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Hi and welcome to our blog. Stay in touch with everything about the American Horsewoman’s Challenge. Check in regularly to hear about the people, the happenings, and the sponsors.

Help Keep The Dream Alive

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Photo by Karen Wegehenkel

In 2014 we launched the first American Horsewoman’s Challenge. It was a competition like no other. Longtime horse men and women shared that they had never before seen an equestrian event such as this. The partnership, willingness and connection between horse and human brought many close to tears.

Competitors were amazed at the spirit of cooperation, support and camaraderie with their peers. Fans were treated to not only the competition, but daily educational workshops conducted by internationally recognized clinicians. And more than 52,000 people followed the Challenge through social media, webcast and in the stands, during the competition weekend.

CD CourtThe Challenge was also embraced by the print, broadcast and online media with scores of stories and interviews.

This first-ever event was successful because of the determination of the competitors and the Challenge staff and volunteers, as well as the support of a few visionary sponsors. But to do it again, WE NEED YOU!

The Challenge is still in a start-up phase and needs immediate funding to sustain the initiative and continue to give horsewomen this incredible opportunity to grow and excel. That is why we have launched a grassroots crowdfunding campaign.

Photo by Karen Wegehenkel

Photo by Karen Wegehenkel

Crowdfunding is a popular Internet-based funding strategy for entrepreneurs and start-up companies to access capital that is not available to them through traditional funding channels. For people like you, who believe in the American Horsewoman’s Challenge and the opportunities it provides, crowdfunding allows you to help keep the dream alive and receive special gift considerations for your support.

You do not need not be a large investor. In fact, most crowdfunding contributors are small investors who believe in a project’s mission. The Horsewoman’s Challenge campaign has contribution levels from $30 to $10,000.

Corporate sponsors, who are tasked with being good stewards of their company’s marketing dollars, are rightfully cautious of young startup events, so we need to prove to potential sponsors the incredible interest in the Challenge and our commitment to its continued growth and success.  The crowdfunding campaign is your way to make a statement and have your voice be heard, loud and clear.

Our goal is to raise $60,000 to help cover competitor prizes, facility rentals, sponsorship marketing, judging fees, staffing and travel. Sponsor revenues will be used for event entertainment, bigger competitor prize packages, and broader media efforts.  But, we cannot make it without you.

Your investment in the Challenge not only supports and honors the women of the horse world, but gives the competitors educational support and career opportunities they do not have otherwise.  This year, two “unknowns” were thrust into the national spotlight by their winning performances and are benefiting from the publicity and recognition. Even those who were not top winners are seeing the benefits their participation has generated for their training and teaching businesses.

Please join us in continuing to provide these opportunities for North America’s horsewomen.
Help keep the dream of the American Horsewoman’s Challenge alive!

Contribute big or small, anything helps and all is appreciated.

Where’d the time go!

Well, it’s been quite a few months since I blogged.  Six months has just flown by, despite my best efforts to slow it down… and I wasn’t even training a young horse. Seems I have been doing allot of Facebookin’, Web radio interviews, sponsor/exhibitor pitching and planning every little piece of minutia required for the Challenge.

Of course it is another midnight and I’m up again for the next few hours. Seems like a routine since I came up with this crazy idea. It’s a routine I hope ends soon.  What  a beautiful vision 7 – 8 straight hours of sleep is. I can only hope and pray.

Would I do this again? You betcha!  Do I have any regrets? Well some. Hardest has been the slow adoption by the marketing partners. Living in the digital, entrepreneurial Northwest you come to expect that a good idea get’s embraced and acted on before the rocket takes off. Having worked in marketing communications for 30 years, for all kinds of BIG and small companies, you’d think I’d know how conservative folks can be. I don’t fault managers for being cautious, that’s their job. But I surely respect and want to honor those companies like Tarter Farm & Ranch, Spalding Labs and Parelli Natural Horsemanship that saw the vision and came on early. Cowboy Dressage and Craig Cameron Horsemanship saw it too. The typical, traditional equestrian event fare is easy to embrace, but what’s this thing, just for women, that’s never been done before?

I know others will “get vision” when they see what we all accomplish the first weekend of October in this Year of the Horse Woman.

I also have to thank those who have encouraged me, supported me, put up with me and comforted me for the last year and a half. My life partners Karen and Kira. My chief sounding board and business crutch, Dorothy, without whom I could not have taken this bold, new business adventure. My sons Patrick and Brendan. The dedicated interns who slaved away to get get “real experience.” And the boarders and students of the Northwest Natural Horsemanship Center who have helped “keep things going” while I was sometimes a bit distant. Thank you all.

I know that the great financial and emotional burden that the American Horsewoman’s Challenge has brought to bear WILL be rewarded. Not because everyone keeps telling me so, but because I know it is the right time, the right place and the right thing to do.

I do not talk much about my belief systems and religion, but I do tell those who are interested that I believe that the afterlife is the present life you live while you are here.  What I do now and how I influence, educate and inspire others is my afterlife that is carried forward and lives on  in the ones I touched and the ones they will touch, having been influenced my me.   So, if I die of exhaustion, somebody carry on…please :)

I want to wish all the competitors and their equine partners a safe journey this coming week and thank you all for trusting and encouraging all of us here at NWNHC. We will continue to do our best to honor your commitment and earn your respect so you can pass along these lessons to those humans and horses you touch in your lifetime.

Good night. God speed.

Hutch

 

 

 

Leo update!

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This little horse is teaching me so much! One day a perfect partner, the next a bracey, resistant punk! At least that’s what he says about me…. We shall see which horse shows up when we get to Oklahoma!

A little more time for trail obstacles

Had a great time as one of the clinicians in our trail obstacle clinic. Buddy did great on all the obstacles as usual. This course was a lot of fun because we had no idea what obstacles we were going to be encountering until we arrived at the arena.  As usual I couldn’t be prouder of Buddy! Can’t wait for Oklahoma!

I also wanted to thank my sponsor Vickie and Doug Coulter of Cripple C Baby Ranch!

Buddy and the plankThe jump Buddy and the big bridge

Inspirational Quote

I know we are getting to the end of this challenge so I wanted to share this inspirational quote to my fellow competitors and all the followers of this challenge.

 

Amanda Stygar

 

I also wanted to thank all my supporters, including my sponsors:

Team Equine Saddle Pads

Equis Feeds

Elma Farm and Feed

RES Sport Boots

~Amanda Stygar