PQHA Wraps Up Successful Show Season With Classic and Futurity Show

By: Rita McMullen

This past weekend marked another successful PQHA Classic & Futurity Show and ended the 2016 show season for PQHA. With over 300 stalls sold, which also included Futurity horses as well, PQHA President Carla Weaver, said, “We ‘re happy with our turnout of exhibitors and Futurity entries. This time of year is always tough to have a successful show; PQHA competes with our youth back in school, exhibitors who are in attendance at the World shows and Congress in another month, so we are very pleased with the size of our show and continuing our Futurity show and offering reasonable payouts.”

The Ranch Horse classes continued to draw huge numbers with over 55 entries in 5 divisions offered. This discipline’s growth at the PQHA shows are partly due to the “Series Championships” offered to exhibitors who show to all judges at the three PQHA Circuits from May – September. A bronze trophy and cash award was presented at the Classic show to the winners of each division, thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors:

Joe & Julie Tylka – Sponsor of the Open, Amateur & Youth Ranch Riding Divisions

Mold Base Industries – Sponsor of the Level 1 Youth and Level 1 Amateur Ranch Riding Divisions.

Sweeping three of the five Ranch Riding Division Series Championships was Deborah Gastelu and Chex Palogun. Deborah and “Momma Chex” won the Level 1 Amateur, Amateur and Open Ranch Riding Divisions. She also won the PQHA Circuit awards in the Level 1 Amateur and Open Ranch Riding classes. Deborah attended all three PQHA circuits as a 1st year Ranch Riding exhibitor with her 17-year-old Mare from Middleburg, PA. Deborah has shown Reined Cow Horse and rodeo events over the past several years, but she is proud of the fact that she shows on her own. She took advantage of the PQHA clinic in July, given by Mike Jennings, who offered great suggestions that she has used. She is working on her superior with her mare and would like to qualify for the 2017 AQHA World show and Quarter Horse Congress.

Winning the other two Ranch Riding Division Series Championships, Level 1 Youth and Youth, was Isabelle Edwards and Flash Whiz Bang. Isabelle, age 15, lives in New Wilmington, PA and trains with Tammy Braham. She has been riding for seven years, this is her first year in Ranch Riding, and it is her favorite class. “My horse Bella has done Showmanship, Trail, Pleasure, Hunter Under Saddle, even Jumping, but this is where she does best,” says Edwards. Isabelle showed at her first AQHYA World show in July in OKC in Ranch Riding and had a good ride. She plans to qualify to return in 2017. She was circuit champion in Youth Ranch Riding at most of her shows this year. She also shows the IEA Horsemanship and Reining events and has aspirations to compete in College Equestrian as well.

Another PQHA exhibitor who was recognized was Janet Chitwood. Janet is from Ottsville, PA and shows her gelding My Version of Smoke in Ranch Riding with the assistance of her trainer, Jonathan Meilleur. This show was Janet’s final show. Janet has decided to retire from the show pen at age 77. Janet has been showing for over 50 years and she has shown everything, most recently in the new Ranch Riding discipline. She also considers Trail to be one of her favorite events next to Ranch Horse. Janet has been active with PQHA for many years, including serving as a Board member for eight years and she was involved when PQHA signed the first contract to show at Centre County Grange Park. “I have enjoyed seeing PQHA and the Centre County Grange Park continue to grow and expand the equine events here in PA,” says Chitwood. “My biggest accomplishment was winning the Regional Ranch Riding event and the buckle at the AQHA Region 5 Show in Sussex, New Jersey a few years ago when the discipline was first added.” Janet plans to continue casual riding and will attend the PQHA shows as a spectator.

An additional Series Championship was offered in Junior Hunter Under Saddle and was sponsored by Chris Gray. The winner was Dynamic Detail, owned by Sally Knarr and shown by Melissa Shetler. An additional Series Championship was offered in Junior Western Pleasure and was sponsored by Ralph Thomas. The winner was Hot Jamaican Cowboy, owned by Tammy Conroy and shown by Dan Rawlings. Each winner received a bronze trophy and a cash award.

“It was an honor to be the PQHA 2016 Futurity Chairman and PQHA and I would like to thank all of the exhibitors, judges and show staff for helping us to achieve another successful futurity show,” says Cayce Miller, PQHA Board member. “We were excited to have 62 entries and PQHA will pay out over $7,000. We look forward to the 2017 show season and are planning to add bigger and better awards and paybacks to our futurities.” Complete futurity results can be found on the PQHA website, www.pqha.org.

Show Manager Ed Campbell states, “It has been another great show season for PQHA at Centre Hall. The assistance from the show staff and PQHA volunteers and board members, as well as the great exhibitors, has made these shows one of the best shows in PA. Together with a fantastic show facility here at the Centre County Grange Equine Park and the improvements that are planned will also add to the growth of the PQHA shows in 2017. I would encourage exhibitors to include the PQHA show dates on your show schedules for next year and see the quality shows at PQHA.”

On behalf of the entire PQHA Board, we would like to thank all of the exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, judges and show staff that helped to make 2016 a success. See all of the show results, year-end award standings and 2017 show dates at the website – www.pqha.org.