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April
27, 28 & 29 - Minnesota State Fairgrounds
CHRIS COX PRESS RELEASE
Road to the Horse Champion Chris Cox to be at Minnesota Horse Expo
(Mineral Wells, TX, March 5, 2008)---Respected horseman and clinician Chris Cox of Mineral Wells, Texas, captured back-to-back championships with his win on March 2 at the popular Road to the Horse competition in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Always a sell-out, the annual event recognized as the “Original Colt Starting Challenge,” showcased four nationally known clinicians – defending champion Chris Cox, Ken McNabb, Tommy Garland and Mike Kevil in the two-day competition. Working before an enthusiastic crowd at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum, each competitor faced the challenge of starting an untrained three-year-old Quarter Horse colt from the Wood Ranch of Arkansas. By the end of the event, the horses were not only being ridden, but were working and negotiating an obstacle course to the delight of spectators.
“It was quite a challenge for me this year because I didn’t pick a colt I thought I could win on,” says Cox. “I really had to make the best of what I had. This event is a real education for the crowd and shows that if you’re consistent and persistent with your methods you can be effective, even with a tough horse.”
The clinicians only had one hour and 20 minutes on the first day to work their horses. This time was to include 10 minutes rest. When Cox began riding his colt on day one, the horse was bucking and kicking out. Cox had already given him a five-minute rest earlier in the session, but knew it would not be to the horse’s advantage if he quit and gave the horse another rest before he saw positive changes. So he continued working with the horse and was given a 10-minute penalty, which took place the second day.
“I think if I’d gotten off in the middle it would have taken 30 to 40 minutes to correct it the next day, so I rode through it,” Cox explains. “I had to make a professional horsemanship decision to help the colt through the problem and take the penalty.”
The judges admitted that the competition was down to the wire, but Cox’s decision and the horse’s eventual turn-around showed the judges and the crowd that his methods were right on target. Along with capturing the title for a second time, Cox received a $15,000 donation toward his charity, The Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer from Quest and Fort Dodge Animal Health.
“I’m honored to be part of such a great event,” adds Cox. “I went up against some great competitors. The competition was very tight. Everyone was effective and did a good job with their horses. People watching this event should realize that these horses aren’t ‘trained’ in two days. We’re just laying a foundation and getting them started.”
Cox, whose Diamond Double C Ranch is located in Mineral Wells,TX will be a featured clinician at the 26th Minnesota Horse Expo to be held April 25-27 at the State Fairgrounds in St. Paul. For more information, please contact the Minnesota Horse Expo at 1-877-462-8758 or www.mnhorseexpo.org. Minnesota Horse Expo schedules, topics and speaker bios will be available after March 15. The Minnesota Horse Expo is sponsored by the Minnesota Horse Council.
For more information about the upcoming 2008 Minnesota Horse Expo sponsored by the Minnesota Horse Council, please call 952-922-8666, 1-877-462-8758 or visit www.mnhorseexpo.org
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