Wild Wind Circuit Horse Show riding into town

By JUDD WEIL 
Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Wild Wind Circuit Horse Show will be held on March 31 through April 2 at the Kansas State Fairgrounds Expo Center. 

The show will be the last competition for the sixth season of event proprietors, Wild Wind Productions.  

While March 31 is check-in day for participants, the rest of the weekend is set to be a show.  

“On one day, we'll do, we call them the performance classes, which are kind of a show class,” Deidre Moran, owner of Wild Wind Productions, said. “They do like western pleasure, horsemanship, things like that. They'll do kind of like a trail class, like an obstacle class type thing.”  

That covers April 1, then on April 2, the show changes.  

 “Then the other day, we call it our cattle and ranch classes, those are geared towards cattle work, like cutting, herd work, boxing,” Moran said. “Cow horse work and then the ranch classes are a little bit different pace.” 

 Horses in the ranch class are geared more towards those that would be used for work at home or on the farm and ranch. 

The Wild Wind Circuit Horse Show’s variety reflects Moran’s passion for horses.  

“I've actually been involved in horses and horse competitions, all different types of horse competitions, my entire life,” Moran said. “I even started horse riding lessons when I was about three years old. I've always been involved with horses.” 

As an adult, Moran worked at different stables. It was through that time that Wild Wind Circuit Horse Show was founded at one of those stables.  

“One of the owners happened to start making this practice show years back and decided not to do it anymore,” Moran said. “I was kind of a limited show bill and things like that, but nobody really kind of wanted to step up to the plate.”  

Taking her last 10-12 years of experience of putting on horse and rodeo events, Moran took the reins, and relabeled and rebranded the defunct show into what it is now.  

“I revamped the entire show bill,” Moran said.” It's got quite a few different classes and levels and things like that.  

The show is for all different types of riders, whether it is their first ever competition or more experienced competitors.  

“We have people that are world champions that come and actually compete at our level of shows,” Moran said.  

Moran said she finds it fascinating to watch these congress-level competitors coach and help novices.  

While there is no registration for the Wild Wind Circuit Horse Show, Wild Wind Productions does have memberships for families and singles. 

“They last one year and we basically just keep track of them,” Moran explained. “To be honest, it is to keep track of everybody who is there, how many horses they'll have on the property and things like that.” 

The Wild Wind Circuit Horse Show and Wild Wind Productions are no strangers to the Kansas State Fairgrounds.  

“I have quite a few events at the State Fairgrounds,” Moran said. “I actually originally started there and every single one of my events were there and we kind of branched out. I've had events at Dodge City, Salina, Lyons.”  

Moran said she probably puts on seven to ten horse shows a year, with half of them in Hutchinson, except for the summer when she is focusing on her job giving horse lessons.  

Moran said she sees a lot of foot traffic at her events.

“We probably see well over 150 horses, but probably twice as many people that are either competing or watching or coming to visit,” Moran said.  

Moran said for this year’s show, they are planning something a little bit different that is hopefully going to bring quite a few people around.

“We’re actually doing a clinic,” Moran. “I have two clinicians coming in.”  

These trainers will come in Saturday evening and do a clinic, starting at 6 p.m. 

People will be able to come and watch the clinic for $10. Moran said 18 to 20 riders were invited to participate and receive some top-notch coaching from the two clinicians. 

Those that cannot make the April 1 and April 2 competition still have an opportunity to compete in a bigger competition in June and also a big competition on Labor Day weekend. The latter will kick off Wild Wind Productions seventh season.  

For more information visit the Wild Wind Horse Shows Facebook page.  

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