2011 YOUTH BARREL RACING CLINIC - March 14-16
Equine Champions For Christ hosted it's first barrel racing clinic at the Circle T Arena, in Hamilton,Texas, March 14-16, 2011.
What an awesome experience to attend this clinic, this year. There were 17 young ladies that participated and many parents that spectated and volunteered. Our Clinician Janet Stover was a great teacher and leader for our entire 3 day camp.
We want to extend a great big thank you to our World Champion Barrel Racing instructor Janet Stover. Also to Patty Jo Dever and Jennifer Melton for their assistance. Also a huge thank you to all of our sponsors, participants, their parents, our preachers, and every volunteer that helped. The success of this camp is a direct result of your support, hard work, and involvement.

"I wish we could help young people to use us as an example and listen when we try to tell them to obey God’s Word.  Also, to believe in our hearts to know the power of the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus Christ.  I struggled for years trying, but when I prayed for my dreams to come true and really believed, they did.  Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will come to pass.  There is so much more than salvation.  There are also blessings depending on our obeying the Word of God and really loving Jesus with all our hearts, mind, strength and loving each other.  Faith (confidence) comes by hearing the Word, so I hope we can be a light for Jesus at this school and speak life into these kids." ~Janet Stover
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY
Jane W. Campos-Cisneros

THIS ARITCLE WILL APPEAR IN A MAGAZINE AT A LATER DATE

2011 Equine Champions for Christ Youth Barrel Racing Clinic Broken dreams, promises, homes, hopes, people, and lives were all brought together by God on March 14th through 16th of 2011.

Seventeen young upcoming Barrel Racers ages 11 to 21 met in Hamilton, Texas to attend Equine Champions For Christ Barrel Racing Clinic. Little did they know they would go home with dreams and hopes answered. Shattered lives made whole again, and families a whole lot closer than when they drove in the gate at Circle T Arena.

Equine Champions for Christ held their first ever Youth Barrel Racing clinic at no cost to the participants of the clinic. World Champion Janet Stover , motivated Patty Jo Dever, and Equine Dentist Jennifer Melton used their talents, love of God to gently heal those God brought together . The participants, horses, and families received phenomenal proportions of love, guidance, reassurance that the hand of God was ever present.

One on One World Champion Janet Stover and Patti Jo Dever worked with problem horses and related the problems the girls were having with their horses back to the problems they were having in their own lives. Jennifer Melton educated the girls on why horses threw their heads, ran past barrels, and did not behave properly due to the pain in their mouths. She showed the girls how teeth problems, using the wrong bits, and spurs could affect their runs.

When Janet Stover talked everyone listened closely as she was so humble and soft spoken. She spoke as if she was unaware of being a World Champion Barrel Racer, 6 time NFR qualifier, 3 Time Reserve World Champion, 2002 Bronze Medalist and Member of the 2002 Gold Medalist Rodeo Team she gave thanks to God and related how God had worked in her life to bring her to where she is now. She built up every girl up as she spoke with them. She also let them know how Christ changed her life and how he helped her in her career and if they just listened to God’s guidance and their horses they too would succeed. No Patty Jo was on the other end of the microphone, meaning she did not need a microphone she was so energetic and full of life she was there cheering each girl and correcting problems as Janet worked another part of the arena.

Girls became friends with each other helping each other and becoming God’s Team. Jennifer Melton came for the first time ever so we had an equine dentist take her time to teach the girls how to look in their horses mouths and checked all the horses teaching the girls what to look for.

Families came from all over the United States with children and dogs in tow. Families volunteered to assist anyway they could. Knowing Texas was suppose to nice and warm during Spring Break but the Old Devil planned something else for Spring Break. We woke up to frost on the ground and freezing weather, nothing for a bunch of Cowgirls ready to ride and learn. The horses felt good, sometimes too good as the cold weather had them wired but we were thankful for the covered arena and wind block. The girls did not run pattern after pattern. They learned drills, they worked on corrections, turn backs on fences, backing, how to sit the saddle, hand placement, and becoming one with their barrel horse.

