Call her a dreamer but for the last 15 years Road to the Horse Founder/Producer Tootie Bland has dedicated her life to uniting the equine industry. Bland has been a relentless advocate of the horse, sharing her message, that however diverse we may be as equestrians, the success of a young horse stems from a solid foundation.
This diversity has never been more apparent than at Road to the Horse 2018. With Wilson mounted in her English saddle, Dowers in his Western saddle, and James in his Australian saddle, all three Road to the Horse 2018 competitors displayed remarkable horsemanship, staying true to their roots and true to the horse. All different, but all undeniably successful.
“That’s what good horsemanship is” stated Road to the Horse 2018 judge Mike Kevil. “It has no boundaries, it has no gender. A good hand is a good hand, and that’s what you see here at Road to the Horse.”
Show jumping sensation and defending Road to the Horse 2017 World Champion Vicki Wilson proudly brought the Gist Silversmith’s Road to the Horse 2018 World Championship buckle back to her homeland of New Zealand. Wilson secured her place in Road to the Horse history as the only horsewoman to have captured two World Championship of Colt Starting titles.
Australian horseman, Dan James was honored with the Jack Brainard Horsemanship Award for his exceptional horsemanship skills which he portrayed throughout the entire event. A recognition that is hand-selected and awarded by legendary horseman Jack Brainard.
“When the greats of colt starting lay it on the line, any thought that you think you can predict the outcome should be thrown out the window! And so, it was on that given Sunday in Lexington, Kentucky” states Road to the Horse Founder/Producer Tootie Bland. “The only thing anyone can predict about Road to the Horse is that it is unpredictable until the last second!”
Plans are already well underway for Road to the Horse 2019, where the colorful Mardi Gras celebrations of 2018 will be traded for a little piece of the Wild Wild West.
Learn more about Road to the Horse at www.RoadtotheHorse.com. Road to the Horse 2019 tickets are available online at www.RoadtotheHorse.com or by calling 800-514-3849. Follow Road to the Horse on Facebook for the latest information.
Colts selected at Road to the Horse 2018:
Vicki Wilson: #8 Wyoming Pick and #12 Crowns Lad
Nick Dowers: #5 Little River Tuf and #6 Boons Sixgun
Dan James: #2 Double Mountain Fork and #11 Rockin Latigo
Photos and videos from Road to the Horse 2018 can be found on our Facebook page here.
