The men of the Southwest Reining Horse Association looked a little different on Friday night, October 29. In fact, with some of them, it took more than a few glances to figure out who it was! They were all participating in a fashion show to benefit Rein In Cancer. Top reiners wore lingerie, evening wear, high heels and even a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader outfit!

The 16 brave participants strutted the cat-walk amidst hoots and catcalls, and were then auctioned off, with the winner being crowned Miss SWRHA and earning the privilege of being the “Cover Girl” on a special calendar that will be printed with monthly pin-up “girls”! The auction brought in $6,250, and all the proceeds will go to Rein In Cancer. The men were all photographed by super photographers Dick Waltenberry and Primo Morales for the 2011 Calendar, which will soon be available to purchase at www.reinincancer.com, www.swrha.com, and at selected locations at upcoming equine events.

“This is actually kind of a repeat of an SWRHA fundraising calendar, which was ‘Womanless Wedding’ calendar done in 1990,” SWRHA President Jack Covington said. In that edition, now a collector’s item (for some), reiners like Randy Paul, John Hoyt, Bob Loomis and Tim McQuay were immortalized in a look far different than their usual starched jeans and pressed shirts.

“We’re thrilled that SWRHA is resurrecting their calendar and donating the proceeds from it to Rein In Cancer,” said Cheryl Magoteaux, one of Rein In Cancer’s founders. “I know it will be as big a hit as the last calendar.”

And the night was pure fun. “I laughed so much my face hurt,” said one attendee. “This is great!”

With multiple NRHA Futurity and World Champion Craig Johnson (himself an alumni of the last calendar) handling the auctioneering and announcer Wayne Wise providing biographical information, the bidders became more generous as the night went on. The last entry – who became the auction winner and new Miss SWRHA – was Gunny Mathison, who appeared as “Bunny the Cheerleader” sporting a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader outfit complete with pompoms! “This is a little embarrassing – OK a lot embarrassing,” noted the Texas trainer. “But we have a client in our barn who has breast cancer so we felt strongly about participating.”

Rick Ford, of Cinder Lakes Ranch, placed the winning bid on Mathison and agreed, “This was lots of fun. But we all remember that beyond that, it’s for a great cause.”

The SWRHA and Rein In Cancer thanked all the men who participated in the show, including Patrice St. Onge, Brent Loseke, John Hoyt, Ron Thompson, Zane Haverty, Kinzy Donnelly, Casey Deary, Brian Bell, Gabe Hutchins, Stefano Calcagnini, Joe Schmidt, Josh Visser, Jared LeClair, Sebastion Petroll, Lance Griffin, and Gunny Mathison.

An equine-industry group, Rein In Cancer was created by Magoteaux, Shorty Koger and Tracie Anderson in 2007 to recognize the willingness of the horse community to help with the fight against cancer. It has raised thousands upon thousands of dollars to support care for cancer patients, help fund treatment and contribute to the Shirley Bowman wing at the OU Cancer Institute in Oklahoma City. For information on Rein In Cancer, visit the website at www.reinincancer.com.

For more information on the Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity, or to inquire about the SWRHA, please call 580-759-2572, or visit www.swrha.com.