NORTHERN LIGHTS VERSATILITY RANCH HORSE ASSOCIATION
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  • Home
    • Membership
    • Sponsors
    • Grant Fund
    • NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS >
      • 2021 NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS
      • 2020 NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS
      • 2019 NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS
      • 2018 NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS
      • 2017 NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS
      • 2015 NLVRHA AWARD WINNERS
      • NVRHA LEGEND AWARDS
  • About
    • What to Expect at Your First Clinic & Schooling Competition
    • How to get started with us....
    • Volunteer
  • EVENTS
    • Clinics
    • Results & Standings
  • Classes
    • Divisions
    • Rules and Scoring
    • Working Ranch Horse
    • Ranch Cutting
    • Ranch Riding
    • Ranch Trail
    • Ranch Conformation
    • Clinicians/Judges >
      • Lavert Avent
      • Jeff Barnes
      • Tom Bjorklund
      • Jennifer Bull
      • Marie Anne Deiss
      • Neal Henning
      • Gena Henson
      • Jay Henson
      • Lita Perrin
      • Janie Huot
      • Mary Leonhart
      • Bonnie Minor
      • Russ Ratkowski
      • Pam Whitfield
      • Dawnn Taylor
  • Contact Us
    • Board of Directors
  • Logowear
What to Expect at Your First Northern Lights Versatility Ranch
Horse Clinic and Schooling Competition


Signing up and planning to attend any new activity for the first   time can seem overwhelming, but here is a helpful way to get your hum, “hoof” in  the door for ranch horse versatility. It is important to know that every rider  and every horse all are at different levels of development and we all have our  strengths - and skills we need to work on. If you jump right in, you’ll fit right in. You will only be “new”once. 

You spend the weekend on your horse in a learning environment.  You participate in an all-day clinic on the first day followed by a low key  schooling competition on the second day. On both days you are coached by  certified clinicians on all skills a horse on a ranch would be expected to
perform.  On day two, you compete  only with horse/rider teams of your level of ability. At the end of the second  day, you receive an itemized score sheet that shows the skills that can use  improvement and you’ll go home with some great ideas on what to work  on.

Unlike a horse show, you participate in all five of the classes: 



 -Ranch Riding (something like “cowboy dressage”)

-Ranch Trail (we post the  pattern on-line)
-Ranch Cutting
-Working Ranch (reining and boxing or reining  and fence work with roping if you opt up to Intermediate of       Advanced Divisions)  
-Form-to-function Conformation class. 


There is a great video  narrated by Jay Henson on www.nvrha.org that shows all of the classes that are included in the two day  event.

When you register, you will receive a letter that tells you what to bring, where to be and when and what you will need: A cowboy hat, boots, collared Western shirt, appetite (we do share some good grub,) and a smile! That’s IT – oh, and your horse; any  breed. If you are the competitive sort and want to test your roping skills, bring that rope!

Many riders look at the variety of skills involved in ranch  versatility and realize there is a lot to learn.  A number of riders come from trail  riding, pleasure classes, barrels, reining, team penning, etc. and are bored  with just one discipline. It is helpful if you can lope in a circle, stop your  horse, side-pass, trot fast and slow, walk and back-up.  Clinicians talk about equipment, conformation, reading a cow, and how to  use the most subtle cues necessary to get your horse to do what you want. 
 
Many first time horses have never seen cattle – let alone cut a  cow out of a herd. Our clinicians will help you develop and fine tune all the skills you need.  You will identify  resources that can help you, and discover a whole new world of fun with your  horse.

Northern Lights Versatility Ranch events are not cutthroat,  although some of us do get competitive at times. You compete mostly with your  own prior score.  There is an  occasional jackpot, your points do accumulate for National and Regional awards  long term and seasonally, but you won’t win money.  You may win a saddle on the National level and the Northern Lights  Champion and Reserve Champion buckles are beautiful, but most people want to  have a good time and improve their horsemanship, and that’s what you can expect  at your first event and throughout the season.

The  men and women in the Northern Lights Versatility Ranch Horse Association invite  you  to  learn, improve, and promote the American Ranch Horse. Make 2013 the year you launch your horsemanship skills!  Attend our combined clinic schooling competitions, meet new friends, and  get expert instruction in a small group setting. All  of your new friends and fellow horse enthusiasts will help you with anything you  ask.

All breeds of horses and all levels of ability are welcome. Your  2014 membership will get you all the current information and right now you can  take advantage of our informal pre-season clinics.

Put the Northern Lights Versatility Ranch Horse schedule in your calendar now and make a plan to join us  this year.


 
 
 
 
 


 Dream.  Dare.  Ride.  Achieve.
NLVRHA does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability for membership or participation. 

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