Arizona Fall Championship Shows 17% Increase Over Last Year’s Event
Sandra Morgan
By: Kristen Spinning
The Arizona Quarter Horse Association strives to give exhibitors what they want at all the shows they produce. Delivering towards that goal has been a big component of the upward trajectory of entries at the Arizona Fall Championship.
The 2018 show, held September 19-23 in Scottsdale, Arizona, saw 7,603 AQHA class entries, which represent 17% growth over the previous year. Exhibitors from across the country flocked to WestWorld for the event that has established a reputation as the “Show For Everyone”with its quality competition and awesome awards.
“We saw increases in class entries across the board,” says Doug Huls, Show Director and CEO of Arizona Quarter Horse Association. “I think a big draw for us is that we have great awards in all the levels.”
Circuit Champions in Levels 1, 2, and 3 received bronze trophies that were personalized for each discipline. The second and third place finishers in the circuit standings received embroidered denim jackets. Additionally, five Scottsdale Performance High Point trophy saddles were awarded. Best Of Show Awards meant that even more exhibitors went home with great prizes, and a variety of fun giveaways meant that anyone could be a winner.
Maria Salazar
The show offered leveled classes across a full schedule of Trail, Halter, Showmanship, Ranch Horse, Reining, Cattle, and Roping classes. While Scottsdale can be a little toasty in September, exhibitors enjoyed the cool comfort of three,indoor, air-conditioned arenas and warm-up areas. A few of the Ranch Horse classes were held outside in a covered arena. Leveling has always been a hallmark of this show. The ability to compete against peers is a big incentive for everyone, as seasoned veterans can match skills in L3, yet those relatively new to showing are confident that they have a fair shot in their own classes.Huls notes that the Level 1 Select Amateur classes saw significant increases this year. This highly inclusive show really reaches out beyond the standard rail and performance classes. This year, a Versatility Ranch Horse competition was offered, and AzQHA hosted a Trail Challenge using the natural desert area of the expansive WestWorld grounds.
Despite the explosive growth, classes were completed in a timely fashion each day. Schedules that allow for early completion times and professional staff are important to AzQHA when planning a show. The biggest addition this year was the use of a new computer system that increased efficiency. Class scribes used wi-fi enabled tablets to record judges’ scoring. At the end of each class, the placings were instantly transmitted to the announcer. The system cuts countless hours of hand scoring from each day, which allows classes to move fluidly. Tablets also facilitated check-in at each arena so the next class was always ready to go.
A mobile app system, Horse Show Tracker, was utilized for the first time to allow anyone on the grounds, or back home, quick access to results as well as draws and leaders in timed events. The combination of technological innovations proved to be a big hit with both exhibitors and staff. Huls and the show office staff have already identified opportunities where they can improve on the system to supply even more information in the future. Huls says, “AzQHA is committed to using this technology and advancing it so we can always deliver the best experience for exhibitors at this show and for Sun Circuit in March.”
The show also held several NSBA Futurities. Tom Forehand showed Cuz Im Sleepy with impressive style and movement earning top marks from the judges to the win the 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure. Owner, Julie Beard, showed that her horse had the consistency to repeat the win in the 3-Year-Old Non Pro division as well. Marvin Kapushion and Uptown Blazer were the champions in the Two-Year-Old Open Pleasure. On the English side, Sandra Morgan impressed the judges and won a championship in the Two-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle on her marvelously fluid Only Inthe Mechanics. Sandra was also center arena at the conclusion of the NSBA Three-Year-Old Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle. She claimed a second champion trophy riding her handsome, homebred, gray gelding, Willy In The Sky. Moving on to the Three-Year-Old Open NSBA Hunter Under Saddle, it was Deanna Searles who rocked it on The Best Jazz Album Yet to take top honors. A solid field of 18 turned out for the NSBA Three and Four-Year-Old Trail Futurity. It was an impressive class of junior horses; but, in the end, it was Sugaray, piloted beautifully though the poles by Chad Evans, who won the trophy for owner, Ashley Wilson.
Amateur exhibitors who showed in both Cutting and Cow Horse classes had their pick to enter either the $1,000 added Amateur Boxing Spectacular or the $1,000 added Amateur Spectacular where their Cutting and Reined Cow horse scores were combined. Champions received a handsome trophy buckle along with a cash award. Christina Hampton and Smart Time Tucker won the Amateur Spectacular, while Janye Vatcher and Tommy Olena picked up the Boxing Spectacular win.
Winner Winner!
