Showing American Quarter Horses is about much more than the lucrative prizes you can win, the thrill of competition you’ll experience and the glory you’ll receive.

Learn how to get started showing AQHA and one day you too could win a gold trophy.

There are so many reasons why you should show AQHA. Whether it’s your profession or your pastime, the best rewards you’ll receive from showing AQHA are the ones you’ll carry in your heart for a lifetime.

Here are a few more great benefits:

• You’ll make lifelong friends who share your passion
• You’ll feel the satisfaction of a job well done
• It’s fun for the entire family
• You’ll be competing with the most loyal, responsive, hardworking and willing teammate you’ll ever have – the American Quarter Horse

Show Up!

Are you a novice competitor? Well, AQHA has got the program for you! When you first experience AQHA shows as a novice, AQHA will automatically enroll you in the AQHA Show Up! campaign.

The AQHA Incentive Fund pays participants for showing and breeding their American Quarter Horses. Find out more in AQHA’s FREE Incentive Fund brochure!

Show Up! is designed to reward you for attending more shows during your first calendar year in novice at AQHA shows. With Show Up!, you will receive a series of patches and prizes the more you show:

• Fifth show – AQHA showing patch and AQHA cap
• 10th show – AQHA showing patch and AQHA jacket
• 15th show – AQHA showing patch and AQHA portfolio
• 25th show – AQHA showing patch and Professional’s Choice saddle pad

* Rewards may change as supply allows

Roll It!

The American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup is an international event that brings the best young horsemen and horsewomen together for a week of clinics, competition and camaraderie.

And as an added bonus, the top novice youth and novice amateur competitor attending the most shows by the end of the calendar year will win his or her pick of a Tex Tan western or a Collegiate English saddle!

Accounting for the Arena

Here are some tips to save you money when you head to your next AQHA show:

• Bring your own feed and bedding.
• The AQHA Incentive Fund is your investment account and a great way to earn money showing your horse. You and your horse get paid for the points you earn in the show pen.
• You can plan your trip three months in advance by visit AQHA Showing. Easily locate the most current three-month listing of all the American Quarter Horse shows you want to attend. Use this list to plan your route in advance, saving you money and travel time!

Enjoy your American Quarter Horse showing experience!

Ready to start earning money doing what you love? Learn more about AQHA’s Incentive Fund in this FREE brochure!

What a deal! Save thousands in discounts while supporting the American Quarter Horse Foundation Youth Scholarship Fund.

John Deere Launches Equine Page on Website as Anticipation Grows for WEG.

From John Deere – August 23, 2010 – As the “Official Equipment Supplier of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games” to be held September 25-October 10, 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky, NRHA Corporate Partner John Deere will be announcing new initiatives including its new equine web page  www.JohnDeere.com/equine.

The John Deere Equine web page features specific equipment and machinery recommendations, special offers on equipment, and co-branded John Deere and World Equestrian Games merchandise, including clothing and toy tractors. Consumers interested in purchasing tickets to the World Equestrian Games are also able to access tickets through John Deere’s new page.

At the 2005 AQHA Select World Championship Show, three fearless riders and their talented horses combined for an unforgettable jumping finals.

Truck A Buck and Dr. April Speyer sail over a jump in the jump-off for the jumping world championship at the 2005 Select World Show.

By Honi Roberts in The American Quarter Horse Journal

The championship jumping class is usually one of the last at the AQHA Select World Championship Show. The crowds thin as the clock ticks, and people head home. But stalwart fans who stayed to watch the finals in 2005 were thrilled when a jump-off became necessary between three horse-and-rider teams, all either previous world champions or high-point horses. The rides that followed were not to be forgotten.

Ellen Williams of Bon Aqua, Tennessee, was first to go aboard her great jumping mare Earth To Wanda, the 2004 Select world champion. When Ellen, whose background includes steeplechasing and eventing, purchased the pretty bay in 1998, Earth To Wanda (by Earth Station (TB) and out of Wanda Charge) was her first American Quarter Horse.

