Who's Who!
In 2003, a legend was born when Road to the Horse, a revolutionary colt-starting competition, matched up three horse trainers and gave them the challenge of a lifetime. Winning the two day event, Clinton Anderson awed and amazed those in attendance with his flamboyant style. Anderson will once again step into the lime-light when he competes in the 2011 Road to the Horse Legends. Matched up against Pat Parelli and Chris Cox, he aims for a third victory in Murfreesboro, TN on February 25-27, 2011.
Although Road to the Horse has grown into an event of epic proportion with worldwide exposure, the first competition was a very new experience for all those involved as participants and spectators. Held at the Cowtown Coliseum in historic stockyards of Fort Worth, Texas, the competition featured Anderson, Curt Pate and Josh Lyons. Winning on a colt named Hancock Sug, he created a Road to the Horse tradition during his freestyle when he stood up on the back of the horse and cracked a whip.
"It was an amazing accomplishment, even for a older trained horse. It was just amazing what Clinton accomplished with his colt. It might never be matched," said Tootie Bland, Road to the Horse owner and producer in a 2003 post-event interview.
Little did Bland know, Anderson would would not only match his own feat, but he would up the ante when he returned to defend his title in 2005. Further increasing his "wow" factor, the Australian clinician shot a pistol in the air while standing on his filly. Competing in front of the sold-out Tennessee Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, TN, Anderson won against Craig Cameron and Van Hargis.
Since Anderson's consecutive victories, a cowboy (or cowgirl in the case of Stacy Westfall) standing atop a horse has become the iconic symbol for the World Championship of Colt-Starting. Wondering what he has planned for his freestyle against Parelli and Cox, horsemen and fans across the country are waiting in fervent anticipation for the 2011 Road to the Horse Legends.
"It's been over three years since I've last been to the event, and I feel that the time is right for me to go back. Since I've competed before, I know what I'm in for and know exactly what I have to do to prepare. I'm always on an endless journey to better myself, and I know that I have certainly gotten better as a horseman since the last time I competed in the event. Come February, I'll be prepared to step into the ring with the other clinicians," says Anderson.
Tickets to the event are on sale now by visiting www.roadtothehorse.com. With assigned premier and general seating sold out, a limited number of general admission bleacher seating tickets are still available. The Nation, a membership club that fans can join for $39.95 a year includes a host of benefits including a members-only website, advance access and line privileges, merchandise discounts and more.
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