May 6-10, 2024
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ATTENTION RIDING INSTRUCTORS: If you have previous experience teaching English and/or Western horseback riding lessons, and would like to improve your skills and become a certified professional, attend and ride or audit the Certified Horsemanship Association Instructors Certification.
DERS Welcomes Master Certifier: Christy Landwehr!
Christy Landwehr has been active in the horse industry for over 40 years, showing and training in many different breeds and disciplines at the local, regional and national levels. She is a Master Level Riding Instructor and Equine Facility Manager through the Certified Horsemanship Association. Christy sits on the American Horse Council Board of Trustees, is the Past President of the American Youth Horse Council and a past board member for the Colorado Horse Council. She also founded, competed on, and coached the University of Colorado at Boulder Intercollegiate Horse Show Association equestrian team.
Christy is an AQHA and APHA Professional Horseman and on the AQHA and APHA Professional Horsemen Councils and the AQHA National Marketing Committee. Christy sits on the Colorado State University Equine Sciences Advisory Council, is the Secretary/ Treasurer of the Colorado Society of Association Executives, and the Treasurer for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. Christy has an undergraduate degree in public relations and speech communication from California State University Fullerton. Her graduate degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
She was the Sponsorship and Youth Programs Manager for the Arabian Horse Association, a trainer for Skill Path Seminars, the Development Director for The Urban Farm that works with at-risk youth in Denver and the Marketing Director and then CEO of the Certified Horsemanship Association. Currently, she is the Senior Director of Corporate Relations for the National Reining Horse Association. Christy does strategic planning, facilitation and mediation through her company CJL Training for organizations and is a Real Colors Personality Trainer. Christy has spoken at numerous equine events, and breed and discipline conventions throughout her career. She lives on a ranch in Aurora, Colorado with her husband, two sons, horses, chickens, cats, a dog and a rabbit.
DERS Welcomes Bob Byrns!
Bob Byrns is the Retired Manager/Advisor for Parsons Mounted Cavalry (PMC) 2004-2020. PMC is a Ceremonial Horse Unit of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. Upon his retirement in 2020, the Cavalry had 140 cadets, 72 horses and mules, a 1902 horse-drawn field gun, and a mule-drawn escort wagon. PMC’s horses have been barefoot for the last 9 years and make over 35 public appearances each year. The horses are trained and ridden
using natural horsemanship.
Mr. Byrns is a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Clinician in Western, English, and Jumping equitation. He is a 1974 graduate of Texas A&M with 20 years of service as a Texas public-school educator. Bob is also a PATH instructor for Courtney Cares/ROCK therapeutic and veterans riding programs at TAMU.
Bob is a certified Internal Coach for Texas A&M University. He works with employees to strengthen their transition, personal development and management skills and abilities.
Prior to his employment at A&M, Bob was the owner/operator at Saddle Up, Saddle Shop in Tomball, Tx. for 11 years. He has formal training in English saddlery from Malan Goddard, London, England, and numerous western and military saddlers.
The CHA Process – and Tuition $995
*Includes participation in the 5-day clinic, including horses and tack. Breakfast, lunch and snacks daily, as well as all required CHA books. You will be required to bring your own SEI/ATSM certified horseback riding helmet and appropriate footwear.
The process involves evaluation by two CHA Certified Clinicians in a 5 day event held at our approved facility. We host these clinics once a year in the spring.
CHA certification involve teaching at least four lessons, a riding evaluation, a written test and participation in workshops on risk management, teaching techniques, professionalism and herd management. Certification is awarded at the end of the clinic and the level of certification attained (if any) is the sole discretion of the CHA Clinicians. Certification is valid for 3 years from the certification date; the instructor must maintain annual individual membership. Instructors may re-certify at the end of the 3-year certification period by providing documentation of at least 25 hours of continuing education and work within the industry. The only way to raise the level of certification is to attend another one.
Participants must be able to mount, dismount and ride at the walk, trot and canter/lope on the correct lead, with good form and control in a group, in the arena and in the open. Instructor candidates must be able to ride above the level that they will be certified to teach (for exceptional circumstances, see Special Considerations under “Instructor Competency Guidelines” in the CHA Clinic Instructor’s Manual).
ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR: English and/or Western, qualified to assist in a lesson or trail ride, under the supervision of a certified instructor.
LEVEL 1 INSTRUCTOR: qualified to provide foundational instruction to beginners, with a strong emphasis on safety and group control; candidates must demonstrate ability in ground handling, mounting, correct position and control at walk-trot.
LEVEL 2 INSTRUCTOR: English and/or Western, qualified to improve all aspects of the first level, and progressing through canter/lope, including diagonals, balance of horse and rider, pre-jumping exercises, western patterns, trail riding, etc.
LEVEL 3 INSTRUCTOR: English and/or Western, qualified to coach students in improving form, style and understanding of the natural aids, including basic jumping, turn backs to the rail, transitions, school figures and leads with a greater emphasis on horsemanship theory and horse care.
LEVEL 4 INSTRUCTOR: English and/or Western, qualified to improve the performance of advanced riders and their horses, including jumping courses, dressage movements, reining, and other performance events, advanced horse management and horsemanship theory.
MASTER INSTRUCTOR: Qualified to teach both English and Western through Level 4; professional and highly experienced in a variety of teaching and management situations.
Tuition $995 *Includes participation in the 5-day clinic, including horses and tack. Breakfast, lunch and snacks daily, as well as all required CHA books. You will be required to bring your own SEI/ATSM certified horseback riding helmet and appropriate footwear.
Register Online Here
Three levels of auditing are also available:
1) Full Session Auditing $425
Auditing is closed Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning. This package includes: CHA Membership, Books (Composite Manual, Instructor Manual, CHA Standards), lunch and snacks, seating, CHA auditor certificate.
2) Single Day Auditing / Early Registration $100/day
Includes: lunch and snacks, seating. Books may be purchased separately and in advance.
Space is extremely limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
3) Single Day Auditing / Registration at the Door $125/day
Includes seating only.
Auditing is closed Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning.
Register Online Here
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