Speakers - Demos for the Minnesota Horse Expo 2008

photo credit Tanya Gorzatt

Great insight and effective teaching style has made Stacy Westfall one of the most sought-after clinicians in the industry. She developed her natural horsemanship techniques while advancing her horses for reining competition. Stacy is an AQHA and NRHA Freestyle Reining Champion.

Her goal in her training her reining horses was to make the reins unnecessary — literally. And she succeeded, stunning the reining world by going undefeated for two straight years in major freestyle reining competitions. Stacy’s highlight was winning twice while riding bridle-less AND bareback. Her famous 2006 Freestyle Championship ride, seen by millions on the internet, also lead to her appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show, in 2008.

Stacy is the only woman to have won the Road to the Horse colt starting competition. Her training approach is proven, and it works. As a wife, businesswoman and mother of three young boys she continues to be a top training clinician and a winning competitor.

These days Stacy has one simple goal–to inspire, and teach people how to build a better relationship with their horse. With her husband Jesse, she offers clinics and other educational tools to improve communication between horse and rider.

Just as a reminder, no videotaping is allowed during this presentation.

Stacy will be appearing at Minnesota Horse Expo 2009 all three days.
www.westfallhorsemanship.com

Craig Cameron

A Native Texan, Craig Cameron, one of the original clinicians, is on the road more than 44 weeks a year covering 80,000 miles demonstrating the style of horsemanship he has perfected in the last 23 years. Called the “public defender of the horse,” Craig dedicates himself to those who educate their horses by first educating themselves. At an age where most have long since retired the thought of starting colts, Craig Cameron known as “The Cowboy’s Clinician,” starts hundreds of horses each year; plus his four-day clinics held at his ranches in Bluff Dale, TX and Lincoln, NM blend education with entertainment.

Craig has created a program that builds confidence and trust between man and horse. Rather than fight the animal, he offers patience and understanding that leaves the horse wanting to do what is asked of him. In the early 80’s Craig was fortunate to meet a man named Ray Hunt who opened his eyes to the art of working through understanding when training horses. Building upon his experiences, Craig uses a philosophy of teaching that eliminates rough handling of horses earning him a well-deserved international following.

Craig, a life-long rancher, working cowboy and horse trainer, has just about done it all from cow-calf, stocker operations, custom hay-baling, or capturing wild cattle for fellow rachers. After years of bull riding on the professional rodeo circuit and successfully operating his cattle business, Craig, decided that it was truly the horse that attracted him. He soon discovered his aptitude for communicating with the horse and meticulously refined and nurtured this talent. He wanted to give back something to the horse. When he was ready, he began conducting western horsemanship clinics and demonstrations to help riders increase their knowledge and understanding of their horse and to keep the cowboy tradition alive. www.craigcameron.com

Friday Schedule | Saturday Schedule | Sunday Schedule

John S. Payne

8 time PRCA Specialty Act Of The Year!!
We are called the The One Arm Bandit Gang. We travel all United States and Canada performing at horse shows, rodeos and private gatherings, Anywhere you might need a little bit of western entertainment..we are what you need. We have three rigs that travel their seperate ways, so somewhere in the US there will be one of us. We do about 300 performances a year and we perform all year round. As you read through our pages you will see just how we became who we are today and why. Happy Trails! http://www.theonearmbandit.net/

Friday Schedule | Saturday Schedule | Sunday Schedule

Susan E Harris

White Horse Needed for Susan Harris “Anatomy in Motion” Demo Friday & Saturday

Susan E. Harris is an international clinician, equestrian author and artist from Cortland, New York. She has taught, trained, shown, and judged in many equestrian disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, equitation, dressage, eventing, western pleasure and performance, and pleasure, gaited and versatility breeds. Susan has been active in teaching teachers and establishing certification standards for American riding instructors since the l970's. In 2004 she was honored as a Master Instructor by the American Riding Instructor Association.

Susan worked with Sally Swift, founder of Centered Riding®, and is qualified as a Level IV Centered Riding clinician. She travels internationally to teach clinics in Horse Gaits, Balance, and Movement, biomechanics of horse and rider, Centered Riding & Centered Jumping for instructors, trainers, judges, and riders of all levels and riding interests. Her unique demonstration, "Anatomy in Motion™/ The Visible Horse", in which she paints the bones and muscles on a live horse, has been a popular attraction at equine expos and clinics across North America and around the world, including EquineAffaire, Equitana, expos in Australia and Europe and the George Morris Horsemastership Clinic in Wellington, FL

Susan Harris is the author and illustrator of popular horse books, including Horse Gaits, Balance, and Movement, Grooming to Win (3rd edition, 2008) and the U.S. Pony Club Manuals of Horsemanship. With Peggy Brown, she has produced two DVDs: Anatomy in Motion™ I : The Visible Horse, and Anatomy in Motion II: the Visible Rider™. Susan also designed the art and poster for the Breyer Anatomy in Motion model horse.

