A tough week comes to an end

A super hectic week came to a great end yesterday. Starting last Sunday with the $500.000 Elitlopp, 30.000 people in the stands and all that comes with covering one of the trotting industrys premier races.

Commander Crowe winner of the 2012 Elitlopp

After that a 2-day clinic with Idaho cowboy and cowhorse trainer Todd Fitch, more or less the first trip anywhere for my 3yo filly Kick The Cat. The mare was excellent and showed some real talent and expression on a cow. Todd and his wife Julie are super nice people, really humble and we got some good things done.

Kick The Cat at the Todd Fitch clinic

 Thursday & Friday saw me at the office trying to get all the pics from the Elitlopp sorted through. Friday I got a call from friend Styrbjörn who had to cancel his spot at another clinic due to illness. A chance to train for cutting horse trainer Josh King and his wife Amy Saturday and Sunday had us packing up and heading out on the road again.

Josh & Amy King clinic participants

 Once again super nice people the Kings, down to earth & very humble. Saturday started off great working out of the herd. A first for Kick The Cat who basically has seen a total of three cows in a bunch before. She did really good and I tried really hard not to get her in a bind. She worked really good and showed some neat stuff both during the morning and afternoon session.

Sunday morning she was a little tired and I didn't think I had much horse left. Again working out of the herd, but this time she got alittle intimidated by the cows and started worrying about entering.  Josh helped me free her up some and she finished on a good note.

 Afternoon session had most participants working in a show situation. 2.5 minutes and Josh going over the run and giving out pointers and things to work on. Me and Cat got to work too but not within that format. She was even more worried about the herd this time around, being 20 or so head in there.
Josh helped us through it though and she relaxed some and we got her going. Josh had her finish the clinic working with the cows in the middle and she got over most of her herd anxiety and finished really strong. She is extremely cowy and sure athletic enough to have a future in the cutting pen.

I'm very proud of my mare and would like to give a BIG thank you to Todd and Julie as well as Josh and Amy for all your advice and help!! Thank You!

Josh coaching me up