Two American women, Sara Winters and Obbie Schlom, are the final two competitors for the 2013 Road to the Horse. The California natives will put their hat in the ring against reigning 2012 champions from Australia, Dan James and Guy McLean. The four will square off as individuals next March to compete for the 2013 Road to the Horse Champion title.
Winters, 22, and Schlom, 18, will be the youngest ever competitors, and this will mark only the second time another female has competed in 10 year history of Road to the Horse.
“It’s a very much male dominated industry,” Winters says with a short snicker. “But it’s funny because 80 percent of the clinic participants are women. It’s my goal to show that women are capable of getting great things done with their horses and they don’t have to settle for anything less than excellence.”
Schlom admits she is a little intimidated about going up against two of the handiest men in the world, but the 18-year-old horse trainer promises them both a serious run for their money. “It’s about getting the horse as solid as possible with my time. It’s not going to be an easy task but I want to apply my technique and teach people that getting in a rush doesn’t produce results.”
Winters not only bares the pressure of being a trailblazer herself, her father, Richard Winters, is also a former Road to the Horse Champion. “I want to be very careful to not get caught up in the competition, but to be there for the horse,” she said. Winters hopes to connect to the audience through her smooth and deliberate style, showing people that it’s about working smarter not necessarily harder is the key to a working relationship with the colt.
“These two have a big job ahead of them and tough competition standing in their way,” said Producer Tootie Bland. “They also have the incredible talent and skill to showcase the next generation of natural horsemanship in the United States.”
The four competitors will come together in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, to compete for the Road to the Horse title in March 2013.
About Road to the Horse: (March 15-17, 2013- Lexington, Kentucky) Unlike any other equine event, Road to the Horse has pioneered natural horsemanship partnered with entertainment. The three-day world championship colt starting event matches four of the world’s best horse trainers and clinicians against one another as they train untouched colts to ride in just a few short hours in front of a packed live audience and television cameras. By combining education and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Road to the Horse has solidified the position of today’s horsemanship heroes and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a catalyst for the advancement of natural horsemanship. For more information, visit RoadToTheHorse.com.
