California Cowhorse Session

With NRCHA Trainer Nick Dowers

Fall colors was the name of the game for this California Cowhorse session with NRCHA Trainer Nick Dowers. We don’t see too many Fall Colors where I am in California so you have to travel to find them! In this case we went pretty close to the Nevada border to find some golden leaves. All the way up highway 395 to Bridgeport, Ca.

You may know of the town of Bridgeport if you’ve ever been around the California Rodeo circuit. It is THE place to be 4th of July weekend for ranch rodeos. While this California Cowhorse session technically took place in Bridgeport, Ca, Nick actually hails from Dyer, NV.

Since it was the Fall, the rodeo was still a few months away. Instead we were shooting content for Nick’s two stallions and for one of Nick’s sponsor’s, Platinum Performance. Nick currently stand two cowhorse stallions. Time for the Diamond and Smooth Bellingrath. Both are well versed in the cow horse events as well as ranch work. This training philosophy of “performance with purpose” is something Nick prides himself on. His horses have been ridden outside in the brush, over mountain terrain, through water and have been used in all phases of ranch work. To top it off, they kick butt in the show pen.

Mr. Dowers has been a solid competitor for a few years at the Road to the Horse event and has claimed the title more than once. Subtle and impressive horsemanship skills combined with his background in ranching make Nick’s horses solid citizens. Since I grew up in San Francisco with no sight of any outside terrain to be found, I am always in awe of people that see riding outside the arena, no differently that riding inside one.

Check out some of the images from my full day shoot with NRCHA Trainer and all around awesome guy, Nick Dowers. To book your own Elizabeth Hay Photography session, click here.