Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine February 2017 Vol 2 Issue 1

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine

As we grew and hosted numerous events in different organizations, I felt like we had not found our niche. As a woman that has faced stereotypes my entire life, with a diverse background that includes internationally competing as a heavy weight fighter, winning a beauty crown, and pie baking competitions. I knew what that niche was oh so well. I realized that in the equine world, people typically cat- egorize equine owners into one genera, such as either a barrel racer, a trail rider, a roper, a mule owner, an English rider, or an obstacle competitor. There were not any events that gave women the op- portunity to show truly how diverse and amazing they are! This idea led me to designing what would be- come our first VHR Country Tough Cowgirl Challenge in 2016. It was a team competition that embraced equine events and non-equine events. The ladies competed in barrel racing, campfire cooking, obstacles, trailer backing, roping, shooting, ranch pleasure, and a cowgirl test. When I introduced this competition to the world, I was floored by the positive response and by how quickly the event filled. I then developed a second Cowgirl Challenge, a Cowgirl and Cowboy Challenge, and a One Fly Cowgirl Challenge in 2016. The four challenges are back in 2017 and are going strong. Continued on Page 24

Our Featured Writer, Brandy Von Holten

The Making of “Country Tough” I, Brandy Von Holten, am here to tell you that the American Dream is alive

and well. Hard work pays off, the good guy still wins, saying yes ma’am, and loving your mother are ALL still concepts that are held near and dear in the heart of good ‘ole country folk. When my husband and I set out to chase our dreams of owning his 110 year old family farm and develop it into a one-of-kind trail riding facility, we did not know what we had in store for us.

The saying “no pain, no gain” has an entirely new meaning to us. In the end we are now wiser to the world, but we are different. We are STRONGER. We know exactly what we are made of - which is grit, heart, hard work, and a tenacious spirit, all while being humble. It is what I like to call being “country tough”. One thing for sure that strikes an emotional cord with me is how much love and compassion we have received from the country community. They have opened their hearts to us and for that, I say thank you.

EHALmagazine.com | February 2017 | © Everything Horses and Livestock

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