2017 Lucas Oil AQHA World Show Wrap Up
AQHA Publicity
That’s a wrap on the 2017 Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show! Amateur and open exhibitors from the United States, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom competed for 99 world championships and 90 Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan)Level 2 Championships champion titles.
More than 2,100 horses and 1,530 exhibitors competed in western, English and halter events, with more than 4,800 entries in these events. View the results at www.aqha.com/worldshow. In addition to Level 3 and Adequan® Level 2 classes, the Lucas Oil AQHA Superhorse, AQHA All-Around Amateur, OKC Leading Owner, The American Quarter Horse Journal Reserve Leading Owner, Adequan® Level 2 open and amateur high-point halter exhibitors and the top AQHA Ranching Heritage-bred horses in both the amateur and open divisions were awarded at the show.
If you were unable to join us in Oklahoma City, or missed the free live webcast, brought to you by Bank of America, be sure to check out the results at www.aqha.com/worldshow. You can also watch The American Quarter Horse Journal’s “Journal Winning Run” interviews with each world champion, starring the best riders in the world.
AQHA Professional Horsemen volunteered their time to give free Ride the Pattern clinics, presented by Nutrena. These clinics gave exhibitors and spectators the perfect opportunity to learn how AQHA Professional Horsemen would approach a specific 2017 Lucas Oil World class or pattern. Thanks in part to Nutrena’s generosity to match the amount donated at the Ride the Pattern clinics, the Professional Horsemen Crisis Fund raised more than $4,400. The AQHA Professional Horsemen also hosted an online auction raising more than $22,000 for the crisis fund.
Special Awards
The Lucas Oil Superhorse title is awarded to the horse that earns the most points in three or more Level 3 events in three categories during the show. This year, 27 contenders competed to take home this prestigious award. BFR Igniting Sparks, owned by Beechfork Ranch of Weatherford, Texas, was crowned the 2017 Lucas Oil Superhorse. The 2009 palomino stallion by Shining Spark and out of Sliden Wright By, was bred by G. Scott Gaddy of Clements, California. BFR Igniting Sparks was shown by Matt Koch of Douglas, Wyoming; Jeff Chapman of Union, Mississippi; Jay Lyn Wadhams of Pueblo, Colorado; and Dustin Rogers of Pueblo, Colorado. The team earned 51 points by earning the world championship title in senior working cow horse, reserve world championship title in senior heading, placed fourth in senior tie-down roping, ninth in senior ranch riding and aged stallions, and was a finalist in senior heeling and senior reining. Read more about the top five Lucas Oil Superhorse winners.
The 2017 AQHA All-Around Amateur Award is presented to the exhibitor and horse team that earned the most points in three or more Level 3 amateur events in three categories during the show. This year, 14 contenders qualified to compete for the title. Johnna Letchworth of Horace, North Dakota, was crowned the 2017 AQHA All-Around Amateur. Letchworth showed her American Quarter Horse Krymsun Kryptonite. The 2012 brown gelding, by One Hot Krymsun and out of Sweet Talkin Jeannie, was bred by Rick Meredith of Granbury, Texas. The pair earned 40 points. They placed third in amateur hunt seat equitation and amateur horsemanship, fifth in amateur performance halter geldings, eighth in amateur showmanship and were finalists in amateur trail. Read more about the top five AQHA All-Around Amateur exhibitors.
The Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau Leading Owner is awarded to the owner who has the highest number of points accumulated for their horses entered at the Lucas Oil World in both the Level 3 classes and Adequan® Level 2 classes. The owner must have three horses entered at the show to be eligible. This year’s OKC Leading Owner was Amy Jo Erhardt of Oxford, Ohio. The American Quarter Horse Journal Reserve Leading Owner was awarded to Colette Lesh of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
As a part of this year’s $105,000 Halter Bonanza, $2,500 was awarded to both the Adequan® Level 2 high-point amateur and Adequan® Level 2 high-point open halter exhibitors. These awards were made possible by generous donations from Steve and Kathy Headley, Linda and Gary Gordon, and Terry and Tammy Bradshaw. The Adequan® Level 2 amateur high-point halter exhibitor was Mariah Gipson of Oxford, Ohio. The Adequan® Level 2 open high-point halter exhibitor was Chris Riedle of Caldwell, Idaho. AQHA is excited to extend the Halter Bonanza at the Lucas Oil World for 2018 through 2020. More than $450,000 will be added to halter classes for the next three years, thanks to the generosity of a few special sponsors.
For the amateur and open divisions, the owners and breeders of the top AQHA Ranching Heritage-bred horses all received $250. In the amateur division, there was a tie between Guns A Flippin and Mecom Easter. Samantha Struhall of Royse City, Texas, rode the 2006 grey gelding Guns A Flippin (Playgun-Flips Lil Angel by Colonel Flip), bred by Wagonhound Land/Livestock LLC of Douglas, Wyoming, and Bryan A. Blackman of Healdton, Oklahoma, rode the 2007 sorrel mare Mecom Easter (Mecom Blue-Doc Lady Wilson by Doc Wilson), bred by Wichita Ranch of Brenham, Texas. In the open division, Robert L. Chown took home the win with the 2010 palomino gelding A Lil Dab Will Do (Cat Man Do-Dainty Little Step by Wimpys Little Step), bred by W.T. Waggoner Estate of Vernon, Texas. A Lil Dab Will Do is owned by the L & K Barker Family Trust of Whitesboro, Texas.
About the Lucas Oil World
The Lucas Oil World is the premier event in the equine industry. The show brings together exhibitors, owners, breeders and fans of the American Quarter Horse from around the world for two weeks of exciting competition, educational opportunities and a bountiful trade show.
Lucas Oil is proud to be the title sponsor for the 2017 Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show. Other show and event sponsors include Adequan®, Bank of America, B&W Trailer Hitches, Cripple Creek, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ford, John Deere, Justin Boots, Markel Insurance Co., Montana Silversmiths, Nutrena, SmartPak, Wrangler, Zoetis, The American Quarter Horse Journal, American Quarter Horse Foundation, Iconoclast, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, State Fair Park, Four Sixes Ranch, USRider, Elite Stall Mat Rentals and Metro Golf Cars.
For more information on the Lucas Oil World visit www.aqha.com/worldshow.
AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter and visit www.aqha.com/news.
