Ft. Concho Cavalry Gallops into National Competition

SAN ANGELO, TX -- Fort Concho Cavalry members Ron Perry and Rick Dill competed in the annual National Cavalry Competition at Fort Reno, Oklahoma, Sept. 27-30. Dill placed second in the Combat Horsemanship event among 12 entries.              

Dill also finished sixth out of 14 riders in the final competition round, called the Bolte Cup, named for retired Brig. Gen. Phil Bolte, a longtime chairman of the board of the United States Cavalry Association. The USCA runs the event and holds its annual meeting at historic Fort Reno during the competition.

Perry noted most of the riders were active-duty military personnel from forts Hood, Sill, Carson, Riley, Irwin and Huachuca.

“Rick and I were among the few civilian riders, and probably the most senior at that,” Perry said. “It was an honor to participate beside these true heroes.”

Fort Concho Manager Bob Bluthardt was awarded the Cavalry Medal at the USCA’s closing banquet. Bluthardt noted the award “really reflects Fort Concho’s support of the USCA and its programs.” San Angelo and Fort Concho hosted the organization’s annual meeting in 2000, the annual meeting and the national competition in 2010, and two successful regional events in 2016 and 2017.

The Fort Concho Cavalry program has participated in the national competition about 10 years and fully supports the regional competition at Fort Concho in late April. The 2018 regional will be April 18-21.

The USCA, founded in 1976, preserves and promotes the heritage of the mounted military service. Its new home at historic Fort Reno, an Army post in the late 1800s and early 1900s, is just west of Oklahoma City. For more information on the USCA, visit uscavalry.org.