At the 2014 Color Breed Congress, set for November 4-9 at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex at Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Rein In Cancer will continue its Ride With A Ribbon campaign.
Ride With A Ribbon debuted at the National Reining Breeders Classic in April and was a resounding success. Exhibitors could choose to Ride with a Ribbon by wearing a cancer awareness ribbon (available free at the Rein In Cancer display) on themselves or their horse during competition. Then they simply wrote their name and the name of the person they wished to honor with their ride on the Ride With a Ribbon Board displayed at the show.
Rein In Cancer President, Cheryl Magoteaux Cody said, “This program really resonated for attendees at the NRBC and we’re excited to present it again at the Color Breed Congress. Almost everyone has a connection with a cancer patient and so many folks were glad to honor special individuals in their lives.”
She continued, “People have been amazed that there are so many different types of cancer and the various colors of ribbons really help increase awareness while honoring some very special people.”
The Ride With A Ribbon program came to be after Cheryl lost a lifelong friend to ovarian cancer. Before her passing, the two friends talked regularly, often before Cheryl was going to compete and her friend would say how much she wished she could be there.
Cheryl started painting a teal ribbon (for ovarian cancer) on her horse’s hip or pinning a teal ribbon on her shirt or saddle pad, then would send a picture from the competition showing the ribbon with a note that said her friend was there riding with her – every single step. It meant so much to her bedridden friend to feel she was a part of something she could no longer do and enabled Cheryl to remember her friend each time she entered the arena.
People participating in the Color Breed Congress can choose to ride with a ribbon honoring someone special and they may also pledge a percentage of their earnings to Rein In Cancer, although pledging is not necessary for participation.
Ribbons will be available free at the Rein In Cancer display in the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex. Cody noted, “We’re excited to begin our partnership with the Pinto Horse Association by featuring the Ride With A Ribbon program at this event.”
“We are pleased to have an organization that shows support to others by providing cancer awareness at the Color Breed Congress,” said Darrell Bilke, COO and VP of Pinto Horse Association of America. “Honor someone special by wearing a ribbon during the show.”
The vast array of ribbons available includes:
Pink – Breast Cancer
Teal – Ovarian Cancer
Pearl – Lung Cancer
Purple – Pancreatic Cancer & Leiomyosarcoma
Orange – Leukemia & Kidney
Black – Melanoma
Navy – Colon Cancer
Burgundy – Multiple Myeloma
Grey – Brain Cancer
Blue – Prostate Cancer
Gold – Childhood Cancer & Osteosarcoma
Burgundy & Ivory – Head & Neck Cancer
Lime – Lymphoma
Peach – Uterine Cancer
Teal & White – Cervical Cancer
Yellow – Sarcoma/Bone Cancer & Bladder Cancer
Green – Liver Cancer
Lavender – All Cancers
Periwinkle – Esophageal & Stomach Cancer
Teal/Pink/Blue – Thyroid Cancer
Orchid – Testicular Cancer
Amber – Appendix Cancer
Marigold, Blue & Purple – Bladder Cancer
Zebra Print – Carcinoid Cancer
Rainbow – Adrenocortical carcinoma
Rein In Cancer is a 501-c3 tax-exempt organization that raised funding to create and run the Shirley Bowman Nutrition Center at Oklahoma University’s Stephenson Cancer Institute in Oklahoma City. It currently furnishes direct financial support to cancer patients who are part of the horse industry. With over $1 million raised, founders Shorty Koger, Cheryl Cody, and Tracie Anderson credit the generosity of the horse world, through bequests, memorials, promotions and gifts.