Thank you to our 2020 Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge Coordinator, the volunteer crew, competitors, sponsors, and the judges!
About the Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge
Spring 2022 Challenge:
The past eighteen months have been tough for many people. The pandemic made volunteering difficult, we scrambled at Bluebonnet to make sure we could care for the horses we had, to help people keep their horses (through the Horse Owner’s Assistance Program), and to be there for the horses who still needed to come to us. Several Bluebonnet folks also suffered personal losses, hardships, and crises. Throughout it all, the amazing volunteer team at Bluebonnet really pulled together, worked harder than ever before, and kept us going and helping horses. You all are heroes for the horses and those who love them.
But even heroes can get overwhelmed at times. Because of this and after an enormous amount of discussion, the Board of Directors of Bluebonnet, the Adoption Team, and the Training Challenge organizers have decided to NOT hold a Spring 2022 Training Challenge. This will give everyone a chance to regroup and refocus, to have the space and time to improve the Challenge, and to make future Challenges even better. We WILL still hold a Fall 2022 Training Challenge and hope to see more entries than ever before in that event.
We appreciate everyone’s patience as we regroup, reenergize, and recommit to helping more horses than ever before. We are constantly striving to make Bluebonnet better, and I appreciate all of you who join me in that quest.
Fall 2021
We will begin accepting applications after the first of the new year (2022).
The Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge is a competition in which volunteer foster homes and professional trainers work with a Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society foster horse for four months and compete in the Challenge in the Spring or Fall Challenge.
The goals of the Challenge are to:
- Introduce the public to talented rescue horses
- Showcase the training abilities of Bluebonnet foster homes
- Produce horses who are ready to go to work for their adopters
The competition is open to any BEHS member who applies and is approved, as well as professional trainers. If you are not currently a BEHS member, join the rescue to begin the process. Those competing in the professional category do not have to join the rescue. All competitors will need to fill out a Training Challenge application here.
The contest will be judged by a panel of three equine professionals. Each horse and trainer or foster home combination’s total score will be based on:
- Difficulty level of horse
- Condition of horse
- Freestyle Class
- Trail Class
Please email us with any questions.
Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society is looking forward to seeing you at the 2021 Bluebonnet Expo & Training Challenge. We would like to remind everyone that attendance in person is voluntary and the decision of whether or not to attend is yours. Depending on what the COVID guidelines are closer to the time of the event, we might be re-evaluating restrictions. Please check back closer to the event for any updates.
If you are positive for COVID-19, please do not attend the Expo. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, dry cough, fatigue, sore throat, body aches, headaches, nasal congestion, etc., please do not attend the Expo unless you have taken a COVID-19 antigen or PCR test within 48 hours of the start of the Expo and received a negative result. Instant self-administered antigen tests, such as the BinaxNow, Ellume, and others are available at retail pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS. PCR tests are available at medical clinics, laboratories, and pharmacies throughout the U.S.A. Antibody tests should not be done, as they cannot distinguish between past and current infections. If you test positive, you should not attend the Expo and follow CDC guidance, as well as consult with your medical provider.
COVID-19 Protocols at the Expo
· Attendance in person is voluntary and the decision of whether or not to attend is yours.
· Masks and hand sanitizers will be provided at each entrance. Also, hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the venue.
· We strongly encourage attendees to wear masks.
· Modified room set up for vendors to accommodate social distancing.
· Expo attendees are also asked to self-monitor for potential COVID-19 symptoms. If you have a fever or chills, shortness of breath, cough, muscle or body aches, new loss of sense of taste or smell or any other symptoms associated with COVID-19 please do not attend the Expo and follow CDC guidance, as well as consult with your medical provider.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out
We look forward to seeing you soon!
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Feel free to join our public Facebook group here.