Diana Templeton of Peterborough was going to focus on dressage, but her friend and veterinarian Dr. Roger Osinchuk suggested she try reined cow horse.

“The first time I tried it I was hooked,” she stated. “This sport has given me a community of wonderful friends and the opportunity to learn more about herding cows, which helps me understand moving cattle for our wagyu business, New England Wagyu.”

Templeton started reined cow horse in January 2020, and with her horse Princess In Platinum (a 5-year-old quarter horse), won the intermediate, non-pro boxing championship for the southeast region this year for the National Reined Cow Horse Association.

According to the National Reined Cow Horse Association, reined cow horse competitions have their roots in “the meticulous, centuries-old process used by the California vaquero to create his most valuable working partner: a horse that could be controlled by a whisper-light touch on the reins, yet still possess the speed and grit to master the rankest cattle.”

Competitions include three phases, including herd work, in which a horse and rider enter a group of cattle, remove a single animal and then prevent it from returning to the herd. Each run has a 2 1/2-minute time limit, and two or three cattle are worked during that time.

In rein work, horse and rider perform a pattern with maneuvers such as “loping fast and slow circles, performing flying lead changes, spinning in each direction, sliding stops and backing up.”

In box work, a single cow is pushed through a gate at the opposite end of the arena from the horse and rider, who first “box” the cow by holding it at the end of the arena while maintaining control and staying in proper working position. The rider then allows the cow to run down the long side of the arena, and must turn the cow at least one time each direction on the fence before taking the cow into the middle of the arena and driving it in a circle each way.

For each phase, riders start with a score of 70, and receive a plus, minus or zero score for each maneuver. A plus is for above-average performance, while zero means it was done correctly and minus points are given for a below-average maneuver.

Templeton travels all over the United States competing in reined cow horse. Her trainers, Harper Training Stables, is based in Bowling Green, Ky.