Cowboy Dressage events in the USA

"A Gathering isn't just about riding horses, it's also about sharing the Lifestyle."

Building the Brand

The USA is the cradle of Cowboy Dressage®. It has a thriving Cowboy Dressage® community. The CDW and CDWPA have their firm foundations over there, from which they slowly but surely spread the message of Soft Feel across the world. By keeping close tabs on the Cowboy Dressage® (teaching) professionals, they ensure that participants in Cowboy Dressage® events get the right information, so they too stay pure and true to the mission and vision of Soft Feel.
 
Besides the regular Cowboy Dressage® clinics, play days, shows and gatherings, it is in the USA that you will also find some additional events for the those interested in furthering their Cowboy Dressage® experience.
 
For those interested in taking part, but not being able to bring their own horse, there is: the gift horse. (see side bar)
 

Cowboy Dressage® World Gathering

The Cowboy Dressage® World Shows  and Gathering are held by the CDW Partners.
Held in the USA, and spanning several days, it is the ultimate celebration of training, riding and living in the Cowboy Dressage® spirit of Soft Feel and Kindness.
All classes, all disciplines, all ages and all styles get to show their progress and achievements.
 
Around March/April it is time for the CDW Spring Show, and then in June there is the CDW Summer Show.

In October it is time for the CDW Fall Gathering & Finals, 'the Big Show'. It is our world championship.
This is the moment the Remuda Year End High Point Awards are awarded, and as of 2019 the Riding for the Brand competition is ridden and as the 'grand finale'. 

2020 Dates:
Spring Show, March 21+22, Murieta Equestrian Center, Rancho Murieta, Ca
Summer Show, June 19-21, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville, Ca
Fall Gathering & Finals, October 6-11, Murieta Equestrian Center, Rancho Murieta, Ca

Riding for the Brand

Riding for the Brand was an unwritten code of the Old West - but understood by everyone who
agreed to live the cowboy life on the open range - that the cowboy should always “ride for the brand.” In the early days of the American West, a brand was a ranch’s trademark. It meant protecting the ranch and its livestock, whatever it took. The brand also represented pride, duty, stewardship, loyalty and dedication.

Cowboy Dressage® reflects those principles of being moral, just, fair and dedicated.

This Trifecta competition is ridden during the Cowboy Dressage® World Gathering in October.
3 tests, including a Freestyle, are ridden as qualification, the top 5 will then ride 2 tests for the Championship.
 

More information is to be found here.
 

School of Horsemanship. (CDSOH)

Specializing in the art and refinement of the Cowboy Dressage® discipline, you will be able to learn from the horseman who started it all. 

In 3 days, with each day 5 hours of education and 1 hour of individual riding, each participant will get to ride and work on their particular goals under Eitan’s personal direction.

Our school is designed for the more experienced or advanced rider and we suggest that beginners get adequate instruction before attending our school. Each rider must have a good seat at all three gaits and must have a basic understanding of the “basic” principles of good horsemanship. A little dressage knowledge is a plus and is always helpful.

Held at Wolf Creek, California.
For more information, click here.
 
2020 Dates:
January 17-19, February 7-9, March 13-15, April 3-5, May 15-17, October 23-25.
 

Eitan's Educate the Educators School. (EEE School)

Educating and Inspiring others is a gift. Eitan Beth-Halachmy has that gift and it is his desire to share his experience and knowledge with other professional horsemanship clinicians, instructors, teachers and educators.

Eitan’s Educators Program is not to necessarily teach you better horsemanship or how to train your horse. His Cowboy Dressage School of Horsemanship (CDSOH) covers that area, in which Eitan excels at as well. This educators school is simply a means to give you better tools and education on how to be a better teacher. You don’t have to be a great rider, this is not about your personal horsemanship, it is about how to share the very best of what you know with others.

Eitan invites you to join him for 2 days focusing on developing a higher level of education for those who wish to teach horsemanship. This is not a “heels down, eyes up” program. This is for those that wish to excel in elevated teaching techniques and be inspiring at the same time.

Held at Wolf Creek, California.
For more information, including costs, and graduates, click here.
2020 Dates:
January 26-27, February 22-23, March 28-29, April 25-26, May 23-24, October 17-18.

Cowboy Dressage World (CDW)

the official website:

 

Year End High Point Award

Testscores ridden by Remuda Members at (regional) Shows or Gatherings may count toward the Year End High Point Award.

More information is to be found here.
 

The Gift Horse

With the growth of Cowboy Dressage® nationally and world wide, we are finding that there are those that wish to show at our Gathering and Finals in October, or other events, but because of distances involved, this is prohibitive for riders on the East Coast, Europe, Canada and Australia.

Therefor we call upon those who have suitable horses, to make them available to those not able to bring their own.
We hope this will help you all, as a welcoming community that love to show Cowboy Dressage®.

Please contact the event organizers about the possibility of a Gift Horse.
All details and expenses are to be worked out between owners and riders.

A special 'thank you!' to all who share and help create joy and opportunity for others.

Cowboy Dressage World is not liable or responsible for any default in agreements, financial transactions, injuries etc.
 

Top Hand

In the tradition of the Cowboy and the ranches of the west there is no higher compliment than being christened the top hand.  All Cowboys worth their salt strive to be worthy of such a title.  It is not a title given lightly nor one that is awarded to a man that hasn’t put in their time.  It is a title of honour and respect.  While the Cowboy needed to be a man of many skills, including some of the dirtier ground crew work, the highest skill of the Cowboy - and the one most respected- was the horseman.  In all the skills the Top Hand had mastered, it was his skill as horseman that most earned him the title.

In Cowboy Dressage® we honour the tradition of the Cowboy and the lifestyle of the West while building partnership and harmony with our horses.  We believe that in order to create the ultimate horse, we have to be the ultimate partner for that horse.  By working to improve communication with the horse through soft feel we aim to create the perfect working partner that is soft and willing and capable and able to take on any job on the ranch or in the arena.

Until 2018 The Top Hand competition was ridden during the Cowboy Dressage® World Gathering in October.
All contestants ride a qualifying test, to be announced on opening of the competition, on their own horse.  The top 5 will progress to the Top Five Competition.
Part one of the Top Five Competition will be ridden on the qualifying horse. All riders are aware that the Top 5 Competitors will be required to switch horses for second ride of Top Five Competition. The switch will be determined by a draw.  
A mystery test will then be ridden twice: Once on the competitor’s qualifying horse and then once on the draw/switch horse.  A combined score of both tests will determine the winner.

In 2019 The Top Hand was replaced by Riding for the Brand