Year-End Rankings For Sun Circuit National Championships Announced
By: Kristin Spinning
Sun Circuit will once again hold wildly popular tournament style competitions in Horsemanship, Equitation, and Showmanship for the National Championship. The final 2021 National Championship ranking list names the 64 exhibitors in each division who are eligible to participate in the tournament at the 2022 Sun Circuit held March 5-13.
Rankings are compiled by a nationwide panel of trainers and judges who have had all year to watch and note the accomplishments of exhibitors. The rankings list included quite a few exhibitors who have made it to the Exceptional Eight and The Four in previous years. There are also several exhibitors in each division who have broken into the top 10 after having a great year in 2021.
Horsemanship Contenders
Karen Zarda and Betcha Want This were last year’s Select Horsemanship National Champions at Sun Circuit, and Karen finds herself at the top of the rankings list for 2021. She will have to really shine throughout every pattern leading to the finals if she wants to defend her title against a deep field. In the Amateur Horsemanship, Michelle Forness tops the rankings list once again in 2021. It’s likely to be quite a battle to get to the finals round in Horsemanship. Some exhibitors who have previously made it to the finals in the youth division have moved up and are now highly ranked amateurs. Giorgia Meadows, no stranger to Championship titles and big wins in Scottsdale, is the top ranked Youth Horsemanship contender.
Equitation Excellence
Laurel Champlin has retained her #1 ranking in Select Equitation. Nya Kearns is another chart-topping repeater. She ranked #1 in Youth Equitation last year. After moving up to amateur status and winning Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation at the AQHA World Championship Show in 2021, Nya has caught the eye of judges all over the country to earn that top spot. Also in the top 25 are all of last year’s The Four finalists in Amateur Equitation. The new leader in Youth Equitation is Alexa Black after leaping up the list.
Showmanship Stars
Kaleena Weakly rocketed to the top of the rankings in Amateur Showmanship. She has held the National Champion in Showmanship title at Sun Circuit in the past so it will be interesting to see if she comes back to defend it. Scott Reinartz and Dan Yeager are ranked #1 and #2 in Select Showmanship. Both have made it to The Four in previous years and are likely contenders again this March. Coming in at the top of the Youth Showmanship ranking is Emma Cress who won her first golden globe in Showmanship at the AQHA Youth World Show in July.
Sun Circuit is proud to have The Equine Chronicle sponsoring the National Championships for Equitation in 2022. Cinch is the sponsor of Horsemanship, while Farnam is sponsoring Showmanship.
The first 3 rounds of the tournament are held concurrently with the respective AQHA classes at Sun Circuit. Prizes are awarded after each round to the Sensational 16, Exceptional 8, and ultimately the head to head battles of The Four. Exhibitors who make it to The Four in each class and division will receive an embroidered leather bomber jacket. Champions will be presented a National Championship trophy buckle.
Last year’s tournaments proved that a high ranking does not guarantee making it to The Four, however. Many exhibitors advanced through the rounds after spectacular Sun Circuit runs to find themselves in the head-to-head matchups.
All exhibitors who made the final rankings list are eligible and encouraged to participate. There are no additional fees for the National Championship. However, eligible exhibitors must enter the class in the Sun Circuit show office.
