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New state-of-the-art training facility coming soon!

Our new facility in Denton, NC is almost ready! Stay tuned for details or send us an email to be notified of updates.

West Virginia Horse Expo 2010’s New Events: Pro Day, Trainer’s Challenge, Cowboy Cook-off, Extreme Cowboy RaceTM , And Benefit Concert featuring Taylor Made!

WV State Fairgrounds, Lewisburg, WV - April 16th , 17th , and 18th , 2010 - According to the West Virginia Horse Industry Economic Impact Study done by the West Virginia University Extension Service, the West Virginia horse industry is a five hundred million dollar industry. The study indicates that there are over fifty thousand horses in West Virginia. Until now, West Virginia horse enthusiasts had to travel out of state to attend an expo that would allow them to network with other horse enthusiasts, see the latest in equine products, and promote their farms, horses, and horse related products and services. The West Virginia Horse Expo promotes trading within and outside the state, helping grow and strengthen the West Virginia horse industry economy.

The three day 2010 horse expo will be held April 16th – 18th at the West Virginia State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg, WV. It will feature a Cowboy Cook-off, Pro Day, Extreme Cowboy Race™, the West Virginia Trainer’s Challenge and a benefit country music concert by Taylor Made. An affordable family event, kids under 18 tickets are only a dollar, plus a non-perishable food item. Youth admission revenue benefits the WV High School Rodeo.

There will also be variety of horsemanship clinics, seminars and demonstrations for the beginner to the experienced equestrian. Included in this year’s roster of clinicians are West Virginia’s Woody Taylor (Reining), Louise Trimble (English Equitation), Jack Clark (Halter), and Barbara Volk (Equine Podiatry). Clinics on Ranch Horse Versatility, Barrel Racing, Trailer Loading, Bits & Bridling, and Desensitizing will also be presented.

Last year the West Virginia Six Shooter’s Mounted Cowboy Shooting demonstration and the West Virginia Draft Horse & Mule Association’s pulling demonstration were big crowd pleasers. These exciting demonstrations will be returning in 2010 along with the Breed and Stallion demonstrations representing breeds from Friesians to Miniature Donkeys. A new demonstration will feature Bum the Wonder Horse, performing many of his 150 tricks, presented by Melvin Langford of West Virginia.

West Virginia based trainers have submitted applications for the West Virginia Trainer’s Challenge, a colt start competition. The trainers selected for the 2010 challenge are Bobby Knight, Dan Hull and Robert (Junior) McClaughlin Jr. These trainers will have four and one half hours over three days to train a horse that has never been ridden in front of the audience and judges. In the finale Sunday afternoon, the trainers will have to ride their trained horse through an obstacle course.

The Extreme Cowboy Race™, as seen on RFD-TV, will challenge riders to navigate through fourteen obstacles while being timed and judged on horsemanship. The event is sanctioned by the Extreme Cowboy Association and open to riders in youth, novice and pro divisions. In addition to prizes, winners of this competition will gain points towards the Extreme Cowboy Race™ World Championship. Cowboys and Cowgirls are encouraged to sign up for the event and compete for prizes.

Of course the heart of the expo is the trade show. Vendors of all things horses, from T-shirts to horse trailers, will have displays of their goods and services. Horse breeders will also have displays in the Horse Pavilion to promote their clubs, stallions and farms. Through the support of the WV Department of Agriculture all West Virginia based breeders who want to have a horse and booth in the Horse Pavilion (Including the Stallion Pavilion) will receive a discount.

Another highlight of the expo is the Saturday Evening Showcase. The showcase will start with the Parade of Horse followed by a trick horse demonstration by David Davis, and a benefit concert by the country music group, Taylor Made.

West Virginia has some of the best Mountain Cooks! So, don’t forget to bring your appetite to the expo for the West Virginia Cowboy Cook-off. The cook-off is an outdoor beef grilling competition done in true cowboy fashion. Competition is open to any one, located any where, who thinks they're the best. Attendees of the expo will be able to purchase sampling tickets to try out the contestant’s entries. Join the WV Horse Expo on Sunday, April 18th , for the tastiest grillin’ our Smokin' mountains has to offer.

