Local equestrian to compete in reality TV show
DeHass said her interest was piqued when a friend emailed her about the show, which is sponsored by the American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA). The competition sounded like a perfect fit for the lifelong equestrian and co-owner of Windy Hill Farm near Millersburg.
“We raise horses and train them to do arena work,” said DeHass. “Most of our customers want to do trail rides, so we train specifically for that. Horses spook at unusual things. That’s why we desensitize them by riding under tarps, over teeter-totters, under bridges, through tractor tires, etc.” Most horses take at least six months to train.
When her husband agreed to accompany her to Texas if she made the finals, it sealed the deal. DeHass qualified for the show after competing at a tryout in Oxford, N.C., April 23. She auditioned on two different horses, and on April 25, was invited to the finals along with Blue, a 5-year-old grade blue roan mare that Windy Hill Farm has owned for about two years. Blue’s lineage was a selling point, as the judges mentioned that they didn’t want the finals to be dominated by Quarter Horses.
More than a thousand people nationwide auditioned for the show, but only a hundred were chosen to participate in the finals, which will be held at the Franklin Family Ranch in Blanco, Texas. The six-mile course will feature obstacles and challenges such as creeks, jumps, noise control, fake snakes, etc. Each horse and rider will be judged as a team on their communication, disposition and skills.
Part of the show’s goal is to raise awareness of the sport, and the level of skill involved. “We’re trying to teach people that it’s more than just getting on a horse and riding as a passenger - it’s like going from a typewriter to a computer,” DeHass said. “There’s so much more you can do with it.”
The show will be filmed May 8-12, as the teams travel the six-mile trail course. The 13 one-hour episodes will air in September on HRTV, and Rick Lamb plans to feature several of the episodes on RFD-TV as well.
Viewers will be invited to call in and vote for their favorite horse/rider pair at the end of each episode. The show’s first place winner will receive $25,000, second place $15,000 and third-place $10,000, with a bonus of $5,000 given to each episode’s favorite.
Despite the stakes, DeHass is looking forward to the competition. “I’m not nervous anymore,” she said. “I was a little more nervous before the tryouts because you put all that time into preparing for it. Now I’m just going to enjoy it and have fun. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot while I’m down there.”
America’s Favorite Trail Horse is sponsored by ACTHA. The organization promotes trail horse riding and competitions across the United States and this year is raising money for the Mustang Heritage Foundation. Up to 50 percent of the group’s proceeds are donated directly to horse rescues and charities.
DeHass will be posting updates on Windy Hill Farm’s Facebook page. For more information, see http://windyhillfarm.net.