Welcome to the Confident Cowgirls Clinic
Bigger, Bolder, and Built for Confidence
July 9-12, 2026
Registration now open!
This summer, the Confident Cowgirls Clinic is stepping into a whole new season of growth. From July 9–12, we are expanding to four unforgettable days and unveiling a refreshed format designed to help you build confidence in and out of the saddle—all while having an exceptional amount of fun.
Whether you are looking to sharpen your skills, try something new, or simply reconnect with why you love riding, this immersive experience blends horsemanship, personal development, adventure, and community in one inspiring setting. Each day features a half-day riding clinic led by a different clinician, covering a dynamic range of disciplines including roping, horsemanship, cattle work, and an introduction to endurance riding and competitive trail. Every afternoon also offers guided trail rides, ranging from 2.5 hours to an adventurous 6 hours, allowing you to apply your skills, challenge yourself, and enjoy the landscape.
Beyond the arena, the clinic focuses on the whole rider. Daily classroom sessions will guide you through goal setting, vision board creation, and yoga, giving you practical tools to strengthen your mindset, improve your riding, and clarify where you want to go—both personally and in the saddle.
Evenings are designed for connection and restoration. All lunches and dinners are included, with relaxed time each night for drinks, reflection, and meaningful conversations, plus free time to explore Waterton if you choose. The week also features a special highlight: a Friday night concert with Aly Williams, an exciting up-and-coming local artist, bringing live music and celebration to the experience.
To suit different interests and riding goals, two participation options are available:
- Boots in the Dirt: Ride in all clinics and trail rides for a fully hands-on experience. Includes lunch and dinner, 3 nights stalling for your horse, and the Friday night concert!
- $995 + tax (Limit 15 attendees) SOLD OUT!
- Boots on the Fence: Watch the clinics, attend the concert, and join the group ride on Thursday afternoon. Includes lunch and dinner, 3 nights stalling for your horse, and the Friday night concert!
- $495+ Tax (Limit 10 attendees)
The Confident Cowgirls Clinic is more than a riding event—it is a confidence-building retreat, a learning experience, and a celebration of community. Come challenge yourself, laugh a lot, and leave feeling stronger, clearer, and more confident than when you arrived.
Waiver
Once registered, please sign the applicable waiver:
Clinicians & Guides
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Roping Clinician: Taylor Bunnage
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Taylor has had a love and passion for horses since she was born. She competed at her first rodeo when she was 8 and started roping at the Jr. High level. She quickly found her competitive self loved breakaway and team roping most and made that her main focus as she college rodeoed on a scholarship for both Weber State and Utah State University. She graduated with her bachelors in teaching which helps her a lot as a clinician as she was taught to recognize when her students, no matter their age, are learning! She's earned her pro card at both the CPRA and WPRA level in breakaway roping and also had the opportunity to compete at the Rocky Mt. Cup (Calgary Stampede breakaway before it was added to the rodeo) in 2024. Her most proud achievement is her family! She is a mom to 2 beautiful little girls. She loves that they get to be raised in this agriculture lifestyle!
For this clinic you can expect ground work where we breakdown the basics of the swing to working on positioning and being a team with our horse behind the cow. We will focus on fundamentals, mental confidence, and horsemanship as it applies to breakaway roping. Whether you are a beginner roper learning how to swing or an experienced competitor you will find ways to learn and improve. |
Cattlework Clinician: Renee Gareau with RG Training and Performance Horses
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Renee has been involved in the equine industry for 15 years. Starting many young horses and starting them on working cattle. She loves watching horse and rider come together. She will guide building on the basic cow working strategies and really working on reading a cow and helping your horse get to the right place at the right time! Check out her social media! |
Endurance and Competitive Trail Clinician: Amy Nelson with Merry Leqs Equine
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Amy has been riding and training horses for the past 25 years in Canmore, Alberta. As an active member of the Bow Valley Riding Association and Trail Riding Alberta Conference, she has been clocking mileage over 2000 km per year on horseback in some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in Canada. TRAC has welcomed Amy in her role running Intro Clinics and as the Ride Manager for Mount Up in the Mountains, held in the Ghost River Valley every June. Distance riding explores capabilities of horses and riders, and is a true test of the horse/rider bond.
Check out her social media! |
General Horsemanship Clinician and Yoga Instructor: Emma Atkinson with Pristine Performance Horses
Owner and trainer behind Pristine Performance Horses, Emma Atkinson, specializes in starting horses, building strong foundational basics across all disciplines, and developing performance horses, alongside offering one-on-one lessons for all ages. Her focus is to cultivate meaningful connection and clear communication between horse and rider, creating well rounded, confident, and engaged partners that genuinely enjoy their work. She believes horses will give us their best when we listen to them as individuals, understand what their bodies are telling us, and consistently acknowledge and reward their efforts.
This clinic begins with a one-hour yoga session designed to help you tune into yourself, become present, and prepare your body through light movements that open the shoulders, hips, and promote overall alignment before riding. As we transition to working with our horses, we’ll explore how that awareness carries over into our horsemanship through ground fundamentals and under-saddle exercises that help you assess and connect with your horse. The day will come together with a relaxed trail ride, giving you the opportunity to reflect, feel the impact of the tools you've learned, and simply enjoy the partnership you’ve built.
This clinic begins with a one-hour yoga session designed to help you tune into yourself, become present, and prepare your body through light movements that open the shoulders, hips, and promote overall alignment before riding. As we transition to working with our horses, we’ll explore how that awareness carries over into our horsemanship through ground fundamentals and under-saddle exercises that help you assess and connect with your horse. The day will come together with a relaxed trail ride, giving you the opportunity to reflect, feel the impact of the tools you've learned, and simply enjoy the partnership you’ve built.
Goal Setting and Vision Board: Melody Garner-Skiba, Co-owner of Rocking Heart Ranch
Musician: Aly Williams
Musician: Aly Williams
Schedule
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Thursday
8-9: Goal Setting 9-12: Roping 12-1: Lunch 1-2: Roping 2-5: Obstacle Course 5-6: Dinner 7-8: Drinks/Reflection |
Friday
8-9: Yoga 9-12: Horsemanship 12-1: Lunch 1-5: Bellevue Trail Ride 5-6: Dinner 7-9: Aly Williams Concert |
Saturday
8-9: Vision Board 9-12: Cattle Horsemanship 12-1: Lunch 1-6: Wishbone Trail Ride 7-8: Dinner 8-9: Drinks/Reflection |
Sunday
8-9: Endurance/Competitive Trail 9-12: Horseshoe Basin Trail Ride 12-1: Lunch on the Trail 1-3: Horseshoe Basin Trail Ride 3-4: Wrap Up |