Project Cowboy was an elimination style competition graduating from basic ground work and riding to obstacles, teamwork, working with cattle, round pen work with an untouched yearling and riding a strange horse. Sounds like fun right?
So I sent in my money, held my breath and surprise I was one of the 180 riders competing!
I was lucky to catch a ride to Texas with a new friend Lane Kitching. Thanks for all the help and driving Lane; we couldn’t have done it without you!

So with about a month to go I am getting pretty excited, I always seem to sign up for things and then when I’m accepted I start to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into! I had been preparing to go with my good gelding Shady Darq Bars but a bump out in the pasture sidelined Shady. Uh oh now what would I do? Another big thank you belongs to my husband Chris for volunteering his good mare ‘Puro Foxy Chic’. Don’t worry Chris I won’t tell Foxy it was your idea!

I hadn’t ridden Foxy before as she was Chris’s and I had enough of my own to school. Needless to say Foxy and I got a quick introduction to each other and started working on trail obstacles. Foxy is an amazing cowhorse with over $7k in earnings but would she have the willingness to go through some crazy obstacles? She sure did and I found my Project Cowboy partner!
Paperwork in order, American money in hand Lane and I set out for the Lonestar state. Three days of driving later we were in Texas and getting settled in the barns. First thing I noticed was how friendly everyone was. I have to say that Project cowboy had one of the neatest atmospheres I have ever been in.

The competitors meeting the night before the competition proved to be lively with questions and explanations regarding the competition. I was lucky to be in group 3 and draw order #1. That meant that I would not have to ride until after lunch and would be first after dinner for my television interview.

Lane and I were up early on the first day of competition to check on and feed Foxy as well as to see how the other competitors were doing. I was impressed with the variety of riders and the large number of mustangs in the competition. As lunch drew closer I started to feel the normal rush of getting ready to ride. I warmed Foxy up and spent some time settling down my mind and visualizing a good pattern. Ready set ride! I always like the number one draw or a draw after a drag…I like fresh dirt. Foxy and I had a good round one and a smoking round two. We won round two! My freestyle component was bridless and bareback spinning. It felt amazing. My television interview went well and after a long day we were done! 







Saturday morning all of the contestants entered the arena with their home flags. That was an amazing site. The five Canadians rode in together and Foxy and I carried the Canadian Flag. Shawn Seabrook from Alberta and the Mills family from British Columbia did Canada proud. After the opening ceremonies were complete the organizers started calling contestants forward and eliminating them in groups. All five Canadians made it through! Wowee! I checked the order of go and I was around 43 to go out of 75. Foxy went back to her stall for a nap and I went in to watch how round four was going for all of our fellow competitors.

Round four consisted of an obstacle course (side passing, backing over a rail, jumping a dragon, through 3 curtains of courage, over a bride, around a pinwheel and dragging a ball) keep in mind while negotiating these obstacles you are being asked questions related to the cowboy lifestyle, horsemanship and training. Foxy and I warmed up, got on our mike and entered into the big arena. I think I must like to hear myself speak because I really had fun in this round! Foxy was even brave enough to jump the dragon! Round four was complete and we were all brought back in for another elimination round. Baited breath…..we made it again! We were on to round five where Foxy would shine with cattle work.

We were divided into 5 teams with 5 members and I was picked to be on the best team ever! We named ourselves Project Team Cowgirl! We had a great team of all competent cowgirls, look out boys hear we come! The object
The round was teamwork and separating out all the numbered cattle for our group. We were last to go and all five of us had great rides and separated all of our cows. The team decided that Foxy and I should go last (only one cow left) as I (and Foxy) had the most cattle experience. I have to say that this was the highlight of the entire trip for me. Foxy and I walked slowly into the herd and with every step the cattle separated and flowed around us. We were smooth, quiet and the cattle were not disturbed. Foxy and I got our cow as easy as a hot knife cuts butter. What a rush and a great way to end the day!



The next morning brought all 25 competitors back into the arena. Doug Mills and I were the only Canadians left in competition. As our team went last the night before we were last to find out who would or would not make it to the top ten. Doug’s name was called and we cheered for him. When the dust settled and it was our turn to find out who had made it there were only two spaces left to move on. That’s one of the toughest moments for me, I had such a great group of women any one of us could have moved on. Tootie (one of the organizers) called me forward and talked about the long drive home….’but not yet, get in the pen!’ Wow we made it to the top ten finalists!

Round six had us working with unhandled yearlings kindly lent to the competition by a local ranch. My yearling filly was fat n sassy and very interested in everything outside the round pen. I took my time and managed to get her worked and kept her from getting stressed. I was happy with her and myself even if I hadn’t actually touched her. I would always rather be slow and cautious then spend time trying to fix something I wrecked because of time.

Round seven had the top ten riding a new horse in english tack and then switching to bareback and completing an obstacle course. I drew an older bay gelding with a very sweet face and sleepy eyes. I thought ‘piece of cake!’ When it came time to ride out with him it turns out my sweet older gelding with sleepy eyes was very awake when it came to riding out with fans in the stands and scary obstacles all round him. I took my time with him and stayed in a sitting trot to maintain as much control as possible. After walk, trot and canter both ways off came the saddle and up I went bareback to attempt the obstacle course. It wasn’t the prettiest trail course but we did our best and got through it.

All adventures must come to an end and my trail with Project Cowboy ended with a 7th place finishing and as the top placing Canadian in the competition. The remaining three gentlemen had excellent freestyle rides and the eliminated seven riders (including me) became part of the judge’s panel. What a great way to finish a great competition! I can honestly say that this was one of the toughest and most rewarding experiences in my time with horses.

Remember to keep the spirit of the horse in your heart, never ending patience in your mind and softness in your hands.

Cheers,
Adrienne Herron and Puro ‘Foxy’ Chic.