Carol Rose Quarter Horses are now an Official Sponsor of the National Reined Cow Horse Association/National High School Rodeo Association Alliance
She has achieved nearly every major accolade in the Western performance horse industry, and now, legendary horsewoman and National Reined Cow Horse Association Hall of Fame member Carol Rose has become the official sponsor of the NRCHA’s alliance with the National High School Rodeo Association.
Rose, whose Gainesville, Texas, breeding operation is the home of champion Quarter Horses including NRCHA $3.7 Million Sire Shining Spark (Genuine Doc x Diamonds Sparkle x Mr Diamond Dude), has announced a five-year commitment to fund the implementation of NHSRA Cow Horse, newly added to the High School Rodeo event lineup in 2014. The first NHSRA Cow Horse Champion will be crowned at the upcoming 2015 National High School Rodeo Finals, July 13-19, in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
Rose’s late mother, Elizabeth McCabe, was deeply committed to youth horsemanship, and co-founded the 4-H horse program in the early 1950s. Rose shares her mother’s passion, and the NRCHA Youth program has been a priority throughout her long history with the association.
“When I was on the NRCHA Board of Directors, I wanted to do everything we could to make the Youth bigger and better. I thought about it non-stop. When I found out about the new program between the NRCHA and the High School Rodeo Association, I got very excited about it. I knew right away that I wanted to be involved,” she said.
The desire to unite rodeo and reined cow horse is natural for Rose, who appreciates the rough-and-ready qualities of both disciplines.
“Our reined cow horse event fits with rodeo. This event is for serious cowboys. You’ve got to be able to ride. it’s exciting to do and exciting to watch. I have seen those high school rodeo contestants make some fabulous runs down the fence. They don’t have any fear!” she said.
Rose also regards the NRCHA/NHSRA partnership as an opportunity to rejuvenate the versatility of the American Quarter Horse and encourage growth in the NRCHA.
“These sports are so family-friendly and accessible. All you need are a saddle and bridle, a pair of chaps and a hat, and a horse. This program gives us an opportunity to bring back the versatility of the Quarter Horse, and encourage the whole family to get involved by doing multiple events like barrel racing, roping, and cow horse on the same horse. It’s not impossible. it takes a good minded horse, to do it, but that’s what we raise – good minded horses,” she said. ”
I feel that, by adding the reined cow horse event to High School Rodeo, that we have created the largest opportunity in a long time for the entire cow horse industry to grow.”
The National High School Rodeo Association has more than 10,500 members from 41 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia. For more information about the NHSRA, visit their web site at
www.NHSRA.com.
To learn more about the National Reined Cow Horse Association and find High School Rodeo Cow Horse event resources, go to www.NRCHA.com.
