First Time’s a Charm For Steve Meadows In APHA World Ranch Trail

By: Brittany Bevis

Things are getting a little ranchy here at the 2018 APHA World Championship Show! Today’s competition thus far has been devoted entirely to the very popular segment of Ranch Riding classes.

The World Champion in the Open Ranch Trail Sweepstakes was a newcomer to the APHA World Show scene, but certainly not a newbie to the winner’s circle. Steve Meadows rode Sweet Spot Of Mine to win the class for owner, Catherine Herbert.

“Sweetie” is a pretty, five-year-old bay tobiano by The Sweet Spot. She began her career as a Reining horse with Meadows before he decided to expand her repertoire into Ranch Riding events.

“Her owner, Cathy Herbert, has learned how to do Ranch Riding with her as well,” Meadows says. “She had a great go earlier this week in Novice Amateur Ranch Riding and placed fourth at her very first big show, so it’s been a very good show so far.”

Steve has been showing in AQHA Ranch Riding classes since their inception in 2012 and has numerous titles to his credit. In fact, he has six head that he will be taking to major events this fall like the AQHA World Show and Quarter Horse Congress. However, this is his first time competing at the APHA World Show. He must have first-timer luck, because he remembers winning at his very first AQHA World Show as well, back in 1999, in Junior Western Pleasure with In Zippos Image.

Meadows was pleased with Sweetie’s performance, highlighting her ease with obstacles like the brush jump that other horses in the class found to be frightening. The pair also had to tangle with a less than cooperative cow.

“I had a really bad cow, and I was mad because he charged at the gate when we came in. I thought, ‘Man, oh man, This is going to kill me, but it ended up being a benefit to me, because I was able to load the cow into the trailer. It did give me some bonus points because it got real punchy! It got real cowboy.”

Also in this particular pattern, Meadows and Sweetie had to drag a log, trot and lope over poles, ride onto an elevated bridge and back off. When he’s at home in Virginia, Meadows is a big believer of treating his Ranch Riding horses like real working animals. “I have obstacles set up in a natural environment at home, and we work cattle with them. It’s so much fun to do.”

“It doesn’t take a precise show horse to be successful. It’s such a positive thing. The horses look natural. People can trail ride them on the weekends; they can let their grandchildren ride them; and they can go show them. It’s a very versatile thing.”

When Meadows is scouting a Ranch Riding prospect, he looks for a calm horse with pretty movement. “They have to be quiet, good movers, and they’ve got to deal with a lot of different things that other show horses don’t have to deal with.”

Here at the show, Meadows and Sweetie will compete in Ranch Riding, Ranch Reining, and Ranch Pleasure. “These classes are getting huge. They’re growing by leaps and bounds.”

The Reserve Champion was Nancie Wright with Unos Shiney Rooster. Third was Heather Young with Sonny’s Silver Scarlet. Fourth was Tania Morton with Christys Gotta Gun. Fifth was Rusty Rea with Wimpy McClain.