Keep Your Distance Circuit Was Big Hit With Jackpot Classes, Added Money, Challenges and More

Arkansas Quarter Horse

The Arkansas Quarter Horse Association’s Memorial Day circuit and Stanford Happening was renamed the “Keep Your Distance” circuit and was moved to Kay Rogers Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas with only three weeks left to plan after Arkansas’s governor lifted some restrictions for large outdoor venues. A COVID-19 Action Plan was drafted and approved by the ArQHA board of directions via email. The plan was based on the most recent guidance from federal, state, and other public health officials and set in motion requirements and recommendations to minimize the risk of infection to organizers and participants.

The restrictions reinforced good hygiene and social distancing practices, as well as minimizing contact between show staff and exhibitors by collecting all entries through an online form, sending out mass show updates with class numbers and break times, and exhibitors texting in scratches and adds. No one was allowed in the show office. All business was done through a window in the office. Patterns were only available online and results and score sheets were only shared through electronic means to mitigate the risk of virus spread by the manual transfer of paper. Payouts for Stanford and jackpot classes will be mailed within two weeks.

There were great numbers in Trail classes with a total of over 30 during both days in Level 3 and Level 2 combined. There were also over 15 in L1 Trail, Amateur Ranch Riding, Senior Western Pleasure, and Level 1 Ranch Riding. Despite a few rain showers, the weekend had mild weather and a lot of sunshine. Everyone raved about the venue with the open-air arena, large covered warm-up arena, and the relaxed atmosphere of the whole show.

Probably the most exciting part of the show was the Stanford Happening and Jackpot classes. The Stanford Happening paid out over $2,000 and awarded 21 buckles to exhibitors in Western Pleasure, Walk-Trot, and Ranch Riding classes. The $1,000 added Blind Horsemanship Challenge took place Saturday evening at the end of the show. The youth association held a silent auction Calcutta during the day for people to bid on who they thought would win. The highest bidder who bid on the Blind Horsemanship Challenge winner would get 30% of the pot and 70% would go to ArQHYA.

They raised around $1,100, and the highest overall bidder was Nancy Chapman, who bid $250 on Sidney Kay Dunham. 17 total exhibitors ended up trying their hand at the challenge, but the judges later said that they were getting nervous because no one had completed the pattern correctly after 15 exhibitors! They were trying to figure out what to do if no one did it correct. However, Shelby Layne Ridgway and A Radical Bonus stepped up (on the correct side of the cone) and completed the pattern correctly, easing the judges’ minds. Shelby ended up being the only exhibitor to complete the pattern correctly and walked away with the total $1,510 jackpot. Andi Ridgway was the highest bidder on Shelby and walked away with $350 from the Calcutta!

Another hit took place on Monday when the $1,000 added 4D Jackpot Trail was held concurrently with all of the AQHA Trail classes. There were 57 entries and it paid out $1,780! People loved the fact that their scores rolled over to the jackpot and that no extra showing had to be done. The highest average score ended up being a 77.75 set by This Is Why Im Here, shown by Nancy Alto-Renfro, and Snap Krackle Pop, shown by Kendra Weis, both shown in the Level 3 Trail. They split the 1D Champion and Reserve money and walked away with $187.43 each. The 2D Champion was Lazy Bonez, shown by Nancy Alto-Renfro, winning $183.60. 3D Champion was Romance N Moonlight, shown by Tim Wildes, winning $122.40, and the 4D Champion was Cierras Beauty Sleep, shown by Reba Byrd, winning $91.80.

Stanford Results:

Level 1 Walk Trot 11 & Over

Champion – Jennifer Jackson with Babby Got Batt ($162, buckle, and neck ribbon)

Reserve (tie) – Cindy Ferguson with Unbelievably Lazy ($66 and buckle)

Reserve (tie) – Bryce Sossamon with HP Double Investment ($66 and buckle)

Reserve (tie) – Katelin Schramm with Im So Gorgeous ($66 and buckle)

Walk Trot 10 & Under

Champion – Aubrey Stanley with Im Good N Awesome

Reserve – Greta Grace Troutt with Moonlite Sonata

Third – Willa Bruce with Krymsun Charisma

Level 1 Non-Pro Western Pleasure

Champion – Madison Renfro with Good Cuz Im Lazy ($360, buckle, and neck ribbon)

Reserve – Amanda Ready with MWS Flashn My Jacks ($216 and buckle)