“I’d just retired my Thoroughbred,” Ellen recalled. “A dear friend who showed Quarter Horses always told me what great fun the shows were and how versatile the horses are. I liked Earth To Wanda the instant I saw her. She was game and would jump anything.”

Ellen and Earth To Wanda covered the jump-off course in :34.271 seconds, a clean round, with no faults.

Learn more about strangles, laminitis, founder, West Nile virus and more in AQHA’s Common Horse Health Issues report.

Next came Candace Hoke and her homebred mare Cause To Profit, the reserve Select world champion jumpers in 2003 and 2004. Nicknamed “Mercedes,” the eye-catching dun mare is by Wonder Cause and out of Queens Cedar.

“As a baby, Mercedes jumped anything in front of her,” Candace recalled. “She was born wanting to jump. Mercedes is 15.2 (hands tall), but her huge stride makes up for it. In tight turns, she is so flexible that I can almost roll her back in the air.”

Candace entered the arena knowing she was up against top-notch competitors.

“She was doing great, and we were clean over the course, when we had a long run to the far end of the arena,” Candace said. “She could fly like a barrel horse and did. Just before the final jump, she had a left-hand turn, which I balanced with my right-hand rein, when the left rein suddenly popped off. Our brand-new rein broke before the final jump.

Roll It!

Former college basketball player Mark Wattier has discovered a new sport — watch him in action at the 2009 Select World Show.

“I immediately reached forward to try to hook my finger into the D-ring of her bit and missed. I could feel her slow and think, ‘What are you doing?’ I knew the rules required that we keep moving forward, so I kicked some encouragement. On my second try, I caught the D-ring and pulled her to face the jump. She just sat back on her hocks and jumped from a standstill. We flew over that last fence! I could hear the crowd cheer, but I knew that my mare was wondering why I was all but sitting on her head.”

Their time was :35.384 – not good enough for first, but their gutsy performance could earn them a second. It all depended on the third horse-and-rider team.

Dr. April Speyer and her 20-year-old gelding, Truck A Buck by Billy Ringo (TB) and out of Taco’s Velvet, were seasoned competitors. In 1998, she and her daughter, Sarah Gragert, rode Truck A Buck to AQHA high-point titles in amateur, youth and open jumping.

“In the jump-off, we knew that we had to be quick, clean and safe,” April said. “If we beat Ellen’s time, it would be because our turns were tighter. We went all out to win.”

They finished the course in :29.191 seconds, a clean round. In a jump-off memorable by three stellar performances, April Speyer and Truck A Buck earned the 2005 Select World championship in jumping, with Ellen and Earth To Wanda taking the reserve.

Get your copy of AQHA’s Common Horse Health Issues report and gain an understanding of EPM, allergies, insulin resistance and more.

During the years that followed, all three teams continued their winning ways in jumping. Candace and Cause To Profit were the 2007 Select reserve world champions.

Ellen and Earth To Wanda were the 2006 Select reserve world champions, then won the Select world championship in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, Ellen pulled the mare’s shoes prior to breeding her to another jumping superstar, Dr Hollywood DVM.

The 2005 Select world champions, Dr. April Speyer and Truck A Buck, repeated their win in 2006, and followed it up with a reserve world championship in 2009. The plucky gelding – now 25 – refuses to retire. Instead, he’s qualified for this month’s Adequan Select World Championship Show.

Check out all the excitement of the Adequan Select World August 29 to September 4 in Amarillo.

Meet some seniors still making a splash in the show pen.

Exquisite Doc, at the age of 28, carried carried Kaila Lorenzen to 10th place in the team penning at the 2008 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show.

By Andrea Caudill in The American Quarter Horse Journal

Reining, cutting and cow horse events, they say, are for the young. The futurity and derby horses might attract the most attention, but there are many horses stirring it up well into their teens and 20s.

