The Southern Equine Expo Colt Starting Challenge is NOT a race, but rather an event to demonstrate and educate on how the proper use of sound horsemanship fundamentals result in establishing the functional relationship between horse and man. The process is accelerated in this format showcasing the effectiveness of each horseman. It is the journey, not the destination that matters most.
2023 Contestants
Mary Kitzmiller
Sarah Chastain
Andrea Fraire
Mary Kitzmiller is a horse trainer and clinician based in Kemp, TX. She uses her years of knowledge gleaned from working with the Horse Industry’s leading professionals to create outstanding performance horses. These skills led her to find incredible success in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Competition, winning over $50,000 in that event. Mary has also earned the honor of being the only woman chosen for Road to the Horse’s elite Wild Card Competition in 2014 and 2015. It is Mary’s passion to share what she knows with the public through clinics, lessons, and demonstrations. Mary subscribes to one key element in her horsemanship, and that is simply: Follow the Horse. The horse is never wrong, Listen, Watch, and Follow.
A professional horse trainer with a love for dog training.
Sarah Chastain is a Champion Colt Starter and Clinician who specializes in Mustangs, Colt Starting, and “Problem Horses”.
She is a recognized TIP Trainer with the Mustang Heritage Foundation and head trainer at Bar C Farms in Collinsville Alabama
She could not do it without God and her husband.
Originally from southern California, Andrea began her training career by attending California Polytechnic University where she was on the equestrian and mule packing team. She then decided to transfer to Feather River College and received a degree in Equine and Ranch Management. While in school, she learned the art of starting young horses and developed her horsemanship further by expanding into training performance horses. After graduation, Andrea worked with several experienced trainers, honing her skills and abilities and developing her own style of training. Andrea now runs a full time business training horses, where she strives to give each horse a fair and honest education to mentally and physically prepare them for their future careers.
Images are from Round 4, all three colt starters in the big arena together for the first time and working cattle to help train their horses. This is unique to the Southern Equine Expo Colt Starting Challenge. All fillies and trainers did outstanding job.
All part of the journey to put a solid foundation on these fillies.
Lost Creek Cattle Company will again provide fillies in 2023
All fillies in 2022 were SOLD at the Southern Equine Expo. Congratulations to the new owners
The Southern Equine Expo welcomes the return of Lost Creek Cattle Company as the Official Colt Starting Challenge sponsor again for 2022. Lost Creek Cattle Company is the equine portion of Kinslow Farms, owned by Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Kinslow, DVM. Approximately 100 Quarter Horses share 1,000 acres in the Tennessee hills with a commercial cow herd, backgrounding operation and feed lot.
In 2017, Lost Creek Cattle Company furnished the horses for the Colt Starting Challenge. “We were impressed with the condition and the quality of the horses Dr. Kinslow and ranch manager, Charlie Ramsey brought to the Expo”, stated Patrick Kayser, Southern Equine Expo CEO.
The Lost Creek Cattle Company horses are raised outside in the pasture, in a group setting the way the Good Lord intended. The horses have a ton of color, good bone, great minds, and come from using bloodlines. The goal of Lost Creek Cattle Company is the production of high-quality ranch type working horses.
Their foundation breeding began with the grand ole bloodlines that were proven for generations such as Blue Valentine, High Rolling Roany, Pete Oswald and King Fritz. Current bloodlines being infused into the herd include Playgun, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and Josephs Gold. Great conformation and a polite disposition are demanded; while Dr. Kinslow prefers roan colored horses.
The fillies selected for the 2022 Southern Equine Expo are the most uniform set of horses ever used. All of the horses are blue roan color, strong top lines, straight legs standing on a solid column of bone, pretty heads, and good attitudes. Full siblings to these horses matured between 14.2-15 hands
Prior to the expo, the horses will be vaccinated, dewormed using Zoetis products, and only halter broke. All horses will be for sale at the Expo. Lost Creek will also have yearling fillies, and young riding horses for sale at the Expo. Stop by their booth for more information.
Through Dr. Kinslow and the Lost Creek Cattle Company’s support, the Colt Starting Challenge remains a central attraction at the Southern Equine Expo.
Past Winners
Congratulations to Amelia Joyner for winning the 2022 Southern Equine Expo Colt Starting Challenge presented by Lost Creek Cattle Company
