HP: JUNE 2007 REINING HORSE ISSUE

Even with occasional showers, clouds and wind, The 6th Annual Ride The West Horse & Ranch Expo at the Spokane Fair & Expo Center surpassed all previous years in attendance and events.

With the addition of the WW Livestock Systems Round Pen in a new building, the Expo included five arenas, over 90,000 square feet of Exhibitor space, and over 150 horses on display. Van Hargis, Ken McNabb, Rick Lamb, Karen Scholl, Steve Rother, Dr. Jim Warner, and a variety of local and regional speakers relayed their expertise and experience to full crowds at all the demos and clinics. Spokane’s own Ann Kirk, an Expo favorite, and clinican for the second year at Ride The West was a crowd pleaser.

The Spirit of the West Show on Friday night was stellar. From the Parade of Breeds to the final shot from the Cowboy Mounted Shooters revolver, the show never stopped moving. Glitz and glamour, with liberty performances, drill teams, and freestyle programs kept the crowds in their seats and applauding the entertainment. “Dinner in the Dust” before the Spirit of the West was well attended, and the Back Country Horsemen put on a good show for those eating their BBQ dinners. The live auction raised $430 for our Toys for Tots program, and with the Spirit of the West Show and the Silent Auction coordinated by the Marines and Safeway, the numbers surpassed our totals from last year. All of this money goes to help the kids and families in our local area during the Holidays, so thank you to everyone who donated items, and then bought them back again!!!

The First Annual Best of the Best at Ride The West Team Roping Classic was a huge success and we are already looking to making it bigger next year. Look for the list of winners in our Ride The West ad (on page 19 in this issue of Horse Previews). $3500 was the top money earned by our first place teams, so there is definitely some money in this event for Cowboys and Cowgirls to take home.

We had many more contestants in the EXTreme Trail Competition this year, and we want to say a special Thank you to the Back Country Horsemen of Washington for the incredible trail course. Every year this event gets bigger and I think next year you will see even more improvement in content and organization. You can also see the list of winners in this issue of Horse Previews in our ad on page 19. Congratulations to all of our prize winners as well, and for all of these prizes and support we want to thank all of our sponsors: Big R Stores, Horse Previews and The Exchange, KDRK, Gus Johnson Ford, Cobalt Trailers and Featherlite, Absolute Innovations, Columbia Tractor John Deere, WW Livestock Systems, BCHWa, Appleway Chevrolet, Powder Mountain, Horse & Habit LLC, Will Rogers Saddle Co., and Land O’ Lakes, Manna Pro, Equine Merit Feeds, and Aslin-Finch. Without these fine companies, we could not do this show. Please tell them the next time you are in their stores, how much you appreicate them supporting the Horse Community.

And of course, we want to thank all of you who attended the Expo, attended the clinics and demos, asked the questions, and took home some of the beautiful, quality merchandise that our vendors had on display. Put us on your calendar for next year now.....the third weekend in May, the 16th, 17th and 18th, 2008. Contact us for more information at www.ridethewest.net, email susanrae@ridethewest.net or 509-466-9639.....another Horsemen’s Dream Weekend coming your way, this time next year!!! You can also see a photo gallery from the 2007 show at www.wildspiritphoto.com. Send us your comments, pictures and suggestions! And we’ll see you next year at Ride The West Horse & Ranch Expo!!!!

Ride The West Has It’s Biggest Year Ever!