Oklahoma Governor Tries Out Course at AQHA VRH World Show

AQHA Publicity

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt visited the 2021 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show at the Lazy E Arena near Guthrie, Oklahoma. He was invited to ride an American Quarter Horse and attend the event by the AQHA Executive Committee.

“It’s such an honor to host American Quarter Horse Association events in Oklahoma,” Gov. Stitt said. “We’re so proud of our agricultural history and our way of life in Oklahoma. Both of my grandparents were involved in agriculture: My dad’s dad was the head vet at the Oklahoma City Stockyards, my other granddad was a rodeo cowboy and also a dairy farmer, so I grew up with this lifestyle. It’s an honor that people from across the country come here to Oklahoma to show their horses and compete. We want to also welcome everyone in November to the Farnam AQHA World Show, too.”

Gov. Stitt hopped on Lil Miss Blue Hen, an AQHA Ranching Heritage-bred 2002 blue roan mare owned by Patricia Muhr of Wilson, Oklahoma, and rode through parts of the Versatility Ranch Horse ranch trail course, including a water crossing and a log obstacle. When jokingly asked if he’d be entering next year’s AQHA VRH World, Gov. Stitt laughed and said he’d be entering the Ranching Heritage Challenge team roping, with AQHA Executive Committee Member Jeff Tebow as his partner.

The AQHA VRH World has called the Lazy E Arena home since 2018. This year’s show is the largest since the event’s inception in 2008, with 3,500 entries, more than 200 first-time exhibitors and $250,000 in cash and prizes. This year’s show is estimated to have a $6,584,400 total annual economic impact for Oklahoma.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHA on Twitter and visit www.aqha.com/news.