2024 APHA Eastern National Championship Show Expands in Successful Ohio Debut

By Jessica Hein, PHJ News:

The 2024 APHA Eastern National Championship Show, August 22–25, generated significant increases, recording growth of 57 percent in total horses and 43 percent in entries over 2023 numbers.

This year’s event took place at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, which will host the Eastern National Show through 2026. It featured 170 Eastern National Championship classes and 20 all-around awards, attracting 284 horses and 1,242 entries. International Ranch Horse Association classes paid out over $8,000, too.

“The 2024 Eastern National Championship Show was a great event, featuring large classes with stiff competition coupled with sponsored events that made the show fun for our exhibitors,” Director of Incentive Programs Matt Arias said. “We are already evaluating ways to improve the show for our exhibitors in 2025.”

In addition to competing for national championships and prizes, exhibitors and fans also participated in a Markel/APHA Professional Horsemen Clinic, Ride the Pattern, game nights, tie-dyed t-shirts, friendship bracelet-making station, ice cream social and more. Special thanks to MARS EQUESTRIAN, who generously sponsored all Novice Youth and Youth Walk-Trot entry fees; BUCKEYE Nutrition, who sponsored coffee, donuts and the ice cream social; and Boehringer Ingelheim, who sponsored the game nights.

Full results will be posted at apha.com/eastern-national-show.

Future Eastern National Championship Show Dates

• August 21–24, 2025, at the World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio
• August 20–23, 2026, at the World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio

All-Around Champions: 2024 Eastern National Championship Show

Open Ranch

Only Crome Guns, owned by Christina Steiner, Cary, North Carolina

Open Solid Paint-Bred Ranch

Sparks N Guns, owned by Kathy Brown, Staunton, Virginia

Amateur Ranch

Shine Whitle Shine & Karen Johnson, Burns, Tennessee

Amateur Solid Paint-Bred Ranch

Kissin Uptown & Claire McClintock, Pilot Point, Texas

Novice Amateur Ranch

Chromed Out Shotgun & Eric Frick, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania

Youth Ranch

Bad Acid & Henlee Brittenham, Ramseur, North Carolina

Open Show Horse

Especially Lazy, owned by Angelica Zizza, Saugus, Massachusetts

Open Solid Paint-Bred Show Horse

Its Hubbout Time, owned by Lindsey McCracken, Houston, Texas

Amateur

CR Open Range & Kevin Smith, Palmyra, Wisconsin

Masters Amateur

Call Me A Cowboy & Jamie Ross, Grayslake, Illinois

Amateur Solid Paint-Bred

Its Hubbout Time & Lindsey McCracken, Houston, Texas

Novice Amateur

Im Not Battman & Joclyn Cratt, London, Ontario, Canada

Amateur Walk-Trot

No Doubt Ima Ten & Jamie Smithenry, Willow Hill, Illinois

Amateur Solid Paint-Bred Walk-Trot

I Know Im Hot & Jessica Heyen, Petersburg, Illinois

Youth 13 & Under

Invitation To Ride & Aliyah Attar, Pepperell, Massachusetts

Youth 18 & Under

Especially Lazy & Angelica Zizza, Saugus, Massachusetts

Youth Solid Paint-Bred

Told You I Wasspecial & Aislinn Clark, London, Ontario, Canada

Novice Youth

Saint From Above & Ethan Jones, Dansville, Michigan

Youth Walk-Trot 5–10

Red Hot Lilly & Annalee Davidson, Adairsville, Georgia

 Youth Walk-Trot 11–18

A Good Time & Lucy Kehoe, Kansas City, Missouri

 

Photography by Ruehle Photographix.