92-year-old Duane Van Horn Marks His 45th AQHA Win in Two Years
December 5, 2023 Comments Off on 92-year-old Duane Van Horn Marks His 45th AQHA Win in Two Years
Update: We just heard from Duane at the end of November 2023, and what a rush it was! He’s still showing at age 92! This is what he had to say: “Still showing horses and winning at 92 years old! 45 wins in the last two years, all at AQHA shows. I’m so blessed,” he […]
Continue reading …Full Circle: Childhood Friendships And The Barn That Built Them
December 4, 2023 Comments Off on Full Circle: Childhood Friendships And The Barn That Built Them
For some it might seem like déjà vu when they spot a little girl in a vibrant purple outfit on a stout, talented gray horse. Both dressed in purple nearly three decades ago, Melissa Wolf (now Melissa Bercaw) and Brynne Bassler had great success on the horse “The Gray Hustler.” He was one of three horses that connected them–in more than one way–throughout their Youth careers, and now into adulthood.
Continue reading …Practical And Legal Issues When Equine Businesses Raise Rates
December 3, 2023 Comments Off on Practical And Legal Issues When Equine Businesses Raise Rates
Professionals in the equine industry want to be accommodating and affordable, yet the increasing cost of doing business makes that difficult. Prices continue to climb for just about everything–fuel, hay, feed, and workers. Unfortunately, professionals are often reluctant to seek rate increases. The question is how to raise rates in a manner that is both fair and legal. This article offers some suggestions.
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With heartbreak behind her, DIY Amateur Chrissy Alcorn reinvented a former cutting horse to show in Ranch events at the 2023 AQHA World Show By Delores Kuhlwein A horse lover since birth, Chrissy Alcorn of Bailey Oklahoma, thought she would be wrapping up her 2023 show season with her beloved mare, Six Lighted Star, […]
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Student-athletes preparing to go to college have big dreams. Some dream of playing in that big tournament in March. Others dream of hitting a home run and circling the diamond. It used to be that dreams like these–along with a few others–were the only ones available until the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) was formed as the governing body to advance the sport of equestrian as part of women’s collegiate athletics.
Continue reading …Leslie Hellman Of Hellman Therapeutics: Powered By Hands
December 1, 2023 Comments Off on Leslie Hellman Of Hellman Therapeutics: Powered By Hands
Leslie Hellman has a wonderful ability to heal painful bodies. Most riders have pain issues due to previous injuries, and many are now grateful for Hellman’s work. In 2002, Hellman was working with a chiropractor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but had no formal training. “The chiropractor said I had hands that would do amazingly well for message therapy and physical therapy. In 2006, I moved to Arizona, started working on my own and needed a license. I went back to school and began working with different message techniques. I took more than 3,000 hours of certifications in physical therapy and athletic training,” says Hellman.
Continue reading …Ann Woodruff – Back In The Pen After 40 Years
November 30, 2023 Comments Off on Ann Woodruff – Back In The Pen After 40 Years
After a 40-year break from the show pen, Ann Woodruff climbed back into a show saddle in 2021. She has enjoyed every moment since while showing her family’s horses.
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Tales from the Ranch Riding World …. By Jamie Walters Have you ever looked deep into your horse’s eyes and told him you love with so much emotion that it’s usually reserved for a lover or a young child? A few days ago, I was showing Flash and Stoney over in Arizona in some ranch […]
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Held from March 22-25th in Lexington, Virginia, the 2023 Spring Breakout and the Virginia Maiden boasted over 6,000 entries and total payouts of $169,000. The show started off with a special event day for AQHA and VRH Ranch classes then moved into a split/combined 6-judge AQHA show. The judges for the show were April and Casey Devitt, Clay MacLeod, Sandy Curl, Rick Christy, and Dolly Chayer. Show management services were provided by Topline Event Management headed by Christian Jauntig.
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Perhaps no other maneuver is more overlooked when preparing for a pattern class than the back. Perfecting the challenging maneuvers –lead changes, square corners, transitions–is where exhibitors naturally focus their time and effort as those elements require more skill and strategy. But when it comes to the judges’ scoresheets, the back as its own maneuver is worth just as much as those more brow-raising pattern elements and is far too often an afterthought for exhibitors.
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