Take a “Ride” on May 27 at Fort Worth’s Omni Theater and NCM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contacts: Margaret Ritsch
Office: 817/255-9411; Mobile: 817/913-6135
mritsch@fwmsh.org
DJ Latham
Office: 817/509-8991; Mobile: 817/715-2868
dlatham@cowgirl.net

From Morocco to Chile to Texas, a new IMAX® film and special exhibit reveal a global horse culture in all its gritty glory

Fort Worth’s Omni Theater and National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
to open film and related exhibit May 27

FORT WORTH, Texas – A new IMAX® film, Ride Around the World, takes you on a spectacular journey through Morocco, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, British Columbia and Texas, to meet vaqueros, gauchos, baqueanos and cowboys who are part of a single global horse culture – an unbroken trail stretching back 1,500 years. These rugged men and women were often first to settle the wild frontiers, lay the foundation in language, music and dress for the entire New World, and shape a culture.

Filmed in exotic and rarely visited locations, Ride Around the World includes some of the most spectacular horse footage ever seen on an IMAX® screen, truly a profound visual and cultural experience. The film premieres at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s Omni Theater May 27.

Ride: A Global Adventure, on display at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame May 27 through October 1, also looks at the international roots of the American cowboy and cowgirl. From the dusty deserts of Morocco to the high plains of the Four Sixes Ranch in West Texas, Ride: A Global Adventure takes you beyond the myth that all cowboys are from Texas. The classic American cowboy, although a universal icon, evolved over time and has counterparts in other corners of the world.

Ride: A Global Adventure showcases the physical differences in dress, tack and tools of diverse horse cultures seen in Ride Around the World while emphasizing their similarities. It reveals the long trail through time that brought forth the American cowboy. Starting with the early Moroccan warriors to the Spanish conquistadors and onto the Mexican vaqueros, cowboy figures emerged in the New World as far north as Canada and south as Patagonia. Regardless of how each culture developed the look and feel of their tools, people used horses to travel, explore new horizons and accomplish their work on the land. It is these international influences that cultivated the American cowboy and cowgirl and spawned a global adventure.

Ride: A Global Adventure is an original exhibit designed by Bob Weis Design Island Associates (Weiss was formerly with Walt Disney Imagineering, part of The Walt Disney Company.) It is a collaborative effort of the Cattle Raisers Museum, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, and National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Ride Around the World promises an international journey that will thrill audiences around the world while uniting them in a shared heritage. Ride Around the World is proudly presented by Ford Motor Company. Texas Highways magazine and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram are local sponsors of both the film and exhibit.

Fact Sheet
Ride Around the World and Ride: A Global Adventure
A film and exhibit experience

Film Venue:
Omni Theater
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
1501 Montgomery Street
Fort Worth, Texas

Exhibit Venue:
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
(within walking distance from the Omni Theater)
Featured Exhibit Gallery
1720 Gendy Street
Fort Worth, Texas

Description:
An IMAX® film, Ride Around the World takes you on a spectacular journey through Morocco, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, British Columbia and Texas, to meet vaqueros, gauchos, baquenos and cowboys who are part of a single global horse culture – an unbroken trail stretching back 1,500 years. It is the first large format film from Trinity Films, an award-winning television and film documentary company, led by producer/writer/director Harry Lynch, senior producer Jeff Fraley and producer Brady Dial. International horseman, writer and historian Jasper Winn served as story consultant and researcher. Cinematographers Rodney Taylor and David Douglas capture the dramatic action and stunning landscapes with the IMAX MSM camera. Line producer, Greg Eliason, formerly of Graphic Films, and production supervisor Danny Salas-Porras kept the production running smoothly. Celebrated composer Brian Satterwhite created the score.

Ride: A Global Adventure is an original exhibit inspired by the film, Ride Around the World. The exhibit highlights artifacts from horse cultures seen in the film and tells the international story of the American cowboy’s roots in global horse cultures. It is designed by Bob Weis Design Island Associates (Weiss was formerly with Walt Disney Imagineering, part of The Walt Disney Company) and is a collaborative effort of the Cattle Raisers Museum, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, and National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Film & Exhibit dates:
Saturday, May 27, 2006 through Sunday, October 1, 2006.

Press Preview
May 17, 2006
1 p.m. lunch and behind-the-scenes exhibit tour during installation at National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
1:45 p.m. film preview at Omni Theater
RSVP to: mritsch@fwmsh.org

Museum General Information:
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Dedicated to lifelong learning and anchored by our rich collections, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History engages our diverse community through creative, vibrant programs and exhibits interpreting science and the stories of Texas and the Southwest.

The Museum features four core exhibit galleries, including DinoDig® and KIDSPACE®; the Noble Planetarium, Museum School®; and the Omni Theater, an IMAX dome seven stories high. Since the mid-1980s, the Museum annually welcomes more than 800,000 visitors, making it one of the most popular cultural attractions in North Texas.

The Omni Theater is located at 1501 Montgomery Street in Fort Worth. For show times and ticket information, please call 817-255-9300 or visit www.fortworthmuseum.org.

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors and documents the lives of women who have distinguished themselves while exemplifying the pioneer spirit of the American West. Located in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, the museum is open seven days a week offering interactive exhibit galleries, three theaters, a western boutique and a grand rotunda housing the Hall of Fame.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is located at 1720 Gendy Street in Fort Worth. For more information, please call 817/336-4475 or visit www.cowgirl.net.

###