John Lyons Pumping Iron in Preparation for Training Competition

Extremely accomplished horse trainer and clinician John Lyons is getting ready for the 2009 Road to the Horse, not by practicing and improving his training techniques but by preparing for the competition physically. Lyons will be competing March 14-15 in Franklin, Tennessee against Tommy Garland and Richard Winters for the title of Road to the Horse Champion.

“I plan on getting in as good shape physically as I can. Most of the guys out there are half my age. I’m not going to do anything different training wise though. I’ve trained 4,000 to 5,000 horses in my career, and this is a challenge because of the time restraint, but I have over 25 years of knowledge,” said Lyons.

Using the deep well of knowledge that he has acquired over the years, in combination with his new workout plan, Lyons will surely give his younger competitors a run for their money. Although his son, Josh Lyons, has competed at Road to the Horse, John has never before tested his hand in the competition.

“I went to Road to the Horse last year to cheer for Ken McNabb who is a longtime friend of mine. He went through the very first trainer certification program that I taught. Road to the Horse was such a fun thing and I thought if Tootie wanted me to, I would throw my hat in the ring,” said Lyons.

About Road to the Horse

Road to the Horse is unlike any other event in the equine or entertainment industry. It is “the original colt starting challenge”. The two-day sold out event matches the absolute best horse trainers and clinicians of today against one another as they train unbroken colts to ride in just a few short hours in front of a packed live audience and television cameras. By combining education, edge-of-your-seat suspense, entertainment and the love of the horse, Road to the Horse has been responsible for solidifying the position of today’s horsemanship heros and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars. In the process, the event itself has become a shining star of horse industry. Hosted by Rick Lamb, of RFD-TV’s The Horse Show with Rick Lamb, spectators are guaranteed not only to have a good time, but also to walk away with training knowledge that will improve their relationship with horses.

Road to the Horse is proud to partner with many outstanding companies including Horse & Rider, Mustang Makeover, Cinch, Cruel Girl, Gist Silversmiths, ABI Equine and John Deere . For more information on Road to the Horse and Tootie Bland Productions, visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

Source: www.roadtothehorse.com