June 2017 8 Verde Valley Equine FESTIVAL RECAP April 21, 22 & 23, 2017 The 2017 Verde Valley Equine Festival was quite the event. Horse industry professionals from all over the United States brought their expertise to Cottonwood, Arizona for an action packed weekend. Between the beautiful exhibitions, educational clinics, and a variety of shopping, there truly was something for everyone. In the Arizona Horsemen’s Challenge five trainers competed for the top title: to be the Arizona Horsemen’s Challenge Champion. On Friday trainers Sara Boland, Travis Lyons, Brian Bausch, Ben Monarque, and C.L. “Lee” Anderson selected a wild mustang. The competitors had only eight hours over the three-day event to train. On Sunday they showcased their mustangs, hoping that what they had accomplished in such a short time would secure them the championship. From Ben Monarque driving his horse through various obstacles from fifteen feet behind, to Travis Lyons standing on his trusting mustang’s back, the competition was an incredible testament to the power of wild horses and the persistency of cowboys and cowgirls. A new twist was introduced this year and involved the spectators voting each day on their favorite Az. Horseman’s Challenge Trainer. Brian Bausch (pictured below) wowed the fans with his incredible training techniques and style and was voted Fan Favorite. In a very tight competition where the lead was passed back and forth several times, Sara Boland, a 5th generation resident of the Verde Valley, came in as the runner up to the championship with her remarkable and talented horse training skills. In the end it was Travis Lyons, a Verde Valley resident, who took the championship. The judges agreed that his unique approach led him and his mustang to success. Travis left the 2017 Verde Valley Equine Festival with a victory, and after the auction, his mustang left to a forever home with an incredible start to a solid foundation in her training. Photo by JTanner Arizona REAL COUNTRY Western life Mike Barna Publisher mbarna@ArizonaRealCountry.com (602) 622-3695 Casey Grantham Editor (602) 403-0785 Misty Voitovski Creative Director misty@azinthesaddle.com Contributing Writers Joy Barna, Daniel Davis, Kimmie Dillon, Jim Olson, Robert Piekow, Bill Roberts, Michele Wilson, Renee Winter 801 W. Wickenburg Way Wickenburg, AZ 85390 (602) 622-3695 ArizonaRealCountry.com Arizona Real Country is owned and published by Barna Broadcasting LLC. No person, organization or party can copy or reproduce the content on our website and/or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editor’s panel and the author of the content, as applicable. The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. /ArizonaRealCountry @arizonarealcountry /arizonarealcountry