For those of us who have ridden out of the arena in Fort Worth, TX, with a hard-earned belt buckle or trophy in hand, we’ve always known that the Will Rogers Memorial Complex was a special place. Now, it’s been designated on the National Register of Historic Places!

It brought the audience to its feet. With stomping boots, clapping hands, whistles, cheers, whoops and hollers, the crowd at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center cheered the 2016 National Reining Breeders Classic Open Champion into the history books.

Approved horsemen and women will be expected to halter train each horse or burro, while teaching trailer loading and unloading, and preparing the animal for future farrier work. After the training requirements are met, the participant is responsible for finding an adopter for the gentled animal, which is available to the public for $125.

“I think one of the major roadblocks for me was gender. I had more than one male farrier refuse to have me ride with them purely because I was a woman.” She went on to explain that she was often the focal point of the farrier visit when horse owners and stable managers would exclaim, “Oh! A female farrier. I haven’t seen one of those.”

The Ride-In is important because it puts a face on the $102 billion horse industry and the millions of Americans who are part of it. Congress deals with various issues that impact the horse industry, including taxes, gaming, immigration, welfare issues, access to trails and public lands, diseases, and interstate and international movement of horses.

This package is designed to avoid the bills from pilling up with no answers. The resources available to the attending veterinarian include: lameness evaluation, X-rays, ultrasound, nerve and joint blocks and the Hallmarq Standing Equine MRI.