on the American rural television network, RFD TV.
The sport’s popularity grew, and large crowds now cheer on cowboys vying for large prize purses.
“We have some of the best riders from across North America and they have won some of the bigger events in the United States,” he said.
The Calgary Stampede hosted a clinic in March, and 15 Canadians and Americans were invited to the inaugural event.
Jon Cooper, a 26-year-old horse trainer from Water Valley, Alta., was one of them. He said he hopes it catches on in Canada.
“Hopefully it goes across Canada. It would be great to have some Canadian competition.”
Cooper was born in Rocky Mountain House, Alta., but spent most of his childhood living in Regina. He left home with dreams of becoming a jockey because at age 19 he weighed 118 pounds. However, he grew up and instead became a trainer working mostly with children.
He hopes a Canadian association is formed so that more sanctioned events can be held here.
“It’ll be good for the kids who love gymkhana because it is speed with control.”
In a cowboy challenge, riders and horses must navigate water crossings, go over bridges, pass through gates, pull heavy objects and jump over deadfall. Participants do not know what the obstacle will be until 10 minutes before the competition starts. The obstacle path changes in each heat.
Judges award points for each obstacle, on a scale of one to 10, based on horsemanship, cadence, control and overall execution. Teams are required to complete each obstacle within a predetermined time to collect points.
This year’s winner in Calgary was horse trainer Glenn Stewart of Baldonnel, B.C., who has been invited to participate in the world competition in Kansas later this year. He also won $5,000 out of a $14,000 prize pool.
Second place went to Robin Bond of Vista, California., who won $4,000. He trains riders and horses for extreme events. Kelly LeBlanc of Riga, Michigan, was third and received $2,000.
