Horsemanship key at cowboy challenge

By Daniel Austin – Cochrane Times

At every rodeo, cowboys and cowgirls see their skills tested. But at Canadian Cowboy Challenge events, it’s horsemanship that reigns supreme.

From the kids category right up to the professional competition, cowboys and cowgirls at the extreme rodeo events go through a set of obstacles and challenges that, as president of the CCC Danita Phelan explained, can only be overcome by those who have developed a partnership with their horses.

“It’s a timed event, but the time is not the winning factor,” Phelan said. “The winning factor is the partnership you have with your horse and the ability to negotiate your way through and around obstacles that emulate what a normal cowboy would do in their every day life.

“And you have to be able to execute it really well, so that both the rider and the horse are fluid in that execution.”
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