Here are their stories:

Exquisite Doc
1980 red roan gelding
By Doc’s Sug and out of Bullhide Cowgirl by Zaino King

Exquisite Doc – “Ed” to his friends – this year reached the venerable age of 30. Most horses his age are nothing more than pasture potatoes, but Ed loves his job as a team penner and family mascot too much to quit. Given reign over his owner’s farm at Berwick, Illinois, the son of Doc’s Sug keeps himself busy overseeing the other horses, and, if the possibility exists of his being left behind, he sneaks onto the horse trailer so he can go to a team penning.

Shellie Lorenzen purchased Ed in 2001 for her young daughter, Kaila, to learn on.

“Ed’s 30 this year, and he still thinks he’s 3,” Shellie says. “He’s fat, sassy and still chases cows. If the truck and trailer are hooked up and the back door on the trailer is open, he’ll walk right out, load himself and stand there. He’s ready to go.”

As the class name implies, a western pleasure horse should be a pleasure to ride. Order AQHA’s “Judging Western Pleasure” DVD, which demonstrates the ideal western pleasure horse.

Ed has been competing in AQHA events since 1995, and he has accumulated 46.5 points, amateur and open performance Registers of Merit, and in 2008 – at a sprightly 28 – carried Kaila to 10th place in the team penning at the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show.

“I knew a long time ago it wasn’t going to do any good to bark orders at my kids, so I decided I was going to get them horses that would teach them to ride,” Shellie says. “I’ll tell you, there’s not an open rider out there who wouldn’t half-beg to ride with this kid on this horse. He just baby-sat her, took care of her and taught her how to ride. He’ll flat-out cut a cow, and he’s just automatic. We’ve always said that if he could learn to read the numbers, we’d just turn him loose and call ’er good.”

Last year, Ed and Kaila qualified for the Ford Youth World in team penning and ranch sorting, but his owners decided a trailer ride to Oklahoma City would be too hard on Ed.

In his spare time, Ed has given many lessons, participated in career days, cheered up residents of local nursing homes, attended parades and taken his owners on trail rides.

Until Kaila left for college, Ed was ridden every day. He spends nights in the indoor arena and roams the farm during the day. Ed eats senior feed with canola oil and a general health and joint supplement. Shellie attributes his longevity to good shoeing, his personality and careful management of his mental and physical health.

“He’s been a phenomenal horse to own,” Shellie says, “I’ve owned a lot of them over the years, and he’s definitely one of the top dogs.”

Hot Tana
1984 sorrel mare
By Montana Doc and out of Hotrodders Hannah by Doc’s Hotrodder

Back in 2008, at the age of 24, Hot Tana and owner Klarissa Neff qualified for the Ford Youth World in cutting. Now 26, the Montana Doc mare continues to compete as a reliable show horse and has earned has earned $5,282 in National Cutting Horse Association competition.

“Tana” is ridden by sisters Klarissa, 12, and Grace, 8.

“We bought her for the kids,” Kathy Neff says. “They wanted to start doing cutting, and (Tana’s owners) wanted her to go to good home. She has been a really good mare for us.”

Tana, Kathy notes, is a master at adjusting herself to her rider. With an older rider, the mare really gets after her cow. But when Tana gets a little rider – Grace’s leg barely reach down the mare’s shoulders – she holds back a bit.

“She’s just really decent with the kids and knows when there’s a little one on her,” Kathy says. “She’s really gentle and never offered to kick or bite, pin her ears back or anything. She’s just a really sweet horse. She enjoys going on rides, and she has a little prance to her. When we go on trail rides around here in the fields, she can’t walk, and she can’t be behind – she’s got to be first, and she’s got to be prancing.”

Tana is kept barefoot and is fed high-quality clover-grass hay free-choice and a 12 percent protein pellet. If she is feeling stiff, she’s given bute, but otherwise is medication-free.

Kathy attributes Tana’s longevity to the quality of care the mare has gotten through the years and the fact that she has never served as a broodmare. During the day in good weather, Tana is turned out with two other older cutting mares, and at night, she beds in a sandy indoor round pen.

