Miss Rodeo America Contestants Ride American Quarter Horses
Tune in to the Wrangler Network to watch the horsemanship division of the Miss Rodeo America pageant on Tuesday, December 5. Photo courtesy of AQHA.
From AQHA:
The American Quarter Horse Association is a proud sponsor of the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. New for 2023, AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders are donating a full remuda of American Quarter Horses for contestants to compete on during the horsemanship division of the pageant on Tuesday, December 5, at the South Point Hotel and Casino. Since the early 1970s, AQHA has supported the horsemanship portion of the pageant and awards a saddle to the winner of the horsemanship division. Judges will also select a Miss Rodeo America Pageant Horsemanship Top Horse.
AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders O RO Ranch, Yavapai Ranch, Running U Livestock and K4 Ranch are among the horse donors. Each ranch has a rich history with AQHA and contributes to the equine industry throughout the year.
O RO Ranch of Prescott, Arizona, was named the 2022 AQHA Best Remuda award winner. Owned by Jane Irwin Droppa and her family, the historic Arizona ranch began breeding American Quarter Horses before the inception of AQHA in 1940. The O RO works to promote the western lifestyle by contributing to programs such as 4-H, high school and college rodeo, ranch rodeos and the AQHA Ranching Heritage Young Horse Development Program.
Yavapai Ranch has been owned by the Fred Ruskin Family for three generations. Located within the Prescott National Forest, it is a 110,000-acre cow-calf operation ranging in elevation from 5,200 ft. to 7,400 ft. in the Juniper Mountains. They started registering horses with the AQHA over 40 years ago.
Running U Livestock out of Erda, Utah, is operated by AQHA Professional Horseman Shamus Haws. Running U focuses on producing American Quarter Horses with outstanding conformation, disposition and athletic ability to succeed as both ranch and performance horses in different areas of the equine industry. Their horses are raised on 30,000+ acres on the Oquirrh Mountain range.
K4 Ranch of Prescott, Arizona, has bred and registered 746 American Quarter Horses since 1947 and was recognized in 2022 as an AQHA 75-Year Breeder. The ranch’s horses have been proven to be competitive at the highest level of competition, including some of their own competing in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
View the full remuda of horses and their pedigrees, plus the slate of contestants competing at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant and a full schedule of events.
Miss Rodeo America saddles. Image courtesy of AQHA.
To watch the horsemanship competition and other divisions of the Miss Rodeo America Pageant, tune into the Wrangler Network.
About AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders
AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders embody the longevity, integrity and honesty of the ranching tradition. AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders are those who breed and raise ranch-type horses, which remains at the core of AQHA and epitomizes the breed’s versatility. Learn more about the criteria that define an AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeder.
View the list of current AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders or find out if your horse is bred by a Ranching Heritage Breeder by contacting AQHA at 806-376-4811 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday, or email ranching@aqha.org.
