AQHA Youth World Champions Populate Sun Circuit National Championship Rankings

By: Kristin Spinning

The Finals for Horsemanship, Equitation, and Showmanship at the AQHA Youth World Show shared a lot of names with the Youth rankings for the Sun Circuit National Championship Tournament. Many of the top 25 exhibitors in the rankings enjoyed a good World Show experience, and we’re likely to see some of those names edge up the list, which should inspire others to show more to improve their standings.

Horsemanship

On the top of the list and the top of the world. Recently crowned Youth Horsemanship World Champion, Natalia DeVencenty, debuted on the Horsemanship ranking list in the number one position in July. The list was published about a week before the start of Youth World Show. “I was very surprised to see that I was at the top,” Natalia says. “It was exciting to be ranked with all the top riders. It boosted my confidence a little bit going into Youth World.” She added that when the rankings came out, her Facebook and text messages blew up with people commenting, congratulating, and sharing.

She was initially a little apprehensive seeing that the entire Finals pattern was to be ridden without stirrups, but she focused on the upside, noting,“I can get more connection with my horse without my stirrups.” She knew the pattern was going to be fun, regardless. “There was a right lead, fast run across the top,” she recalls adding that it was her favorite part. “I asked him to go, and he really went for it.” Natalia and her “one in a million” horse were second to go, but her scores remained on the top throughout the rest of the class. She was glowing as she hoisted the golden globe for a victory lap of the arena.

Natalia looks forward to the National Championship Tournament in March. “I think it’s going to be super fun to have that at Sun Circuit. Everyone is interested and excited about it.” She also anticipates that the rankings will boost numbers at other shows because she hears people already saying that they want to be on the list. She thinks the Tournament will be a huge deal for Sun Circuit. She adds, “If you were on the fence before, this will make you want to go.”

Fourth ranked Mallory Vroegh was the Reserve Champion. A solid All-Around youth exhibitor, Mallory also topped the rankings list tied for first in Showmanship. She placed 11th in that class at the Youth World. Ellexxah Maxwell  found herself ranked second in Horsemanship. She had a solid go in the prelim and made it to the Horsemanship finals, where she placed 8th.

Click here to read Natalia’s interview- http://www.equinechronicle.com/natalia-devencenty-and-chex-is-the-choice-win-aqha-youth-world-14-18-horsemanship/.

Youth Showmanship

Grace Himes went into the Youth World show in the ninth position in the Youth Showmanship National Championship mid-year rankings. When the judges unanimously placed her at the top of their cards, Grace recalls, “It was amazing and somewhat surreal. It still feels like a dream.” This is the first year she ever made it to the finals at the World, and she was thrilled to be called back in all three of her classes. “My horse, Rico, was such a good boy,” she gushes. “He wanted it as much as I did. The back of the pattern was my favorite part. He stayed right with me through all of it. I think that’s what really separated us in the competition.” The pair showed quite a bit this year, and they will be doing it all again at the Congress. Grace thought that the National Championship was an exciting new option for exhibitors. She says, “It will help me to set a goal, and it will be one more thing to shoot for.”  She has never been to Sun Circuit, but the Championship Tournament is now a strong motivator, adding “It always looks like such a fun show.”

The Reserve World Champion was Alex Albright. Alex is no stranger to the World Show. She took home the gold trophy in 2016 in Showmanship and was Reserve in Horsemanship. In 2017, she followed up with a Reserve in Showmanship. Her studies at Texas A&M and her travels with the college’s renowned equestrian team have kept her from attending many AQHA shows. Ranking Committee members have the option of adding outstanding individuals to their lists, even if they were not in the top 5 circuit award placings of the participating shows. Alex benefited from that field-leveling provision. Obviously, she is well deserving of making the list. Where will her recent win put her in the December rankings? You can bet the Committee will be following her closely. She also took the third spot in Youth Horsemanship.

Click here to read Gracie’s Equine Chronicle interview- http://www.equinechronicle.com/gracie-himes-and-essentially-good-win-first-aqha-world-title-in-14-18-showmanship/.

Equitation

The Cinderella story of the AQYHA World Show 14-18 Equitation match-up is Laura Rankin. She’s a working student at trainer Lainie DeBoer’s barn in Minnesota and rides Equitation and Over Fence classes. She mucks the stalls, feeds, and pitches in with everything else that needs to be done. After a full day working at the barn, Laura changes gears and heads off to work at Applebee’s in the evening. She doesn’t get out much: a handful of state shows and Redbud are on her calendar. Though she slipped in under the radar to to the grandest ball of all, once she was there, she wowed the judges and won the coveted golden trophy. Unlike Cinderella, Laura loves the hard work of daily barn chores and the unfailing mentoring and support she receives from Lainie. Laura’s hard work paid off as she was in perfect shape for the finals Equitation pattern that called for dropping irons. “I rode one horse a day all summer long without stirrups,” she says. The challenging pattern included extended canters, extended trots, two lead changes and plenty of maneuvers. She adds, “I felt I was the most prepared for that out all the kids in the finals.”

She was impressive over the jumps too. Laura and her 8-year-old gelding, “Bentley,” scooped up Reserve Champions titles in Working Hunter L2, Equitation Over Fences L2 and Equitation Over Fences L3. Without many big AQHA show experiences, this fresh-faced champion was not even mentioned on the National Championship mid-year rankings. Her performance in Oklahoma City is certain to change that come December. She plans to show at Congress, and with a good run there, we are likely to see Laura’ name topping the year-end Youth Equitation rankings list.

Ellexxah Maxwell debuted on the Youth Equitation Ranking list in the number 5 position Her consistency and cool in Oklahoma City lead to a Reserve title. Sixth ranked Natalie Vargo was third.

Click here to read Laura’s interview- http://www.equinechronicle.com/3-reserves-and-finally-a-world-championship-for-laura-rankin-in-equitation-at-aqha-youth-world/.

The National Championship Tournament in Showmanship, Equitation and Horsemanship will be held at Sun Circuit in March, 2019. The mid-year rankings were created by combining the individual rankings from each of the anonymous Ranking Committee members who are judges from around the country. Exhibitors who placed in the top 5 circuit standings at participating major shows around the country held between January 1 to July 10 were listed for Ranking Committee members to rank.

The rankings are fluid, and there are plenty more shows this year that will influence the final list in December. They key to high ranking is participation in numerous shows. The National Championship has already become a huge incentive for exhibitors to keep showing throughout the year. Exhibitors and trainers are enthusiastically supporting the idea and altering their show calendars with the March Tournament in mind. The top 64 exhibitors in each division will be eligible to compete in the Tournament.

The Mid Season Rankings lists for Youth, Amateur and Select can be found at www.suncircuit.com/national-championship-tournaments.