Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
March 27, 2008 issue
Story by Celeste von Mangan
Have you ever wanted to test your mettle in a horse race? If the answer is yes, then opportunity knocks. On Saturday, April 5, the inaugural Extreme Mountain Cowboy Race will be held at the new Ashe County Agricultural Expo Center on Highway 163 in West Jefferson beginning at 12:00 p.m. The purpose of the event is to raise funds for the center.
The Ashe County Agricultural Expo Center became official in the latter part of December 2007, when Sam and Shirley Church donated just over 4 acres to develop into an expo center. Other uses for the center besides equine events will include livestock shows, Christmas tree trade shows and agricultural educational seminars and training. The facility will also be available for groups that need a large, enclosed space.
The adult course will include riders crossing a pegged-down blue tarp while mounted on their horses and moving a bright yellow raincoat from one fencepost to another. Although the course sounds easy enough, horses are known to spook easily by plastic and bright colors.
Participants in the peewee and youth divisions must wear protective headgear, and a certain number of helmets will be available for use at the center, although coordinator Mike Johnson encourages anyone who can to bring his/her own helmet. Also required is a current, negative Coggins test for each horse.
“This is a timed event, plus a point system event,” said Johnson. “It’s a trail-obstacle event with the adult division being the most difficult. We downsized it for the youth, and for the peewee division, parents can walk beside their child’s horse.”
Anyone age 9 and under is considered a peewee, and those ages 10 to 16 are considered youths. All participants older than age 16 can enter as adults.
“The peewees will go first because we figured they’d be too worn out if they went after everyone else,” said Johnson. “We’ve got some really nice prizes. Trophies we’ll probably give to the peewees, and there are gift certificates from businesses like McDonalds. A local bank donated three $50 savings bonds, and those will go to the youth winners. The nice riding tack we have will be divided among the adults. Watsonatta Western World in Boone donated a custom-made belt buckle from Montana Silversmiths with Extreme Mountain Cowboy Race #1 engraved on it. Other prizes include an impact gel saddle pad. If this race goes over well, we’ll hold another in the fall.”
According to Johnson, inquiries about the event have been coming from Watauga, Wilkes and Alleghany counties, as well as from Virginia and Tennessee.
“We’re expecting a big crowd,” said Johnson. “We started out wanting to put on a horse show; then decided to have the race instead. I had to add ‘mountain’ to the name of the event because Craig Cameron does the Extreme Cowboy Races and the name is copyrighted.”
Johnson continued, “Julie Noble from Mountain City, Tennessee is the judge, and I’ll be the announcer. I used to do the announcing for the horse shows when we had them at Greenfield’s.”
No alcoholic beverages are allowed on the premises. Food, soft drinks, water, T-shirts and hats will be available for purchase.
Registration for the race starts at 10:00 a.m. the day of the event and costs $25 for adults, $10 for youth and $5 for peewees. Spectators will be admitted free. For more information, call 336-877-5838.
“We’re hoping for a pretty day for April 5,” said Johnson.
Date: Saturday, April 5
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Ashe County Agricultural Expo Center, Highway 163
Cost: Free for spectators/$25 adult/$10 youth/$5 peewee participants