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 three months (starting in early July 2010) and will show off at the Challenge at the 2009 Bluebonnet Horse Expo on October 16, 2010.

The Challenge is open to any BEHS member who applies to foster and is approved, as well as professional trainers whose property is inspected and approved. If you are not currently an approved foster home or BEHS member, you can join the rescue at http://www.bluebonnetequine.org/help/joinbehs.htm and download a fostering application at http://www.bluebonnetequine.org/help/foster.htm and we’ll get you set up to go.

The Bluebonnet Fostering Coordinator and the Challenge organizers will select a pool of eligible horses. Participants will apply to compete in the Challenge by June 15, 2010 and will be able to list their top three choices of a horse to work with. BEHS foster homes may compete with a foster already in their possession as long as no professional trainers have handled the horse in the six months preceding the Challenge Competition (held on October 16 at the Bluebonnet Horse Expo in Austin, Texas). If you wish to compete with a foster horse already in your possession, note that on your application.

The Challenge will include the following divisions:
• Professional trainer - anyone who is paid for their training services
• Experienced foster home – someone who has been a foster home for at least two years
• Novice foster home – someone who has fostered less than two years
• Youth – participants 17 and under as of January 1, 2009.

If a foster home chooses, he/she may pay training fees to a professional trainer for a Challenge-eligible horse. That horse and trainer will then compete in the professional trainer category.

The horses who participate in the Challenge will not be available for adoption until the end of the Challenge. All horses will go up for Adoption the day of the contest. Horses who are not broke to ride will be offered for adoption for $300. Horses who are broke to ride will be offered for adoption for $750. Pre-approved adopters may adopt and take home the horse after the Challenge. If more than one pre-approved adopter wishes to adopt the same horse, they may bid up the adoption fee and the highest bidder will adopt the horse. Adoption applications will also be accepted the day of the Challenge but those adopters will not be allowed to adopt until their property is inspected and approved.

If you are interested in participating in the Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge, please email Jennifer at jenn@bluebonnetequine.org for an application.

PS. Only sound and healthy horses will be used in the Challenge. Additionally all participants must be approved as foster homes for BEHS and follow-up visits will be conducted to make sure the horses are doing well in their foster homes and with their training.

Please visit their website at www.bluebonnetequine.org.