NWSS Freestyle Reining Pays Tribute

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#photography, 2023, colorado, competition, country, cowboy, cowboys, equestrian, freestyle reining, guy vernon, horse, horseback, horses, lincoln rogers, memory, National Western Stock Show, NWSS, reining, rider, riding, rural, skill, sport, the fence post, tribute, west, western

My new article with photos is now published online by The Fence Post magazine and will be in their upcoming print edition (January 23, 2023). It is about the high-profile freestyle reining competition at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, CO. This year’s competition displayed great riding and creativity, but it also paid tribute to one of the event’s founders (Guy Vernon) who unexpectedly passed away in 2022. You can find the article online – https://www.thefencepost.com/news/not-just-another-guy/

Always looking to entertain the crowd and get them involved, Guy Vernon acknowledged their roaring applause with his trademark “raise the roof” gesture after completing a first place routine in 2013’s NWSS RAM Invitational Freestyle Reining competition. Image by Lincoln Rogers, 2013 – All rights reserved.

If you are in the Colorado area in January during the timeframe of the National Western Stock Show, the freestyle reining competition is one of the hottest and best tickets of the entire 16-day stock show. It sells out in advance each year, so get those tickets early. You won’t regret it.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

“Best Freestyle in the world” at NWSS

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colorado, compete, competition, contest, country, denver, dramatic, equestrian, equine, freestyle reining, game day surprise, horse, horses, lincoln rogers, national western, National Western Stock Show, NWSS, ram invitation freestyle reining, reining, riding, sharee schwartzenberger, stock show, west, western

I love covering the RAM Invitational Freestyle Reining competition that takes place at Denver’s National Western Stock Show. Freestyle reining allows the contestants to choose their outfits/costumes, their music and their routines in the arena. Tons of creativity and oftentimes great lighting for dramatic photographs. The contestants consistently call this freestyle competition the best in the country, with a number of them over the years calling it the best in the world.

This routine by Sharee Schwartzenberger aboard her horse “Game Day Surprise” was one of my favorites this year. Very nice. There will be an upcoming story with photos published soon.

In a beautiful display of costume and horseback choreography set to stirring music, back-to-back NWSS freestyle reining winner and defending champion Sharee Schwartzenberger used fog, spotlights, and the audience members’ camera phones to create an atmosphere of clouds and stars as she paid tribute to the important people in our lives, those “stars” that surround us and that we should never take for granted. Schwartzenberger’s bridleless routine on “Game Day Surprise” scored 222 points, which was good enough for 3rd place in the prestigious event. Image by Lincoln Rogers – all rights reserved.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

Devin Warren Wins NWSS Freestyle Reining

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#photography, colorado, country, cowboy, cowboys, denver, devin warren, equestrian, equine, freestyle reining, guy vernon, horse, horseback, horses, invitational freestyle reining, lincoln rogers, national western, National Western Stock Show, NWSS, reining, riding, rural, west, western

Congratulations to Franktown, CO horse trainer Devin Warren on winning the prestigious $25,000 RAM Invitational Freestyle Reining competition at the historic national Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. Warren’s 226.5-point score riding Lil Joes Cash N Gold put him atop the field for the sold-out competition held inside the National Western Events Center’s Cinch Arena. It was a great competition. I will be putting together a story and more photos in the near future.

www.lincolnrogers.com

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ John 8:32

A Conversation with Australian Horseman, Dan James

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australia, australian, cowboy, dan james, double dan horsemanship, freestyle reining, horse, horse training, horsemanship, horses, lincoln rogers, National Western Stock Show, reining, riding

Renowned Aussie horse trainer, Dan James, added some showmanship to the last slide aboard Don Magnum in the 2019 $20,000 RAM Invitational Freestyle Reining competition at the National Western Stock Show. If you will notice, James has no bit or bridle on Don Magnum for this slide, having removed them in the middle of the performance.

I was blessed to be able to sit down and have a long conversation with world famous Australian horseman Dan James, while he was at the 2019 National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO (January 2019). The Fence Post magazine published the Q&A back at the end of January. Dan James is not only an amazing horseman, he is also a great person.

I hope you enjoy reading some of the conversation as much as I enjoyed having it with Dan James.

God bless,

Lincoln