On March 27, the winds howled, dropping the temperature into the 20’s as ManeGait ventured southwest to Rob and Holly Farrell’s 4F Ranch & Arena on the Brazos River in Palo Pinto County. It was a cold, windy weekend on the range, but hearts were warmed as soon as ManeGait riders Grant Ballard and Briana Nelson joined in the roundup.

They mounted up and rode tall in a therapeutic riding demonstration that inspired the audience as you can see in the photos below.

According to Karla Ballard, Grant’s mom, the blustery weather was all part of the flavor of the day. The worst part of the day was when Grant had to dismount…he wanted to keep riding, all the way back to ManeGait. Both Grant and Briana talked about the cowboys for days!

Thanks to Grant, Briana, Hazy and Dundee, more than $10,000 was raised to sponsor 3 of ManeGait’s horses for the year. The Champions for Horses sponsorship program covers the horses’ expenses for the year. Each sponsorship is $3,500.
Our latest Champions for Horses sponsors include:

• Ward Greenwood of Greenwood/Gilpin in Austin who are sponsoring Spud
  
• Todd Overstreet and his son, Gray, of Houston who are sponsoring Freckles
  
• Ron Hall, author of Same Kind of Different as Me,who will come to ManeGait soon to select his horse for sponsorship.
  

Each champion will have their name on a plaque attached to the horse’s stall door and will receive photos regularly of the horses and riders.

9 other ManeGait horses are awaiting their champions. If you are interested in being a champion, please contact Shelby Thompson at (469) 742-9611 or sthompson@manegait.org.

Thanks to ManeGait Board of Directors members Bill Benton and Bill Heard who made it possible for ManeGait to participate in the round up. Pictured are Bill Benton, Bill Heard, Bill Darling, Co-Founder and Tom Reidy, Board Member.

Be sure to check out the picture of our board member Bill Heard doing a little calf roping with Red Steagall, Official Cowboy Poet of Texas. Also attending were Pris Darling, Co-Founder, Lili Kellogg, ManeGait Director, Shelby Thompson, Lead Riding Instructor/Equine Manager, Elaine Wintory, ManeGait Registrar, Kathi Page, Roxana Larance, Randy Hurt and Arturo Rodriguez, ManeGait Volunteers. As you will see from all the pictures of the Spring Cowboy Roundup, a great time was had by all.