Paint Horses take top honors at Chisholm Challenge

Paint Horse Colonels Black Robin of All Star Equestrian carries a rider across the arena in the Chisholm Challenge for Special Riders competition where he won the event’s top horse honor—the Carrot Award. Photo courtesy of Rocky Krueger.   Hirez JPEG (1.64 mb)

At 26 years old, Paint Horse Billy Sunday of Rocky Top Therapy Center still has what it takes to be a top therapeutic riding horse. “Billy” took second in this year’s Carrot Award competition during the Chisholm Challenge for Special Riders. Photo courtesy of Rocky Krueger..   Hirez JPEG (1.64 mb)

Colonels Black Robin, a 7-year-old black tobiano gelding, affectionately known as “Domino,” of All Star Equestrian in Burleson, Texas, won the event’s top horse honor—the “Carrot Award.” According to show manager Cheril Becker, “The judges watch all the horses over the course of the event and choose which one took the best care of its rider.” Domino took excellent care of not just one but three riders in this year’s competition. The striking gelding joined the All Star Equestrian team in June 2007 and was instantly a hit with all the therapy riders and volunteers.

“Probably the first thing that is noticed about Domino is his looks, but the most important thing that we have found is how perfect he is for therapeutic riding,” said Michelle Van Horn, an instructor at All Star Equestrian. “He has a very gentle spirit and even though he is young, he is very laid back and relaxed. He is tall and strong enough to carry our adult riders but quiet and sweet enough to carry our children, also.”

Taking second place was Billy Sunday, a 26-year-old sorrel overo gelding who has become a legend in the therapeutic riding world. “Billy” is a past Carrot Award-winner and has taken many riders to the gold in other therapeutic riding competitions, including the Special Olympics and the Houston Livestock Show’s Top Hand competition. He has also been named the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association’s (NARHA) Region 8 Horse of the Year and graced the cover of the June 1993 Paint Horse Journal as part of a feature article. Billy was also featured as a top Paint in therapeutic riding in the April 2007 Paint Horse Journal. He continues to prove himself as one of the greats in therapeutic riding. Billy resides at Rocky Top Therapy Center in Keller, Texas.