For more details about the expo events, visit their website at www.wvhorseexpo.com or call (800)682-1552.

Brock Griffith Selected to Compete in Extreme Mustang Makeover

(Bertram, Texas) – Brock Griffith, of Randleman, North Carolina, has been selected to compete in the 2009 Extreme Mustang Makeover, October 23-25th in Murfreesboro, TN. Trainers will have approximately 90 days to gentle a wild horse they picked up in Cross Plains, TN or Ewing, IL, July 17th and 18th to compete for a total of $25,000 in prize money.

The three and four year old Mustangs, gathered from Nevada, will be judged October 23 and 24th on conditioning, groundwork, and a "Horse Course" that requires maneuvers and includes obstacles found in trail and recreational riding situations. The competing mustangs will be available for adoption through an oral bidding adoption on Sunday, October 25th.

Nine years ago, Brock Griffith traded a Bull Riding Career to pursue his dream of working with horses. He immersed himself in the study and practice of Natural Horsemanship, gaining valuable knowledge and skills in this methodology and confidence in its application. His unique style is inspired by a variety of influences, personal experience, and an open mind, always remembering each horse is unique and requires a personal training program. Brock is a talented horseman, trainer, and clinician with an extraordinary ability to communicate effectively with both horses and their human partners. For more info on this event or Brock's training programs, please visit www.brockgriffithhorsemanship.com or call (336) 707-2343.

The purpose of the competition is to showcase the beauty, versatility, and trainability of these rugged horses that roam freely on public lands throughout the West, where they are protected by the BLM under Federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. All of the animals involved in the "Makeover" competition will be available for adoption at the Murfreesboro event in October.

Adoption fees will be set by competitive bid with initial fees being determined by the level and quality of training each horse has received. To qualify to adopt, one must be at least 18, with no record of animal abuse. In addition, adopters must have suitable facilities and can adopt no more than four animals. Adoption applications may be obtained and approved on the spot.

About the Mustang Heritage Foundation: The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the goal of the Extreme Mustang Makeover is to increase the adoption of mustangs across the country. The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to showcase the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition and has placed more than 1,000 mustangs for adoption since September 2007. Go to www.mustangheritagefoundation.org for more information.

About the Bureau of Land Management: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for managing 258 million acres of public lands, located mostly in the West. Wild horses and burros roaming public rangelands are managed in a manner consistent with BLM's overall multiple-use mission, as set forth in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 219,000 horses and burros into private care through adoption. For more information, visit wildhorseandburro.blm.gov or call 866-4MUSTANGS.

Please contact us with any questions and we would love to have your support at the event! Read our blog to follow Aztec's training progress.

 

Brock Griffith featured in Horses Magazine

January 2009—Brock Griffith is now a regular contributor to Horses Magazine. Check out his first article, "It's All in the Attitude," on page 37 of the online version of the current issue, and stay tuned for more articles in future issues.

Brock Griffith wins East Coast Trainer Challenge Finals

November 2, 2008—Brock Griffith was announced the winner of the Virginia Equine Extravaganza East Coast Trainer Challenge finals on Sunday evening. The other competitors included Scott Purdum, Charles Pelham and Aaron "Mule" Thornbrugh. For more information on the competition, visit the Equine Extravaganza website.

Brock Griffith wins NC Trainer Challenge

July 13, 2008—In an amazing display of natural horsemanship at the NC East Coast Trainer Challenge Brock Griffith emerged as the winner in what was considered by all an exceptional and close competition. All three trainers did an amazing job with their young, untouched horses. In what the judges called an amazingly close competition, Brock scored the highest overall and emerged as the winner. Commentator and exceptional horsewoman Julie Goodnight said she would have any one of the three trainers work with any of her horses. 2007 Winner, Tommy Garland, went on to compete in the prestigious Road to the Horse colt starting competition in TN.

From October 31 - November 2, 2008, Brock will face off against winners from upcoming Arkansas and Northern Illinois Trainer Challenges at the East Coast Trainer Challenge Finals at the Virginia Equine Extravaganza.

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