Western Horseman is excited to host their annual Western art contest at the 2023 National High School Finals Rodeo.
Young talent in the Western horse world doesn’t just show up horseback in the performance pen or the rodeo arena. It also appears in the artistry and craftsmanship of custom-made items, from gear to jewelry.
That’s why Western Horseman has partnered with the National High School Rodeo Association to sponsor the Western Lifestyle Trade Craft Showcase at the National High School Finals Rodeo. The showcase celebrates the wide talent of NHSRA and NHSRA Junior High Division members outside the performance arena through a judged contest of handmade functional Western items.
Submissions for the contest, which are open to all current NHSRA and Junior High Division members, should serve a purpose in the Western lifestyle. Examples include bits, tack, purses, jewelry, and belts. The 2022 overall champion, Emma Arndt a sophomore from Kansas, entered a pair of leggings. With a unique color pattern of green, black, white and red, the leggings featured a beautiful inlay of flowers and butterflies.
Reserve overall champion Isabella Manning of Nevada won a scholarship for her acrylic hand painted skull that she painted with a scene from her grandfather’s ranch.
Contest Details
The 2023 contest will feature four categories: art, craftsmanship, fashion and tack and equipment. Western Horseman will award scholarships to the top three in each category as well as an overall winner and overall reserve.
“It’s a core piece of Western Horseman’s foundation, to promote the cowboy spirit and the Western way of life,” says Dani Licklider, director of Western brands at Morris Communications, which owns Western Horseman. The publication has sponsored NHSRA for more than 20 years, and began sponsoring the Trade Craft Showcase in 2021.
“We’re very interested in seeing the next generation succeed whether they want to be rodeo athletes or trainers, or they want to go into the Western industry as a career—we want to help them achieve their goals,” Licklider says. “Wherever your niche is, there’s a place for you in this industry. And we want to help kids find that.”
If not competing at the NHSFR, Entries for the Trade Craft Showcase can be shipped directly to the event facility (Cam Plex Event Center, Gillette, Wyoming), or sent with a member’s state NHSRA representative. Items must be on-site at the NHSFR by July 16 to qualify. Entrants do have the option of offering their work for sale at the NHSFR.
WLTCS Awards
In addition to scholarship money, this year Western Horseman has partnered with silversmith Nevada Miller and her Be A Maker School to help provide continuing education for two lucky students interested in further developing their trade craft skills. BAMS is a subscription-based educational service that offers courses in silversmithing and engraving, chap making and leather tooling, rawhide and leather braiding, Western photography and cinch making. Recipients can choose whichever course in the Western trades they desire to learn that BAMS offers.
Award #1 — Dedicated Subscription to Be A Maker School
- Awarded to the Overall Champion of the Trade Craft Showcase
Subscription Includes
- 12 instructional videos ranging in length from 15-25 mins each
- Membership to BAMS Facebook Group for collaboration and support from other makers
- Tools & resource lists to make the building of your tool inventory as easy as possible
- Six Monthly live Q&A Zoom sessions with all the students of your particular instructor
- Six Monthly One on One 30-minute Zoom sessions with your instructor. This is a fantastic opportunity to have mentorship directly from your instructor.
- Additional handouts in certain courses
- Lifetime access to all the videos, handouts, tools and resource lists
- $1482 Value (just for the course not including the lifetime of value this skill will provide)!
Award #2 — Doer Subscription to Be A Maker School
- Awarded to the “Aspiring Maker”, an open competition to all participants who will be asked a few questions at check in of why they want to learn the Western trades and what it means to them to be a Maker. Winner will be chosen and announced
Subscription Includes
- 12 instructional videos ranging in length from 15-25 mins each
- Membership to BAMS Facebook Group for collaboration and support from other makers
- Tools & resource lists to make the building of your tool inventory as easy as possible
- Six Monthly live Q&A Zoom sessions with all the students of your particular instructor
- A single 30-minute Zoom session one on one with your instructor. Student can choose date they wish for this to happen depending on their schedule
- Additional handouts in certain courses
- Lifetime access to all the videos, handouts, tools and resource lists
- $762 value (just for the course not including the lifetime of value this skill will provide)!
Entrants to the Western Lifestyle Trade Craft Showcase do have the option to offer their work for sale at the NHSFR. Be A Maker School has provided participants a breakdown of how to price their work. Check out the comprehensive document here.
Scholarship Breakdown for the Western Lifestyle Trade Craft Showcase
Overall Scholarship Awards
- Overall Grand Champion: $1,250
- Overall Reserve Champion: $1,000
Art Scholarship Awards
- Art 1st Place: $850
- Art 2nd Place: $550
- Art 3rd Place: $150
Craftsmanship Scholarship Awards
- Craftsmanship 1st Place: $850
- Craftsmanship 2nd Place: $550
- Craftsmanship 3rd Place: $150
Fashion Scholarship Awards
- Fashion 1st Place: $850
- Fashion 2nd Place: $550
- Fashion 3rd Place: $150
Tack & Equipment Scholarship Awards
- Tack & Equipment 1st Place: $850
- Tack & Equipment 2nd Place: $550
- Tack & Equipment 3rd Place: $150
Total Scholarship Awards: $8,450
For more information on the Western Lifestyle Trade Craft Showcase at the NHSFR, go to nhsra.com.
