Meet the Road to the Horse 2025 Wild Card Competitor Lineup

Fort Worth, Texas (September 17, 2024) — The equestrian world is a beautiful mix of different disciplines, areas of interest and cultures, but the one thing that unites us is our unyielding passion for the horse. At Road to the Horse, a diverse palette of four gifted colt starters from around the world will compete for the Wild Card Challenge Championship and their chance to step directly into a Championship Competitor position during Road to the Horse 2025 on March 27-30 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Wild Card Challenge will precede the World Championship of Colt Starting Competition, starting on Thursday, March 27, and will conclude on Friday, March 28, 2025. The Wild Card Challenge Champion will then take the final championship competitor position alongside Vicki Wilson (NZ), Phil Haugen (USA) and Tik Maynard (Canada).

“We are excited to provide an opportunity for a diverse group of horsemen to showcase their talents,” Morris Equine Group President Tina Battock says. “There are great horsemen working hard every day to perfect their craft. It is our wish to shine a spotlight on these select individuals and their horsemanship philosophies, bringing untapped talent to the Road to the Horse round pen.”

Meet the four talented colt starters who will step into the Road to the Horse round pen for the very first time as Wild Card Competitors:

Joseph Bentz (USA)

Joseph Bentz was born into a ranching family in Juntura, Oregon. With more than five generations in the ranching business, the Bentz family produces cattle and superior ranch horses. After graduating high school, Bentz went to college to compete in rodeo events and study agricultural business. Shortly after graduating, Bentz spent years working alongside National Reined Cow Horse Association Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion and Road to the Horse World Champion Nick Dowers, where he focused on advancing his horsemanship. After dedicating time to advance his skills, Bentz returned to the family ranch to lead the colt starting program.

Joseph Bentz. Courtesy of Road to the Horse Buster McLaury (USA)

Buster McLaury was born and raised in West Texas. McLaury has spent more than 30 years following his passion and cowboying on several large ranches throughout the region. With a lifelong passion for horses, McLaury’s approach to horsemanship took a different route when he met Ray Hunt in 1985. McLaury found himself mesmerized by the relationships Hunt quickly established with the colts. Over the next 25 years, Hunt became a friend and mentor to McLaury and later introduced him to fellow horseman Tom Dorrance. Today, McLaury and his wife, Sheryl, operate a custom colt starting business and offer a variety of horsemanship clinics based in Paducah, Texas.

Buster McLaury. Courtesy of Road to the Horse Cristobal Scarpati (AR)

Cristobal Scarpati was born in San Luis, Argentina. Born into a family passionate about horses, Scarpati’s father was a horse trainer and competitor. Scarpati learned to overcome his fear of horses, and in the process, he learned how to help horses overcome their own fears. Scarpati’s horsemanship techniques are strongly influenced by his father, Oscar Scarpati, who, in turn, learned them from an Indian horseman called Don Cristobal Luna. Scarpati bears his name “Cristobal” with great honor and strives to pass forward his teachings, which he calls Doma India Scarpati. Scarpati is grateful for the fulfilled life he leads now with his wife, four children and his horses.

Cristobal Scarpati. Courtesy of Road to the Horse Dustin Sippola (CAN)

Dustin Sippola grew up around horses and the Western way of life. Under the watchful eye of Sid Cook, he started his first horse at the young age of 11. After heading west to work on the Gang Ranch and meeting his wife, Carmen, he worked on many ranches from British Columbia, Canada, to Saskatchewan, Canada. Sippola has claimed multiple championships in the competitive arena in ranching, rodeo and colt starting events. Sippola now resides in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and two children, where they run cattle, operate their colt starting business and teach a variety of horsemanship clinics.

Dustin Sippola. Courtesy of Road to the Horse

Road to the Horse 2025 takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 27-30. Tickets are available at www.RoadtotheHorse.com or by calling 800-514-3849. Follow Road to the Horse on Facebook for the latest information.

About Road to the Horse

Founded in 2003, Road to the Horse strives to inspire people to reach a higher level of horsemanship and develop unity with a horse based on trust and not fear. We believe that through education and entertainment, we can change people’s ideas and create a better world for the horse. Road to the Horse competitions identifies the superior colt starter who accumulates the highest score. Judging focuses on the competitor and the effectiveness of their horsemanship methodology to communicate, educate and build a partnership with their colt based on trust. Fans witness the entire journey, from colt selection to the final obstacle challenge. The event schedule and tickets are available at www.RoadtotheHorse.com.

About Morris Equine Group

Morris Equine Group consists of some of the industry’s most recognized brands, including Western Horseman, Quarter Horse News and Barrel Horse News. The group also includes EquiStat, a statistical service offering detailed information and earnings for the performance horse industry. Morris Equine Group is also home to the National Barrel Horse Association, the West Coast Barrel Racing Association, the first ever Professional Bull Riders Team Series Champions Nashville Stampede and the World Championship of Colt Starting, Road to the Horse.

For more info contact:
Road to the Horse
[email protected]
(D): 940-859-6512
Media Photos Available

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