The Can-Am Wind Rider Challenge is touring Ontario this year with the first stop at the REACH/Clinton Raceway on August 22 and 23

. There are no fancy outfits required and any breed or discipline is welcome.

All participants are judged on their horsemanship skills and their communication with their horse, not on attire or turnout. If you show your horse regularly or if you have never shown before, this is the venue for you to reveal to the world just how wonderful your horse really is!

The Can-Am Wind Rider Challenge is just that, a friendly, educational environment where horse and rider teams can have fun, learn a thing or two and win awards, money and awesome prizes! The winner of the Regional Challenge will also win a free spot at the Finals, to be held during the Eighth Annual Can-Am All Breeds Equine Emporium in London, Ont., March 19-21, 2010, where they will have the chance to win a share of the over $15,000 in money and prizes including a custom made Ortho Flex Saddle worth over $5,200 (US) and an Anivac Bathing System valued at over $1,000!

All breeds and disciplines are invited to compete on a timed course with
a variety of challenges including trail obstacles, ring jousting, gymkhana andelements of reining, hunter/jumper and dressage - offered in an educational clinic format.

Everyone has fun and learns! The Can-Am Wind Rider Challenge will be presented by Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard during this exciting 2009-2010 season. The Regionals offer a unique, fun-filled opportunity for riders 14 years or older from all disciplines to compete for prizes, money and a place at the 2010 Can-Am All Breeds Equine Emporium Wind Rider Challenge Finals! The cross disciplinary course will consist of a pattern including, but not limited to some of the following elements: circles cantered on the correct lead with speed control (or circles in gait with speed control for gaited breeds), a two foot jump, trotting or gaiting while balancing an object in one hand, backing through and around barrels, sidepassing, ground poles, balanced halts, turn on the haunches or turnarounds, leg yielding, open/close a gate and a ring joust.

If you and your horse want to show off your teamwork in front of an audience, then you’d be great candidates to participate! Western riders, dressage riders, hunter/jumpers, trail riders, natural horsemen and gaited horse riders are all invited to compete individually with their horses on this timed cross disciplinary course. For the eliminations, our notable guest judges will award points on each challenge according to accuracy, horse’s attitude, good horsemanship and equitation.

Can-Am would like to thank our many sponsors, including Anivac, Home Hardware, Ortho-flex Saddleworks Inc. and The Rider.com for providing generous prizes for these exciting events. There are still some sponsorship options available. Click here for more details.

For Wind Rider Challenge information, locations, stories, videos, comments, links and entry applications, visit www.canamequine.ca. Entry applications are limited and accepted on a first come first serve basis.

(With files from Clinton Raceway)