“She gets put in by herself, and she gets to eat at her own speed, her own time,” Kathy says. “Nobody’s pushing her away. Plus, she is able to move around all year and is just kinda babied.”

She is ridden every day by her young owners, and the girls will be showing the mare at AQHA and NCHA events in youth and ranch classes (where the rider is allowed to use the reins).

“She just tries her hardest,” Kathy says of the mare. “She is real quiet – the kids hop on and practice here at home bareback. But she’s a totally different horse when she gets to the shows – she sees the cows, and her head goes up: She is rarin’ and ready to go.”

Smoker Doc
1986 chestnut gelding
By Doc Gunsmoke and out of Montadocs Lady by Montana Doc

Smoker Doc is described by those that know him best as “tough.” When he was first being trained, that meant uncooperative to the point of having to be roped to be saddled. But as he matured and learned the business of being a show horse, it meant he stayed sound and solid through a busy career as a reining and working cow horse. Today, at the age of 24, it means he is still just as willing and able to step up and do a job as he was a decade ago.

The son of Doc Gunsmoke is owned by June Coghlan of Portales, New Mexico. She purchased him in the fall from Natalie Brown-Baca of Santa Fe, New Mexico, who bought him when he was 11.

“Smoker” has earned 202.5 AQHA points; performance ROMs in open, amateur and youth; and his Superior in reining. He has qualified for the AQHA World Championship Show six times in reining and working cow horse events, and earned $2,853 in National Reining Horse Association competition.

June, who knew the horse when Natalie was showing him, needed a been-there-done-that partner, and asked whether Natalie would be willing to sell him. Because the home fit, Natalie reluctantly parted with him.

“He’s the best example, I think, of what our true Quarter Horses were,” June says. To illustrate, she points out that two weeks after buying him, he carried her through a competitive trail ride. A few months later, they attended the Denver Stock Show, where the horse scored solid 70s to place in the top 15 of his classes, and a few weeks later, Smoker attended a local show and did well in all-around classes from showmanship to hunter under saddle.

“He’s just happiest when he’s doing something,” June says. “He has really been a blessing to me. When you hook up the trailer, if he’s not in it, he’s at the gate whinnying, saying, ‘Put me in!’ ”

Smoker has a stall with an attached run where he can go in and out. Sound, he eats senior feed and is given a joint supplement and Adequan IM injections to maintain his joint health. He is ridden three to four times a week to keep him maintained and in shape.

“He has got fabulous legs and bone and feet,” Natalie says. “I think some of it is starting him relatively late, and being very strong-willed and tough mentally. I think that mental toughness has given him a framework to always be there. You can’t get in a situation where he stresses out. And I’d say he has got the greatest work ethic I’ve ever seen. Just put him at anything, and he’ll do his darndest, no matter how big or how small.”

Western Pleasure is one of the most popular American Quarter Horse Association events. Order AQHA’s “Judging Western Pleasure” DVD and watch sample classes that allow you to judge your own class!

The most memorable moment she had with Smoker, she says, was at the New Mexico State Fair. The pair was heading down the alley into a rundown pattern. Eyes up and focused, Natalie never saw the little boy who had escaped his parents and ran right into the path of the galloping horse.

“Smoker had been shown so much he knew exactly what a rundown was, and we were running,” Natalie says. “I honestly never saw the little boy, but Smoker stopped in midstride before he hit the boy; he just shut it down. Then he broke out in a sweat from head to tail – just lathered instantly from the adrenaline of stopping. He just knew.”

Unhurt, the boy was returned to his parents, and Natalie and Smoker did their run.

“For years, people would remember that,” she says. “They’d never seen a horse in a rundown flat-out make that decision himself. That’s the kind of smarts that old horses that’ve been around the block have. That’s pretty much characteristic of Smoker.”

