All group speaker and break out speaker Patricia Petrina:

My name is Patricia Petrina, I am in love with the outdoors and any way I can drag my horses into them. I started riding when I was 10 on a hand-me-down horse from my aunt, I did 4-H horse all through school and worked at a dude ranch for 12 years. I went to college for a bachelor’s in nursing and graduated in the peak of COVID. I had a hard start to nursing and wanted to plan a trip to give me something to look forward to, that was when I started planning my Long Ride.  I had never packed before, so a good friend sent me a flyer for a free back country horsemen packing clinic in Plains, MT and I jumped at the opportunity. After that I was hooked, I joined the BCH of Plains (even though it is about 120 miles from my house) and began training my horses and myself how to pack. 3 years later we completed 2,570 miles from Mexico to Canada.

Break out speaker Jackie Stewart:

Jackie Stewart is a Montana native who discovered her true calling with horses during her first ride at just two years old. A lifetime of experience began like that of many horse-crazed kids—galloping through the sagebrush before she could even reach the stirrups.  She later moved on to rodeo competition, showing in multiple disciplines, and colt training. In 2012, Jackie began her career in law enforcement, and in 2015 she founded Gallatin County’s first Mounted Patrol Unit with the Sheriff’s Office. Jackie will share her experience developing the program and how that journey ultimately led her to Terry Nowaki’s Air Scenting Clinic in 2025. Her story is a reminder that there is always more to learn—about our horses and ourselves. 

Break out speaker Tamara Erickson:

Tamara Erickson is the owner and operator of Sundown Saddlery in Bozeman, Montana, where she designs and builds custom Western saddles, tack, chaps, and chinks- each piece thoughtfully crafted with precision. After a career change in 2017, Tamara turned her lifelong passion for horses and deep interest in saddle design and fit into a professional pursuit. She enrolled at the Montana Horseman Saddle School in Belgrade, Montana, completing both chaps and chinks construction and saddle-building programs, where she built her first custom saddle for her beloved horse, Sundown. That first ride in a handmade saddle sparked not just a business, but a calling.

Committed to mastering her craft, Tamara has continued her education extensively in leatherworking, English and Western saddle repair, and Western saddle fitting. Her dedication and skill led her to return to Montana Horseman Saddle School as an instructor, where she worked closely with her mentor, Dale Moore, and taught many aspiring saddle makers the increasingly rare art of building handmade, custom Western saddles.

Keynote Speaker Ryan (Cal) Callaghan:

Ryan (Cal) Callaghan is a conservationist and content creator for MeatEater, and the president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA).  Callaghan is a lifelong outdoorsman who grew up in the West hunting, fishing and guiding.  He’s a former First Lite employee and served as the chair of BHA’s North American board.