The 2014 Road to the Horse Wild Card competition features seven horsemen who chose a horse last year from the AQHA remuda, a group of 3-year-old American Quarter Horses with little-to-no prior handling. The seven competitors have spent the past 12 months building a relationship with their selected partner in preparation for the Wild Card competition at the March event.

The new Team Wrangler teams for 2014 are:

Team 20X

Captain: Clay Logan

Randy Jacobs, Ronald Stratton, Joni Nelson, Peter M. Oen, Virginia Beaton, Chuck Briggs, Shane Dowdy, Wayne Czisny, G.R. Carter Jr., A. Jeff Acuna and Cody Joiner.

Team Cowboy Cut

Captain: Whitney Lagace

The Indy Circuit will take place May 31- June 3 in Newcastle, Indiana. The IQHA State Show will begin on June 5th and continue through the 8th providing eight sets of points at one location.

“Eighty-five percent of horse owners are women, but too often they are not recognized for the contribution they make to training America’s pleasure horses,” said Jim “Hutch” Hutchins, event producer. “This competition highlights the cross-discipline interests of many American horsewomen and the skills necessary to create a well-rounded equine partner.”

The judges pool for the show will include Andrea Simons, Jill Newcomb, Dean Bogart, Marty Jo Hays, Curtis Reynolds, Kendra Weis, and Jonathan Meilleur.

On February 21, APHA Director of Judges Dave Dellin and Judge Committee Chairman Dave Denniston will present “The Game Plan.” This free afternoon session is scheduled from 1 – 6 p.m. Dellin and Denniston will review western pleasure, hunter under saddle, western riding, trail, horsemanship and halter in this half-day seminar designed specifically for exhibitors.

Jeff Williams, President of Washington State Quarter Horse Association (WSQHA) commented, “Our goal is to raise $100,000 over the next four years, but in reality we are already more than halfway there!”

For 2014, the challenges will include the working ranch horse competition for open 4-year-olds and limited open 4-year-olds. In the cowboy, amateur and novice amateur classes of working ranch horse competition, horses can be 4 years old and up.