Susan's study of equine and human anatomy and biomechanics as an artist and her experience as an instructor, rider and trainer, have given her a unique perspective on how horses and riders work. Her teaching helps riders discover how to use their bodies better for improved balance and harmony between horse and rider. Susan's knowledge of horse gaits and movement and experience in various breeds and disciplines enable her to help all kinds of riders and horses improve their balance, comfort, movement and performance. Her positive teaching style and visual approach make learning clear, understandable, and enjoyable for riders of all ages and levels, from instructors, trainers, and competitors to 4-H, Pony Club and pleasure riders. When not traveling, teaching or writing, Susan enjoys dressage, jumping, and trail riding on her Clydesdale/Paint gelding, Masquerade.

You can visit Susan Harris online at www.anatomyinmotion.com

White Horse Needed for Susan Harris “Anatomy in Motion” Demo Friday & Saturday

Friday Schedule | Saturday Schedule | Sunday Schedule

Dr. Tom Lenz
AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL'S UNWANTED HORSE COALITION CHAIR

Biography
During his 30-year veterinary career, Dr. Lenz has worked in private equine practice, academia, and corporate business. A 1975 graduate of the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Lenz became a Diplomate in the American College of Theriogenologists (animal reproduction) in 1986 and received a Master of Science degree in equine reproduction from Texas A&M University in 1988.

Active in the equine industry, Dr. Lenz is a Past President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). He currently is a member of the American Horse Council’s Horse Welfare Committee, the Research Committee of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), and the Veterinary Advisory Board of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association. He is the chair of the AAEP’s Welfare Committee, the American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition and a member of the AAEP’s President’s Advisory Board and Public Policy Committee. He writes a monthly horse health column for the Quarter Horse Journal.

Dr. Lenz will discuss the history of the unwanted horses and how it started, the types of horses that become unwanted, the approximate numbers and causes for them becoming unwanted, euthanasia and carcass disposal options in detail and briefly review federal legislation that has been introduced to deal with the horse slaughter issue because many unwanted horses are processed for meat. He will finally discuss current options for unwanted horses and efforts by a number of organizations to deal with the issue. The results of the national unwanted horse survey should be tabulated by then and will be presented at Expo.

Dr. Lenz will only be at Expo on Saturday explaining the work of the Unwanted Horse Coalition.
Go to his website for more info: www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org

Friday Schedule | Saturday Schedule | Sunday Schedule

Dr. Tracy Turner

Minnesota's Approach to the Unwanted Horse
Friday at 5:00 in Ramberg Building
Saturday at 1:30 in the DNR

Dr. Turner will describe and discuss the measures going on in Minnesota to address the unwanted horse issue.
Audience questions and concerns will be addressed.

Friday Schedule | Saturday Schedule | Sunday Schedule

Dave Genadek
Master saddle maker

Understanding saddle fit boils down to understanding where you want to sit, how you want to sit and what the systems are in the saddle that allow you to achieve your desired position. In our first session, Where to Sit, we will explore the five essential movements of the horse that each rider must influence in order to ride a horse in safe and non-destructive way. You will learn the basic functional anatomy that allows a horse to carry a rider. Through it all you will gain an understanding of how the fundamental question "Where to sit?" contributes to confusions in the saddle market today.

In our second daily session, How to Sit, we will explore the history of riding and how it influences the choices you make every day. You will learn the difference in the major riding philosophies and how saddles have evolved around them. This clear understanding will allow you to see the elements in a saddle that will allow you to sit in the way of your choosing. You will no longer see the horse world as a unending flow of opinions, instead you will learn to see the source of confusions as a product of three different riding philosophies.

In our third daily session, Saddle Fit, you will learn the systems of saddles that allow it to fit and function in the desired way. You will learn the elements that make a saddle tree fit and how the English and western trees differ. You will learn how the saddles rigging is critical to saddle fit and how every piece of a saddle has a purpose. Combining these three sessions will give you the tools you need to make an informed saddle decision.

Bio:
David Genadek is a master saddle maker who has spent the last 30 years pursuing a deeper understanding of how saddles function. He has studied anatomy under Dr Deb Bennett of Equine studies Institute, who teaches a systems approach to equine biomechanics. This background is integral to the design of the saddle lines he produces. In addition to his studies in the area of horse biomechanics he has pursued a deeper understanding of the role the saddle plays in the riders position with leading experts in the area such as Peggy Cummings.

David currently is president of About the horse Inc a saddle manufacturer promoting excellence in horsemanship through knowledge and AnatoTree Ltd a saddle tree company getting back to the bare bones of saddle fit. In addition to building saddles David also conducts clinics around the world on the subject of saddle fit.

David’s clinics are known for being fast paced ,information packed good times. The goal is always to bring his participants to a clearer understanding of their roll in their horses life. Attendees leave with a well rounded perspective of the many different approaches to saddle fitting. In order to do this David takes you on a journey through history, exploring the very soul of horsemanship. A soul he has come to know through the help of Elizabeth Graves on their ranch in Spring Valley MN.