Best of Show awards were presented in All Around classes, Ranch/Reining, and Cattle divisions for open, amateur, and youth. Open Champions received Professional’s Choice gift certificates for the Bob Avila Collection, a Cinch Jeans and shirt certificate, and a $100 Smart Pak gift certificate. Reserve Champs took home Professional’s Choice gift certificates. Amateur, Select, L1 Amateur, Youth, and L1 Youth Best of Show awards included Rod Patrick Ostrich Boots, Cinch Jeans and shirt certificates for the champions and Professional’s Choice gift certificate for Reserve.
Best of Show winners include:
· Open- Kelly Birkentholtz with Whose Your Bay Bae
· Open Level 1- Sue Gsell-Wade with Handsome I Will Be
· Open Ranch/Reining/Cattle- Sippin Boons Farm for owners, Eric and Wendy Dunn
· Amateur Ranch/Reining/Cattle- Christine Brannen with Boomin Miss Skeets
· Youth Ranch/Reining/Cattle- Gavin Hershberger with Jackies Buck Fever
· Level 1 Amateur- Ciera Bennett with Irwins Lil Bit Purdy
· Amateur-Carly Estreich Lueckwith Hez Kool
· Select Amateur- Kim Portney with Lopin Down The Lane
· Level 1 Youth- Sydney Ann Swallom with Pawn Star
· Youth- Hanna Olaussen with Wearin Only Moonlite
The ever-popular Prize Patrol routinely surprised exhibitors with fun challenges, Word-of-the-Day gifts, Wine Races, and trivia games, proving that anybody can be a winner at thisshow. Tom Forehand joined the Prize Patrol this year and injected a good deal of joviality into each of his tricky games. Roughly $8,000 worth of giveaways came in the form of 50 inchTVs, vendor gift certificates, jewelry, custom hats and electronics. This great assortment was sponsored by the Arizona Quarter Horse Association, Sami’s Fine Jewelry, Barbara’s Custom Hats, SmartPak, Standlee Feeds, Talon Air, Watson Hats, Show Me Again,and the Professional’s Choice Avila Collection.
Zoey Silver won the Ride-A-Buck Equitation Challenge where riders were required to trot and canter without stirrups while keeping a dollar between their legs and the saddle. Those Equitation ladies were a tough bunch, and it took quite a while beforeZoey was the last rider in the ring. She won a beautiful necklace from Sami Fine Jewelry for her efforts. She was also the winner of the Chap Race in L1 Am Horsemanship and received a Show Me Again gift certificate. The Gum Ball Guess Challenge was a new addition to the games lineup. Joy Cardelli went shopping with a $500 Show Me Again gift certificate for correctly guessing the number of gum balls while in the Trail pen. During the line-up of 19 Green Western Pleasure horses, Mike Hawkins guessed the exact number of gum balls in the jar and was awarded with a stunning $2,500 horseshoe ring from Sami Fine Jewelry.
The Ranch on the Rail Wine Race was such a hit that it ran in both amateur and open classes. Riders walked, jogged, and galloped while trying not to spill a drop from their wine glasses. Janye Vatcher had a steadyhand,even when she cowgirled-up and flew around the ring. She won a $500 gift certificate to Barbara’s Custom Hats. Laurel Walker Denton had a smooth horse and a solid seat to emerge victorious and was presented with a $500 gift certificate towards a Barbara’s Hat. The bouncy horses came in off the summer range for many fun races this year. The fame of these races has spread far and wide, so riders routinely line up a half hour before the race to pick their mounts and get in a little practice. A couple of 50-inch televisions, courtesy of Talon Air, were awarded. While all the races are racked with hilarity and fight-to-the-finish determination, it was Connor Cooper’s slow-motion worthy face plant over the finish line during the youth race that got the most notice. He won a $500 gift certificate to Barbara’s Hats.
On Sunday afternoon, the Fall Championship hosted an Interscholastic Scholarship Competition for Western riders. Four, Arizona IEA teams competed in Horsemanship and Reining classes. IEA is a national organization that’s open to public school, private school, and barn teams for grades 6-12. Participants don’t have to own a horse, and horses used at the shows are provided free of charge by enthusiastic supporters of the program. Each of the 10 classes awarded scholarship money for eligible youth. First place earned $500, while second received $300, and third place earned $200. The second annual Arizona Quarter Horse Association Scholarship Award interviews were also held on Sunday. All AZQHYA members were eligible to apply. Applicants had to answer a series of questions about their involvement in AQHA and other equine activities in front of an interview panel. Seven $1,000 scholarships were awarded to some very accomplished young people.
Arizona Quarter Horse packs a tremendous amount into this five-day extravaganza. It continues to tick all the boxes on exhibitor wish lists. The fun everyone has is evident in the smiles seen across the show grounds. You can be sure that 2019 will see even more horses at this show.
