Northernhorse.com Blog

Steve Rother of Oregon took home the Championship trophy Sunday for the second year in a row at the Mane Event Trainers Challenge at Red Deer’s Westerner Park.

“I was nervous as usual,” said Rother, after accepting the special edition Mane Event trophy from Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine representative Terri Mason. But he said his horse felt the same in the large arena where the Finals were held as she did in the round pen where the four training sessions had been held over the 2 ½ days of the Challenge. “Very rarely do I get that feeling,” said Rother. “My horse had an open mind for everything I threw at her.”

Drawing last in the order of go for the Finals in the larger Lammle’s Arena, Rother completed all the required elements. After dramatically standing on top of his horse cracking a whip, he trailered his horse - while mounted - and left the ring with five minutes to spare in the allotted half-hour. Continue Reading »

The Trainers Challenge at the Mane Event in Red Deer continued Saturday with the trainers each having two round pen sessions with their horses. At the end of the day they all declared satisfaction with the progress they had been able to make with the two-year-old fillies.

“The horse is pretty nice. She’s gentle, she’s willing,” said Steve Rother about Shay, noting that his biggest challenge was getting her to free off her left shoulder. Continue Reading »

Three top trainers had their first encounter with three unbroke two-year-old fillies as the crowd favourite Trainers Challenge got underway at the Mane Event at Westerner Park in Red Deer Friday.

Jon Ensign from Montana entered the round pen first with Jose, one of the registered Quarter Horse fillies supplied by Lukacs Farms of Olds, AB. The horse, which was assigned to Ensign through a draw, appeared to be soft minded and willing, but the more resistant of the three horses supplied by Lukacs Farms of Olds, AB. Continue Reading »