Get your American Quarter Horse paperwork done cheaper! AQHA is extending its offer of reduced registration fees for horses 3 and older. Check it out!

AQHA’s novice program allows even the experienced AQHA member to try something new to develop his or her horsemanship and exhibitor skills.

As an AQHA novice exhibitor, you compete in a separate class to learn new events at your own pace.

Do you want to try a new event but aren’t ready to test the waters against the industry’s leading amateur and youth competitors? AQHA’s novice classes are designed to help you and your horse grow in a new event at your pace. And you can choose to exhibit your horse in one or more novice classes that you are eligible for.

The novice program is available to you in youth and amateur competition. To be eligible, you must not have earned 25 novice youth, youth, novice amateur, amateur or open combined lifetime points in that novice class.

Buying a Horse?

The novice program also allows you to try out a horse you are thinking about buying. AQHA rules allow a novice youth or novice amateur competitor to show a horse in a novice youth or novice amateur class with the owner and his or her immediate family still retaining the ability to show the horse in any class other than the same class as the novice exhibitor. Novice youth and novice amateur exhibitors can also show a leased horse in a novice class.

Novice exhibitors must still request a novice permit to show a horse that is owned by a non-family member at any of the top 10 AQHA circuit shows that allow permit competition. The top 10 shows are determined by the total number of entries the previous year and can change from year to year.

AQHA’s “Showing to Win: Trail” DVD is an in-depth look at one of the most popular western show classes. The DVD is geared for all trail exhibitors, trainers and judges. Order your copy today!

Who’s a Novice?

If you have never shown in an AQHA show, consider yourself a novice. As a novice exhibitor, you compete in a separate class to learn new events at your own pace.

There are a few rules to follow to determine your eligibility as a novice. Novice points are awarded for an exhibitor’s lifetime points in that novice class. You cannot compete as a novice in any novice classes if you match any of the following criteria:

• Won a world or reserve world, national or reserve national championship title in any other equine breed organization or in an AQHA-approved event
• Won a total of $5,000 in cash and prizes with any equine breed organization
• Been an accredited horse show judge
• Earned 25 or more performance points in the AQHA open, novice amateur, amateur, novice youth or youth divisions combined.

Tips For the Novice Competitor

• If a competitor with riding skills and ability begins with a less expensive horse, he should consider competing in individual pattern classes, which are judged on the rider’s ability and are a great place to start and be competitive.
• The AQHA Professional Horsemen’s Association is devoted to entry-level members. If you have questions or concerns, don’t be afraid to contact them.

AQHA’s “Showing to Win: Trail” illustrates the standards and provides information exhibitors need to successfully navigate a trail pattern and the judge’s score card.

• Don’t be bashful. Ask questions of trainers at the shows. If you see a pattern posted and you don’t know how to do it, watch a trainer explain it to his client.
• Set goals and continually raise your standards. An early goal could be to place at a regional show, and then win a class. The AQHA Regional Championships are great places to achieve those goals.
• Keep your chin up. When you don’t win every time, don’t worry that you’re not ever going to beat great people. Learn from people who are great competitors. You can’t just go in there to try to beat them, and don’t think you’re just going in there to win.
• To become a successful competitor, keep accepting criticism and learning. You have to keep working and finding different things to work on every day.

Find your landmarks in a confusing sea of patterns.

The pattern doesn’t usually tell you whether you need to be two feet or five feet off a cone -- you have to figure that out for yourself.

By AQHA Professional Horseman Tom McBeath with Larri Jo Starkey in The American Quarter Horse Journal

You wouldn’t set off on a journey without mapping out a course. Don’t set off in a pattern course without planning just as carefully.

Think of each new arena as a new territory to be mastered, and you’ll find yourself navigating patterns with ease – or at least with a plan.

AQHA Professional Horseman Tom McBeath has some suggestions on finding your way through tricky, hand-drawn patterns.

Pattern in Your Pocket

People who show with me have to have two things in their pocket all the time: a schedule of events for the day and a copy of patterns they’ll be doing that day.

