Springfield, IL – New at the 2011 Illinois Horse Fair March 4-6 at the State Fairgrounds will be the challenging excitement of Craig Cameron’s “Extreme Cowboy Race” Friday and Saturday nights in the Coliseum. The race is a multifaceted equestrian sport that requires contestants and their horses to demonstrate both speed and horsemanship.

As seen on RFD-TV, contestants run a course of 13 obstacles (such as pistol/rifle shooting, jumping, double bareback, deadfall, water carry, flames and smoke, log pull, roping, teeter-totter bridge, etc.) and are judged on their approach to, negotiation of and departure from obstacles, being scored separately on time and horsemanship. 

In addition to being the lead clinician at the 22nd Annual Illinois Horse Fair, Craig Cameron, 2010 Road to the Horse Colt-Starting World Champion, will host and emcee the Extreme Cowboy Race. The race is sanctioned by the Extreme Cowboy Association, and members points will be awarded, although membership is not required to compete.

Race participants will compete for $2,000 in cash. Open to riders age 18 and over (male or female), the entry fee is $150, which includes one horse stall with first bedding and two weekend passes to Horse Fair. Entrants must submit an entry form and a five-minute performance DVD or video for Cameron’s evaluation. Up to 25 of his selected entrants will compete in Friday’s preliminary round with the 10 top riders advancing to Saturday’s finals. Entry forms and more information are available at www.HorsemensCouncil.org/HorseFair or by calling Horsemen’s Council of Illinois at (217) 529-6503 for an application.

Cameron of Bluff Dale, TX was crowned the 2010 World Champion of Colt-Starting last March in Murfreesboro, TN. Known as the original cowboy clinician, he competed for the coveted title in a display of supreme horsemanship, which gives three top clinicians little more than three hours over two days to gentle three unbroken colts using their own styles of natural horsemanship.

At Illinois Horse Fair, Cameron and other top national clinicians and equine educators will join 140 vendors offering all things for the equestrian – from recreational horsemen to professionals.
  
Produced by Horsemen’s Council of Illinois (HCI) and sponsored by Purina Mills, Midway Trailer Sales and Illinois Farm Bureau, the all-breed expo annually attracts more than 10,000 horse owners.

In addition to learning training techniques from experts, Horse Fair gives attendees access to unique HorsesForSale aisles, breed and sport demonstrations, Stallion Row and Parade and the All-Youth Horse Judging Trials.

Horse Fair opens on Friday with a reduced $5 admission charge. Saturday or Sunday Horse Fair tickets are $12 adult and $6 child/senior; weekend passes are $20 adult and $10 child/senior. General admission tickets for the Extreme Cowboy Race Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. require a separate ticket: $9 adult, $6 child/senior. Advance tickets may be purchased online with a credit card at www.HorsemensCouncil.org or by calling the Council office at (217) 529-6503.

Horse Fair hours are 1 – 7 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Volunteers are needed for a variety of responsibilities, ranging from manning information booths to hospitality. You can volunteer for a few hours a day or for a whole weekend. To volunteer, contact Cheryl DeMent by email at paintfilly71@yahoo.com.

For information on exhibiting contact Joy Meierhans, Horse Fair Manager, (630) 557-2575 or JM@TheMeierhans.com.

Illinois Horse Fair is produced by Horsemen’s Council of Illinois, voice of the horse industry in Illinois. It is affiliated with the American Horse Council and is the statewide association of equine organizations and individuals working to provide central leadership and advocacy for Illinois’ horses and horse owners, and its multi-billion-dollar industry.

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