Around the Ring Photos and Arizona Fall Championship Update

By: Brittany Bevis

While the eyes of the APHA industry have been focused squarely on Fort Worth for the APHA World Championship Show, AQHA competitors headed west to Scottsdale, Arizona for the Arizona Fall Championship Show. Dubbed the “Show For Everyone,” the event took place September 19-23 at WestWorld and provided a variety of fun, new events that awarded fantastic awards and cash payouts to the champions.

Compete results are currently being tabulated and will be available momentarily. In the meantime, check out a sneak peek of all the action…

Chad Evans rode Sugaray to win the 3 and 4-Year-Old NSBA Trail Futurity for owner, Ashley Wilson. Tom Forehand rode Cuz I’m Sleepy to win NSBA 3 Year Old Open Pleasure for owner, George Pachello.

Clare Swanson and Too Early For Sleep won the L1 Non Pro High Point Champion award and a Scottsdale Performance Saddle. Sissy Shank was named the L2 Non Pro High Point Champion and took home a Scottsdale Performance Saddle as well.

Zoey Silver was a multiple winner in many of the fun challenges during the show. She won the Ride-A-Buck Equitation Challenge where riders were required to trot and canter without stirrups while keeping a dollar between their legs and the saddle. Zoey won a beautiful necklace from Sami Fine Jewelry. She was also the winner of the Chap Race in L1 Am Horsemanship and received a Show Me Again gift certificate. Joy Cardelli also won a $500 Show Me Again gift certificate over in the Trail pen for correctly guessing the number of gumballs in a jar. During the Green Western Pleasure, Mike Hawkins guessed the exact number of gumballs in the jar (58) and was awarded with a $2,500 ring from Sami Fine Jewelry.

Another fun competition was the Ranch on the Rail Wine Race where riders walked, jogged, and galloped while trying not to spill a drop from their wineglasses. Janye Vatcher had the steadiest hand and won a $500 gift certificate to Barbara’s Custom Hats. Laurel Walker Denton did the same and was presented with another $500 git certificate towards a hat. The fun continued in the Bouncy Horse Races, where Connor Cooper displayed a masterful face plant over the finish line to win a gift certificate to Barbara’s Custom Hats.

The AZQHA Interscholastic Scholarship competition was held at the show with three Horsemanship classes and one Reining class for students 6th-8th grade. There were also four Horsemanship classes and two Reining classes for students 9th-12th grade. Each class awarded $1,000 worth of scholarships to be paid over three places: $500 to 1st, $300 to 2nd and $200 to 3rd.

The winners of the Horsemanship division were as follows. Over $9,000 in total scholarship money was awarded. First place received $500, second received $300, and 3rd received $200. Four teams: Desert Heat, Arizona Sliders, Team Untamed, and 4 Peaks Equestrian participated in the event.

Future Novice Horsemanship
1st: Gabriella Venezia-DH
2nd: Aubree Leyva-AS

The Reining division results are as follows. Over $9,000 in total scholarship money was awarded. First place received $500, second received $300, and third received $200. Four teams: Desert Heat, Arizona Sliders, Team Untamed, and 4 Peaks Equestrian participated.

Varsity Open Reining
1st: Anothony Luna-AS
2nd: Madyson Buchanon-DH
3rd: Casmira Millan-DH