Top Ranch Horse Bred Horses at 2017 AQHA World
Bryan Blackman and Mecom Easter accept their award from AQHA Chief Show Officer Pete Kyle. PHOTO: AQHA Photo
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Three horses performing at the Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show took home more than just shiny globe trophies – they brought home additional cold, hard cash, just for being Ranching Heritage-bred horses.
The AQHA Ranching Heritage program spotlights horses produced by an AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeder. These horses showcase the qualities of a good working ranch horse.
Ranching Heritage-bred horses can succeed in many venues. They are also exclusively eligible to compete in Zoetis AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenges. Owners can check a horse’s Ranching Heritage eligibility by calling competition coordinator Terrie Lovelady at 806-378-4341. For full details on the program, visit www.aqha.com/ranching.
This year, Ranching Heritage horses in both the amateur and open divisions at the Lucas Oil World earned special prizes, including a trophy and $250 cash for the owner, and an additional $250 for the breeder of the horse.
The amateur winners tied, as they were actually partners competing on the amateur team penning world championship team.
Samantha Struhall of Royse City, Texas, rode Guns A Flippin, while Bryan Blackman of Healdton, Oklahoma, rode Mecom Easter. The two partnered with Ryan Smith to earn a golden trophy.
Guns A Flippin is an 11-year-old gelding bred by Wagonhound Land and Livestock LLC of Douglas, Wyoming. The gray is a son of Playgun and out of the Colonel Flip mare Flips Lil Angel. He is a previous finalist in open team penning, and also earned more than $17,000 in National Cutting Horse Association competition. He is a half-brother to performers Opus Cat ($59,385) and Code Six Cat ($43,980).
Mecom Easter comes from the breeding program of the Witchita Ranch at Brenham, Texas. A veteran team penning performer at the Lucas Oil World, this is the 10-year-old’s first world championship. The mare is by Mecom Blue and out of the Doc Wilson mare Doc Lady Wilson. She is a half-sister to world champion cutter I CD Doc (by CD Olena).
Earning yet another honor is A Lil Dab Will Do, who was the top open Ranching Heritage-bred horse. The palomino gelding, who was also the top RHB horse last year, this year was reserve world champion in the open senior working cow horse.
He was shown by Robert Chown, and is owned by the L&K Barker Family Trust of Whitesboro, Texas. Last year, he was also reserve world champion in the same class, and the prior year was world champion in the junior working cow horse. He has earned more than $87,000 in his career to date.
The 2010 gelding is by Cat Man Do and out of the Wimpys Little Step mare Dainty Little Step. He was bred by the W.T. Waggoner Estate of Vernon, Texas.
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