Powell Tribune: Equitrekking Films in Cody- Aug. 10, 2006

By Sean Thompson
Tribune Staff Writer

A television show that travels the globe in search of the best in equestrian travel was in Park Country earlier this month filming segments for a show that will air nationally next year.

The series "Equitrekking" chose the Cody area to be featured in its "Equitrekking: Destination Wyoming" episode. Series creator, producer and host, Darley Newman and a production crew were in the area last week. The crew filmed wild horses in the McCullough Peaks Tuesday, and the terrain left an impression with Newman.

"It's beautiful," she said. "The scenery was really striking."

Other points of interest filmed earlier in the week in Cody included Old Trail Town, the Cody Nite Rodeo, the gunfight outside The Irma Hotel, shopping in downtown Cody and an interview about Yellowstone National Park's ecosystem with Curator Charles Preston of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Segments to be filmed later in the week included riding at the UXU Ranch west of Cody toward Yellowstone, and horseback riding in the Shoshone National Forest and in Yellowstone.

With the help of the Dude Ranchers' Association Executive Director Colleen Hodson, the Cody area was chosen for the show because of its strong ties to horses and horse owners, and it's location near Yellowstone.

"Cody is the gateway to Yellowstone and there were a lot of different activities that made sense for our show," Newman said.

Newman was surprised by the number of horses she has seen while driving from location to location.

"You see horses everywhere," she said. "I didn't realize what a big area this was for riding."

The show is slated to appear on PBS stations in 2007, Newman said. The half-hour program will also feature footage from ranches outside of Jackson and Dubois.

Segments from the show will be posted before its airing at www.equitrekking.com. A blog about Newman's travels in Wyoming also can be viewed at www.equisearch.com.