Craig Cameron wins the 2010 Road to the Horse.

Craig Cameron's student figures out the obstacles all by himself.

“I always say, ‘Ride like a champion.’ Well, today I can finally say it and be it,” said trainer Craig Cameron after he was selected as the winner of the 2010 Road to the Horse Championship of Colt Starting, Sunday, March 7, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

His third time at Road to the Horse was the charm for this Texas cowboy, who selected a scruffy palomino gelding from the Road to the Horse remuda of 10 untouched 3-year-old geldings. The geldings came off the Wood Ranch in Heber Springs, Arkansas.

By Shining King Cody, Craig’s colt is registered with AQHA as WR Shining Alamo. “He’s one I don’t think anyone else would have picked,” Craig told the crowd on Saturday.

A colt who was seemingly friendly, wasn’t so much so and ended up presenting Craig some challenges. But by the end of Saturday’s hour-and-a-half-long training session, Craig had haltered the youngster and taught him to yield his hindquarters.

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On Sunday, Craig laid out a couple of PVC pipes and a blue tarp for the colt, who never flinched and traveled right over the obstacles as Craig had him work the perimeter of the round pen. The crowd was really wowed when Craig left the round pen for a mandatory break, and the colt went back to the obstacles and walked over them of his own accord multiple times.

But the real test – sometimes also called the deal-breaker – was the finale, a full-arena obstacle course that each clinician and their respective colt had 35 minutes to negotiate.

Craig and his shaggy charge, whom he nicknamed “Troubador,” came through the test with flying colors.

Now the colt is going to a new home, as it was announced early in Sunday’s two-hour training session that Donna Standard of Squaw Valley, California, had purchased the horse. Richard Winters and Ken McNabb, the other contestants in the 2010 Road to the Horse each purchased their colts.

WR Shining Alamo, aka Troubador, received the first-ever Traveler Award, which was given by AQHA to the horse who won the 2010 Road to the Horse. For his efforts, Craig toted home a new saddle, trophy belt buckle and a check for $10,000.

–By Becky Newell
Editor in Chief

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• Road to the Horse: Day 1
• Road to the Horse: Day 2
• Road to the Horse
• NRBC 2010 Open
• 2010 Ranch Horse World Ramps Up