Sunday, January 15, 2006

World's Greatest Horseman Competition Highlights Bayer Legend™ NRCHA Celebration of Champions

The World's Greatest Horseman begins on February 22 as part of the Bayer Legend™ NRCHA Celebration of Champions at the Lone Star Arena in Stephenville, Texas, running concurrently with the NRCHA World Championship Show and Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Derby.

Produced by the National Reined Cow Horse Association, the World's Greatest Horseman event celebrates the skills and training methods of the traditional California Vaquero and represents the most highly schooled cow horses in the world. Each entry is shown by one rider in herd, rein, cow work and steer stopping and the same bridle is used throughout.

Since its inception in 1999, this competition quickly become one of the most prestigious titles in the western horse world and the list of champions and top finishers reads like a "Who's Who" of contemporary star trainers.

Former winners Ted Robinson, Bob Avila, Ron Ralls and Jon Roeser lead a field of the nation’s most skilled horsemen who will vie for the opportunity to become one of the top ten finalists. Those finalists will compete in all four events for a first place purse of $30,000.

The action begins on Wednesday afternoon with the Herd Work preliminaries and the Rein Work Preliminaries are set to begin on Thursday afternoon. Steer Roping and cow work preliminaries will take place on Friday evening.

Those goes will determine the ten finalists, who will begin competition at 9 am on Sunday with the Herd Work Finals, followed by the rein work, steer stopping and cow work.

There is no admission charge to the World's Greatest Horseman, and attendees will also enjoy the competition in the National Reined Cow Horse Association World Championship Show and Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Derby, plus attend the Celebration of Champions Trade Show.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, the governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Bayer Corporation, Bob's Custom Saddles, Cinch, Inc., Classic Equine, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Nutrena, Skyline Gold and Silversmiths, National Ropers Supply, Quarter Horse News & Western Horseman magazine, the Reno Hilton, Farnam products Vetrolin Liniment and Farnam dewormers IverCare, ComboCare, LiquiCare P and Continuex, Fort Dodge West Nile Innovator, Bloomer Trailer Mfg, Rios of Mercedes, Merial products ULCERGARD and GASTROGARD, Great American Insurance Company and the Silver Legacy Hotel, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.