Around the Rings – 2024 Arizona Sun Circuit – Saturday, March 9th

March 10, 2024 | Filed under: Around The Ring Galleries,Featured,Show Results & Gallery | Posted by: Delores Kuhlwein

Saturday, March 9th, was the last Saturday at Arizona Sun Circuit, and all the arenas were hopping.

In the Youth Arena, Reagan Thenhaus and Invitation To Boot won the Youth Western Horsemanship 13 & Under. Reagan and her horse, Invitation To Boot, have been reunited after “Booty” had some time off and it resulted in great success. See how her trainers at Chad Evans Performance Horses had her change her strategy to conquer the square corner in her winning pattern on Saturday in her EC TV video below!

Reagan explains that Booty had a year off and meanwhile, she had showed Sudden Top Notch, aka “Elvis,” to win titles like 2023 Congress Champions in L1 Youth Showmanship 13 & Under. Now she’s back in the saddle with Booty, and what she appreciates about Booty is that she is soft and doesn’t take a lot of hand or leg, even though she still has a learning curve after showing Elvis. She does make sure to ride her bareback sometimes for fun, too.

She said in her pattern, her extended trot square corners were the biggest obstacle, because “in our first pattern, we loped off around the extended trot square corners, so it’s just challenging,” she says. “Today, I told her to trot,” she explains, guidance from Alyssa at Chad Evans Performance Horses that helped her conquer the corners.

What she likes about Chad and Alyssa: “I like how they coach and what they have to help me and all the tricks they have to help me,” she says, tools she’ll use showing in all-around at Youth World this year.

Horsemanship is Reagan’s favorite event because there’s so much to it, she adds. “Other classes can get a little boring, but I like horsemanship because it’ more entertaining and you’re more connected to your horse.”

Watch her winning run:

Reagan Thenhaus and Invitation To Boot win Youth Western Horsemanship at Arizona Sun Circuit

Katie Fox and her horses, Double Tapn and Seismic Reaction, have experienced an incredibly successful Arizona Sun Circuit in the Ranch Division, and she also won the Amateur Working Cowhorse Spectacular with ShinersDiamondLights.

See what Katie has to say about what made the difference and what her strategy was for this show.

Katie Fox and Double Tapn win Amateur Ranch Riding at Arizona Sun Circuit

In the Amateur Horsemanship pen, Angelique Wilson and Machine Shop won NSBA Amateur Color Horsemanship at Arizona Sun Circuit. Angelique recently moved to Arizona in part to ride with her trainers Mike and May Edwards. Watch her EC TV video about showing her colorful horse at Sun Circuit:

Angelique Wilson and Machine Shop win NSBA Amateur Color Horsemanship at Arizona Sun Circuit

Also in Horsemanship in the Equine Chronicle Arena, Shelly Phalen and VS Code Victoria won L1 Amateur Select Horsemanship. Kendra Weis helps the Phalens at the shows, and they keep “Tori” at home in between. Watch what Shelly had to say about her first Arizona Sun Circuit!

Shelly Phalen and VS Code Victoria win L1 Amateur Select Horsemanship at Arizona Sun Circuit

Saturday also brought the National Championship to the Equine Chronicle Arena for the Amateurs and the Select Amateurs!

See the results and winners here:

National Horsemanship Champions at Arizona Sun Circuit | Equine Chronicle

Last but not least in any way, we talked to Renee Rysell, who has been showing Last Piece Of Pie at Arizona Sun Circuit for approxmiately 20 years, and this year marked his retirement. See what Renee had to say about the very recognizable “Guapo.”