Stacy Westfall First Woman Competitor at Road to the Horse

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., Nov. 14, 2005 -- After six months of secrecy, event producer Tootie Bland announces reining champion Stacy Westfall as the fourth clinician and the first woman to compete at the 2006 Road to the Horse Colt Starting Challenge. Westfall will make history as she meets well-known cowboys Craig Cameron, Van Hargis, and Martin Black to start, ride, and compete on previously untouched horses in Murfreesboro, Tenn., February 25-26, 2006.

Westfall, from Mt. Gilead, Ohio, is no stranger to the competition arena - or to being the mysterious challenger. She's known for her "mystery-rider" routine at horse shows across the U.S. Dressed in a dark trenchcoat, hat and bandana to cover her face, Westfall has asked her horse to perform sliding stops and fast spins without reins and with musical accompaniment. Westfall is excited to be the mystery contestant, the first woman in the event, and the youngest trainer in the ring at this year's Road to the Horse.

"I was so excited when I was selected, but I wasn't allowed to tell anyone!" Westfall says. "I have won at big events, but I consider the chance to compete at Road to the Horse to be an even bigger opportunity."

Each year, Road to the Horse fans pack into the Tennessee Miller Coliseum to watch and learn horse training secrets from top pros. The event sells out annually and has been featured on RFD-TV and in magazines such as Horse & Rider, Trail Rider, Horsetrader and many more. Bland says she chose Westfall from a pool of more than 15 clinicians. Stellar horsemanship and a drive to teach and entertain made her the perfect fourth contestant.

"Road to the Horse brings together the 'creme de la creme'of clinicians the horse industry has to offer," Bland says. "And this year it just so happened that one of those clinicians was a woman. Making history and being the first woman invited to Road to the Horse may carry some challenges that the gentleman will not encounter. Our hats are off to Stacy for embracing this opportunity and meeting the challenge. In turn, she will single-handily represent women all over the world in her first challenge."

Westfall says she's excited and honored to be in ranks with Cameron, Hargis and Black. "I'm curious to see how I'm received," she says. "There's the surprise that the fourth person is a woman and a newcomer to the clinic scene."

Westfall relies on natural training methods to start her young horses. Her video and accompanying booklet, "How Does She Do That? Bridleless with Stacy Westfall and Can Can Lena" is available at http://www.westfallhorsemanship.com.

For more press releases, photos, tickets and other information about Road to the Horse, visit http://www.roadtothehorse.com, or call 325-736-5000. Tickets are buy-one-get-one-free through December 1, 2005. Sponsored by Horse & Rider, HiQual, Purina Mills, LLC, John Deere, Horsetrader and Samson.