This is definitely a glass-half-full sort of issue!

In the August issue of America’s Horse magazine, mounted shooter Denny Chapman remarks that he’s a lucky cowboy. He loves his job as a Wild West entertainer. He has a great hobby competing in the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Assocation. And he got some fantastic publicity as a contestant on The History Channel’s “Top Shot” reality show.

Unfortunately, he was eliminated from the competition on Sunday’s night episode, after making it through eight of the 10 weeks. But never fear; he’s also a glass-half-full sort of cowboy. On Denny’s Facebook page, he wrote: “Just a note to thank everyone for their support during my participation in ‘Top Shot!’ I have been a mounted shooter for more than a decade, and I am very grateful for the sport that plays such an important role in my life. It helped me get on the show, and I hope the publicity I gained will help the sport grow even further. Thanks again for all the encouragement!”

Even though his time on the show is over, you’ll still enjoy reading about his behind-the-scenes experiences. And the August America’s Horse also gets more in-depth with another mounted shooter: AQHA Professional Horsewoman Stacy Westfall, who is a phenom in the reining pen but is now broadening her horizons to take in mounted shooting.

It’s fun for her and good training for her horses. And it’s great timing for us, because AQHA and the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association are now finalizing the details on an agreement that will let competitors earn AQHA points at select CMSA competitions. In the second of a three-part series, Stacy takes us through some frequently asked questions and describes how she began getting herself comfortable with guns.

It’s very gratifying to let horse experts like Stacy speak to our readers – after all, all of us want to get better with our horses. But it’s also really nice to introduce regular horse people – horse lovers just like you who have interesting stories to tell. In the August issue, our “Horse People” section features three generations of team penners in Mississippi. There’s the grandmother, who introduced the sport to her family, a mom and a daughter who’s a recent college graduate and says “it just runs in the genes in our family.”

And are you “just” a trail rider? No way! America’s Horse *loves* recreational riding, and so does our final featured horse person. In fact, she’s responsible for managing the trails in the southern United States and Puerto Rico for the USDA Forest Service. We’ll also tell you about AQHA’s program – Stewardship for Trails, Education & Partnerships – that promotes trail conservation and awards grants to deserving organizations.

 What? That’s not enough for you?

Heck, why should it be? After all, versatility’s the name of the game for our great horse — as well as for our diversified bunch of members! Here’s more you’ll find in the pages of the August America’s Horse:

• Get a sneak peek at the America’s Horse in Art show and sale that opens August 14 at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum.
• Learn why dressage can help strengthen your American Quarter Horse — and make him better at any discipline – with Part 6 of our year-long series.
• Supporters of the American Quarter Horse Foundation went back to our breed’s roots with a trail ride on a New Mexico ranch.  
• And meet a key player at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games: chef d’equipe Jeff Petska (and find out what, exactly, is a “chef d’equipe,” anyway!)

Don’t miss all of the fun, educational and heart-warming stories in the print version of America’s Horse! It goes to all members of the American Quarter Horse Association, and it’ll also keep you in the loop on Association news. We want you to belong!

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine