Mike Major Completes the 2022 Championship Competitor Lineup

Road to the Horse is dedicated to selecting the world’s most elite colt starters who are exemplary ambassadors of natural horsemanship. The final Road to the Horse 2022 championship competitor amplifies those characteristics with his strong ranching roots and an extensive resume brimming with American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championships. Well-known horseman, rancher and clinician Mike Major, will complete the championship competitor lineup for Road to the Horse 2022. Major joins Brandi Lyons, Cole Cameron and Matt Mills in competing for the World Championship of Colt Starting title March 24-27 in Lexington, Kentucky. 

“We’re excited to welcome AQHA World Champion Horseman Mike Major to our championship competitor lineup,” states Morris Equine Group President Tina Battock. “Road to the Horse strives to bring together the industry’s most talented colt starters who are not only stand-outs in their disciplines but most importantly, passionate ambassadors of the horse.”

“To me, the Road to the Horse competition is an amazing event that brings horsemen and women together from a variety of disciplines to showcase each one’s unique ability to prepare young horses. It’s about preparing these colts to go on and become the best horses they can be in their chosen discipline,” Mike Major stated. “Road to the Horse takes this knowledge and shares it with the rest of the world and that’s why I’m honored to participate in this coveted event.”

Mike Major has a long list of accomplishments—a reflection of his dedication to his training program. In 2006, Mike Major rode Smart Whiskey Doc to a Working Cowhorse World Championship at the AQHA Select World Championship Show. Then, in 2009 and 2010, he and the stallion won the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse Open World Championship, along with the first-ever Battle in the Saddle Ranch Remuda Challenge. Major then rode Black Hope Stik, a daughter of Smart Whiskey Doc, to win the 2010 Project Cowboy and the 2012 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse Open World Championship. Major and his wife, Holly, operate their training facility in Bowie, Texas. The couple continually strive to build and improve their horse program, aiming to produce top-quality horses in the performance and ranching industry. 

Although horses are a huge part of the Major’s operations, the ranch is a working cattle ranch. Every year, Mike and Holly Major operate a large yearling cattle operation on the Flying A Ranch and on the Rio Puerco Ranch in Belen, New Mexico. Like the horses, the cattle have always been a main component of all the ranches. 

Road to the Horse 2022 takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park on March 24-27, 2022. Tickets are available at www.RoadtotheHorse.com or by calling 800-514-3849. Follow Road to the Horse on Facebook for the latest information.