In A Whisper, the most highly anticipated documentary film of the year, is an insightful, entertaining, two-hour program that challenges the best in the world. Craig Cameron, Josh Lyons and Pat Parelli are simply phenomenal.
 
   The In A Whisper Challenge takes place in the historical Sundance Square in the middle of downtown Fort Worth, Texas. An environment that would be challenging for even a well trained and seasoned horse.
 
   This first ever contest was set up as fairly as possible so that each trainer would be competing on equal ground. The production wranglers chose six horses from the same ranch. All six horses were the same age, equal breeding, and same sex. The only human interaction these animals experienced in the first two years of life was being gelded. Not the best working relationship!
 
   On August 3, 2002 all six horses were rounded up and hauled to Sundance Square where they where randomly sorted into six pens. From a hat where the trainers then randomly drew for two horses each. They had ten minutes to look over their two horses and choose the one they felt could best handle the challenge.
 
   After the selection process the wranglers pushed the newly chosen horses to their individual round pens. The horses were moved through paneled ally ways to prevent any human handling. Each trainer was given two and a half hours to work their horse in preparation for the challenge at the end of the evening. They were given free choice of tack and equipment and were provided one production wrangler each to assist them with their tack.
 
   The judged portion of the challenge at the end of the evening consisted of three sections:
  • First, the rail work or general handling ability. Walk, jog and lope on the rail in both directions. Turn backs, 360 degree turns in both directions, stopping and standing for ten seconds and backing their horse.
     
  • Second, the obstacle course consisting of seven obstacles.
    1. Walking through an hourglass cedar log path.
    2. Walking through a zigzag cedar log path.
    3. Walking over three cedar logs.
    4. An elevated jump or step over.
    5. Trotting a "figure 8" around two 55 gallon barrels.
    6. Taking a rope from a standing pole, which was attached to a cedar log, and dragging the log around the arena.
    7. Roping a bail of hay and dragging the bail around the arena.
     
  • Third, a free style giving each trainer the opportunity to do anything he feels his horse is ready for.
   All of this in front of nearly 2,500 spectators in the middle of Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth, Texas along with the additional pressure of eight cameras capturing all the action up close and personal.
 
 
 
 
 
Judges For In A Whisper
 
   MARION BUEHLER has over thirty years experience training, showing and breeding Arabian horses. Her accomplishments include U.S. National Western Pleasure top tens, multiple Western Pleasure Regional Top 5's, and Reserve Championships. Mrs. Buehler's training experience also includes exotic animals. She has trained dolphins, sea lions, chimpanzees, macaw parrots and is currently fostering three Bengal tigers, a hybrid timberwolf and is the proud new owner of her first Zebra.
 
   BOB MOORHOUSE is Vice-President and General Manager of the Pitchfork Ranch. He is a director of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, a director of the American Quarter Horse Association, director of the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in Ft. Worth, director of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, and many more great Associations. A collection of Mr. Moorhouse's photographs has become the AQHA's first traveling exhibit. It has traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe, entitled "Hoof Beats on the Pitchfork Ranch". Mr. Moorhouse has two National Ranch Working Horse Championships and one Reserve Championship. His latest honor was being inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
 
   DALE SEGRAVES since college graduation, has been involved in the horse industry either as an owner / buyer / seller / or agent with marketing in excess of fifteen thousand head of American Quarter Horses and American Paint Horses ranging in market value from the least expensive, well into the six digit figures. He is also heavily involved in equine appraisals, consultation, publishing, and management of purebred horse auctions performed for private individuals, ranches, breeding farms, livestock insurance companies and court trials. Mr. Segraves was till 2003 principle partner and owner of the Downtown Futurity Festival Preferred Performance Sale which in 1998 became the all-time highest averaging sale of cutting horses to ever be held during the annual National Cutting Horse Association Futurity. That years sale averaged $38,331 per horse.
 
 
 
FINAO FILMS
PRESENTS
ROPE THE MOON PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MICHAELSON PRODUCTIONS
IN A WHISPER
CRAIG CAMERON JOSH LYONS AND PAT PARELLI EDITOR STEPHAN SILVEY
ANNOUNCER / NARRATOR SAM SMITH ANNOUNCER BOB TALLMAN
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR LAWREN SUNDERLAND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CHAZZ ROSE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JAMES LAGESSE PRODUCERS AMANDA MICALLEF TOOTIE BAILEY BLAND JAY MICHAELSON
DIRECTORS JOE LICHTIE JAY MICHAELSON