The meals and services were planned for the beautiful park at Crooked Creek Ranch owned by Jo and Kenny Hague but the weather did not cooperate. So Jo and Kenny graciously opened their home for the meals and services.
Ray Perryman, preacher, motivator, and singer set up in the living room and set the tone for Dennis Aaron’s message. What I heard was God was our Father the Father we needed to spend time everyday with. Our Heavenly Father accepts us just as we are. We are God daughters and there is no greater honor than that.

Amazing things happened we had one girl who wanted to give back so she is sponsoring a Barrel Race and sending the proceeds to Equine Champions For Christ. People were moved to donate time and money for this wonderful non profit organization. The girls who stood up for Christ publicly, rededicated their lives were each presented with a Sterling Silver Necklace, with three gold crosses, and to beautiful ruby’s for the blood of God shed for us on the cross so that we are forgiven. Each participant received a bag with movies, Chi Irons, and hair products.

Each person left the ranch with love, gifts, from Kenny and Jo Hague, John Mc Call, and Michael Goertz. This camp was started by the three master minds Jo, Kenny, and Michael. After the ceremony in Jo’s home we headed to the barn for a baptism Cowgirl style in a metal water trough. Of course we had heated the barn and put warm water in the trough but cold is cold. The Devil did not have a chance no matter how hard the wind blew and how cold it got outside. There was not a dry eye in there when one beautiful child of God looked up at Ray and Dennis and asked after others had been baptized if it was okay to be baptized more than once. When they assured her, she kicked off her boots and spurs and climbed into the water trough as she stepped into the water she started crying and said, “ I do not feel like I have a home. My parents are divorced, and I have two church families but I do not feel as if I belong anywhere.” Grown men wept openly, the preachers fell to their knees and God’s words that flowed through from their hearts assured her that she had a home God’s Home. His house was waiting for her. Here on earth things are not always the way you want them to be but she was touching hearts and souls around her. God was using her to bring people to God.

The night before Ray, Aaron, and I were sitting in the lobby talking to one of the girls and she spoke the word of God like a Preacher. She quoted scriptures and told us that the enemy was there; but God would win because he was our Savior and died for our sins. There was no way for us to know the pain this child was in she was fighting a battle and was surrounding herself with God’s workers. There was a father who accepted Christ and he baptized his daughter.
God has a plan for each of us, but we are so busy trying to fix his plan we make it harder on him.
I came home from this camp to witness more in my life and find the words to say. I was taken to my knees, actually to the rock bottom until only God could heal me. God is building a stronger more powerful person. I just need to let go and let God. I know my Father in Heaven has a plan for my life and he has blessed me daily because for once in my life I am listening he got my attention.
I want to thank Michael Goertz for all of his hard work on putting this camp on. He worked long unselfish hours to make it as wonderful as the last camp.

Jane W. Campos-Cisneros
Volunteer and Photographer


We have enclosed a Sponsor Response Form for anyone who attended the 2011 Barrel Racing Camp.

We would be grateful if you would take the time to complete it and mail or email it back to us so we can pass your messages along to our sponsors.

Click on the form, left, to download.

MAIL:
Equine Champions For Christ PO Box 592 Hamilton, Texas 76531

EMAIL:
EquineCFC@yahoo.com
John H McCall
Equine Champions For Christ would like to acknowledge a large and consistent contributer, John H McCall. We appreciate your support, and God Bless you.
Equine Champions For Christ would like to thank Barrel Horse News for their complimentary ad for the ECFC Youth Barrel Racing Clinic, featuring Janet Stover.
Equine Champions For Christ would like to thank Robo Ranch, owner Marshall Landers for his monthly contributions to help support these clinics
Equine Champions For Christ is a non-profit organization that offers Christian youth rodeo camps. Rodeo World Champions who live and encourage Christian lifestyles and beliefs are invited to come and work with kids for an experience of a lifetime. The camps are limited to a select number of participants, which allows for a maximum amount of knowledge, one-on-one coaching, and Christian leadership.

Participants selected for events to recieve, tuition, lodging, meals, and transportation to and from lodging/arena free. Equipment is not supplied but sometimes available at certain arenas. Check with ECFC staff for more information.