It is time to apply for the 2025 Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge! 
This year, we have prize money as well as many other prizes plus we have a Youth Scholarship and Professional Trainer Incentive – see below for info on both.
If you don’t know about the Challenge: The Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge is a competition where professionals and non-pro horse lovers work with a Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society horse for four months and then compete in an obstacle course, basic skills challenge, and freestyle. The competition takes place on October 4th at the Williamson Co Expo Center in Taylor, Texas.
While you are working with a horse for the Training Challenge, we pay for all pre-approved veterinary care, hoof trimming (and shoes if medically necessary and pre-approved), and deworming. We also pay $160/month as a stipend (paid after the competition) to help offset partial costs of hay, grain, shavings, etc. ($80/month for ponies, minis, and donkeys) Money spend on the Bluebonnet horse but not covered by the stipend may be tax-deductible since we’re a 501c3.
Youth scholarship program: $500 to the Junior or Senior who receives the most points in the Non Pro Under Saddle Division and another $500 to the Junior or Senior who receives the most points in the Non Pro in Hand 14 & Over division.
Professional Trainer incentive program: Each trainer who competes in the Challenge competition and whose horse is adopted, will receive 20% of the paid adoption fee (half price of listed fee). On average, the adoption fee percentage will be $400 (some horses may be a bit higher, some a bit lower).
Also – for professional trainers: when you participate in the Challenge, we offer advertising on our website, our Facebook page, and vendor space at the event. And when we need to hire a trainer to work with a Bluebonnet horse who isn’t in the Challenge, we try to hire past Training Challenge competitors.
You can read the rules, learn more about the scholarship program or professional trainer incentive, and apply to compete in the Challenge at http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/challenge