“Pony Up!” for The Western Folklife Center

The Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada has been producing the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering since its inception in 1980. Like so many donor supported organizations, they find themselves in dire need of cash to keep the lights on for another year. If you’d like to help out some very creative cowboy artists, watch this very funny video (more here), and click the link below to send in your online donation.

Pony Up! | Details

Filed under  //   Charity   Culture   Events   Poetry  

Celebrate The Pony Express Sesquicentennial!

April, 2010 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express. Between April 1860 and November 1861, the Central Overland California & Pike’s Peak Express Company (a.k.a. The Pony Express) carried official mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. The company lost money on the venture, but the legend of the Pony Express and the intrepid riders who braved the hazards of the trail endured. Every year the National Pony Express Association commemorates the achievements of its namesake organization by riding the length of the original trail. Participating riders turn their ponies East one year, and West the next. This year’s official ride will take place June 6, 2010 to June 26, 2010. An official NPEA brochure of re-ride events can be found here.

National Pony Express Historic Trail | Details

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It’s Reining in Kentucky! September 25, 2010

Reining

For the first time ever, the World Equestrian Games is leaving Europe for the hospitality of North America and the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Of particular interest to Western Cowboy Brand readers is the fact that Reining is one of the 8 riding disciplines being contested for the title of world champion. Reining is designed to showcase the athletic ability of a ranch horse within the confines of a show arena. During competition, horse and rider are required to run one of several approved performance patterns. Each pattern includes small slow circles, large fast circles, flying lead changes, roll backs, 360 degree spins, and a hallmark of reining horses - the sliding stop. The World Equestrian Games is officially sanctioned by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the controlling Olympic authority for international riding events. It is widely believed that Reining will become the newest riding event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Tickets | Details

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