Celebration of Champions Underway
By: KLST News
Updated: January 25, 2013
Meet Topsails Rien Maker, also known as Slider and his trainer Russell Dilday. Over the last decade they have been the most successful cowhorse team in history and they are in San Angelo looking to set a mark in the Worlds Greatest Horseman event that has never before been reached. Winning the event for a fourth time.
"It's just so unprecedented to win that event two times." Dilday said, "there have only been a couple of horses and riders that have done it two times and he's done it three and if he could do it four, it would just be unbelievable."
No other cowhorse team has had as much success in the four event as Slider and Dilday. They aren't only the most successful horse team but also the sport's highest earners. With a career earnings close to $350,000, that puts this team in a class all by themselves but Dilday says its almost all thanks to sliders natural talent.
"I'd like to say it's the training but i've trained a lot of horses and they aren't as good as him. That leads me to believe that it's about 90% horse." He said, "he's just a unique individual. He doesn't require a ton of training he just wants to please and has the personality to go out there and win. Not many horses have the incredible mindset to just go out there and give you everything they have everytime."
Dilday said what makes their success that much more impressive is Slider's age. Slider is 14 years old and competiting against horses ten years younger. Dilday said that the team has all ready made history but with a win this year, their legacy will be set in stone.
"There might be a horse that can do it two times and there might be one that can do it three and you're reaching out there. But four with the level of bridal horses that we have now. It would be pretty land mark. Man if we can put the fourth one in their it might be in granite."
"It's just so unprecedented to win that event two times." Dilday said, "there have only been a couple of horses and riders that have done it two times and he's done it three and if he could do it four, it would just be unbelievable."
No other cowhorse team has had as much success in the four event as Slider and Dilday. They aren't only the most successful horse team but also the sport's highest earners. With a career earnings close to $350,000, that puts this team in a class all by themselves but Dilday says its almost all thanks to sliders natural talent.
"I'd like to say it's the training but i've trained a lot of horses and they aren't as good as him. That leads me to believe that it's about 90% horse." He said, "he's just a unique individual. He doesn't require a ton of training he just wants to please and has the personality to go out there and win. Not many horses have the incredible mindset to just go out there and give you everything they have everytime."
Dilday said what makes their success that much more impressive is Slider's age. Slider is 14 years old and competiting against horses ten years younger. Dilday said that the team has all ready made history but with a win this year, their legacy will be set in stone.
"There might be a horse that can do it two times and there might be one that can do it three and you're reaching out there. But four with the level of bridal horses that we have now. It would be pretty land mark. Man if we can put the fourth one in their it might be in granite."