Third – Cindy Furguson with Unbelievably Lazy ($144)

Fourth – Amanda Childers with Catcha Good Chip ($80)

Open Ranch Riding

Champion – A Busy Affair with Bob Johnson ($428 and buckle)

Reserve and Highest Placing Non-Pro – Suddenlyoutoftheblue with Julie Crossland ($257 and two buckles)

Third – Buck Roo with Abby Lewis ($171)

Fourth – Super Diva Ziva with Dr. Beth Evans ($95)

Youth Western Pleasure

Champion – Spencer Hardin with KM Nothin Better

Reserve – Sidney Dunham with Huntin for Rhythm

Amateur Western Pleasure

Champion – Kay Hardin with KM Nothin Better

Reserve – Whitney Ward with Kissin Dynamite

Select Western Pleasure

Champion – Steve Niblett with Good Miss Sudden

Reserve – Claudia Peeler with Cookin It Up Hot

L1 Youth Ranch Riding

Champion – Meghan Renfro with Du The Step

Reserve – Sophie Palmer with Lu Stop

L1 Amateur Ranch Riding

Champion – Julie Crossland with Suddenlyoutoftheblue

Reserve – Tangie Denzer with Chocolate Chexed

Blind Horsemanship and 4D Trail results:

Champion – A Radical Bonus with Shelby Layne Ridgway ($1,510 and neck ribbon)

4D Trail Jackpot

1D

Champion (tie) – This is Why Im Here with Nancy Alto-Renfro (L3) $187.43

Champion (tie) – Snap Krackle Pop with Kendra Weis (L3) $187.43

Third – Cadillac In Black with Kyla Jackson (Yth) $107.10

Fourth – Lazy Bonez with Nancy Alto-Renfro (L1) $53.55

2D

Champion – Lazy Bonez with Nancy Alto-Renfro (L2) $183.60

Reserve – Lazy Looker with Brian Brady (Am) $137.70

Third – Protect Me Honey with Kendra Weis (L3) $91.80

Fourth (tie) – Zip Along Home with Meghan Renfro (L1 Yth) $11.48

Fourth (tie) – Our Sleepy Valentine with Kyle Simmons (L2) $11.48

Fourth (tie) – Our Sleepy Valentine with Kyle Simmons (L3) $11.48

Fourth (tie) – Huntin For Rhythm with Sidney Kay Dunham (L3) $11.48

3D

Champion – Romance N Moonlight with Tim Wildes  (L1) $122.40

Reserve (tie) – Zip Along Home with Meghan Renfro (Yth) $45.90

Reserve (tie) – Suddenly Shez Lazy with Tim Wildes (L2) $45.90

Reserve (tie) – Suddenly Shez Lazy with Tim Wildes (L3) $45.90

Reserve (tie) – Zip Along Home with Meghan Renfro (L3) $45.90

4D

Champion – Cierras Beauty Sleep with Reba Byrd (L1 Am) $91.80

Reserve – SST Billy Ray with Travis Duit (L1) $68.85

Third – Im Just Kinda Lazy with Sam Faulkner (L1 Yth) $45.90

Fourth – Cierras Beauty Sleep with Reba Byrd (Am) $22.95

Level 1 Open Side Pot

Champion – Lazy Bones with Nancy Alto-Renfro – $125

Reserve – Lopin Dream Machine with Cory Everhart – $75

Third – Just Say Im Hot with Kyle Simmons – $50

Arkansas Quarter Horse’s next show will be held in Texarkana, AR on December 4-6 with six judges. Stay up to date by liking Arkansas Quarter Horse (fb.me/ArkansasQuarterHorse) on Facebook and check our website (arkansasquarterhorse.com) for updates. We hope to see you there!

We want thank to our sponsors one last time for making this show happen: Equine Omega Complete, Renovo Equine Allograft, Ferguson Tack Store, Pearson Show Horses, Nancy Chapman, Andi Ridgway, Summit Joint Performance –  Jessica Parris, Cindy Reese Furgerson, H&P Ranch, Despino Performance Horses, Mike & Mary Jo Lewis, Jasper Springs Ranch, Shelby Layne Photography, Edward Jones – Kaye Nell Ochetto, Diamond R Heating & Air, The Beaty Family, Brian Brady, A&D Performance Horses, EH Pait Quarter Horses, Fuller Tails, The Hardin Family, Jeff Honey Quarter Horses, Mark and Emily Russell, Ginger Lewis, and Karen Brown.