If you have a schedule, you don’t have to be nervous because you’re not sure whether you’re in the next class or the fifth class or the 10th.

And it doesn’t matter how much you’ve studied the pattern, you need to have it in your pocket. Even if you have a photographic memory, you should have the pattern with you, because there is nothing worse than developing a plan for the pattern, then arriving at the arena and realizing the pattern isn’t what you envisioned.

When that happens, you need to be able to whip out your little paper and look at the setup and adjust your plan.

Most shows nowadays will give you an actual copy of the pattern, but if the show doesn’t, copy it yourself.

AQHA’s “Hunt Seat Equitation” DVD is a must-have for anyone interested in hunt seat equitation success. This DVD provides competitors with detailed descriptions of the proper show ring techniques.

Your goal is to take that pattern, read it, understand it, ride it and make it look so easy that anybody could do it.

The easier it looks, the higher you will score.

Location, Location, Location

The pattern doesn’t usually tell you whether you need to be two feet or five feet off a cone. You have to figure that out for yourself, taking into consideration what you’re going to be doing when you get to the next cone.

If you’re going to stop at Cone B and do a 360-degree turn, you need to position yourself differently than you would if you’re going to walk up and then trot. If you’re going to do a 360, you want to be in a position so you can do your 360 without running over the cone.

This is such a simple mistake, and it’s easy to fix. When you set up your practice cones, think about how much space you need to do each maneuver.

Also, be sure that your practice cones are the right distance apart. Setting them too close or too far apart create their own sets of problems, but the result is the same: You go to the wrong place.

Roll It!

At the 2009 AQHA World Championship Show, world champion Whitney Walquist Vicars shares her techniques in showmanship at halter.

Break It Down

When you enter the arena on your horse, find the spot where you and your horse need to be at each cone. If you need to be 10 feet off Cone B, look at the ground to find that spot.

Don’t look at the cone. If you look at the cone, you’ll ride to the cone. Look at your spot and then look up and past it so that as you ride to the cone, you’re able to keep your chin up. If you look down at your spot, you’ll drop your eyes, which drops your chin, which takes your whole body out of position and makes your job much harder.

Don’t envision your spot 10 feet beside the cone as being another cone in the dirt. Envision that cone six to eight feet in the air ahead of you. Look on the fence to find a mark. At every arena you compete in, there will be something you can use as a marker. There are posts on fences, banners – there are always marks.

Think about the whole pattern, but when you’re at Cone A, don’t worry about what you’re going to do at Cone E. At Cone A, your job is to think about how you’re going to get to Cone B so that you can get to C.

It’s like the old joke about how to eat an elephant – one bite at a time.

If you’ve ever wondered what AQHA judges are looking for in hunt seat equitation, AQHA’s “Hunt Seat Equitation” DVD is for you. Order your copy today!

With patterns in horsemanship, showmanship and equitation, there are a limited number of maneuvers, so it’s not hard as long as you focus on what you’re going to do from A to B, then B to C, then C to D, then smile, wave at the crowd and leave. That’s all you have to do. It’s simple if you’ll let it be simple.

The judge isn’t going to shoot you off your horse if you don’t do it right. He might say, “That wasn’t the best pattern that I’ve seen all day, but they sure looked like they were having a good time.”

That will happen if you’re relaxed and not rushing. Let things happen normally. The next time you compete, it will be easier if you let yourself relax and become a better rider.

If you become a better rider, your horse will become a better horse.

What a deal! Save thousands in discounts, while supporting the American Quarter Horse Foundation Youth Scholarship Fund.

AQHA Professional Horsemen talk about the five errors non-pros make in halter.

In the halter ring, don’t let your nerves get the better of you and help you to make the biggest mistake of all: over-showing your horse.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

When it comes to showing horses, we all make mistakes. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro or a novice amateur, you’re going to mess up every once in a while.

But if you know how to keep your eye open for mistakes before they happen, maybe you can prevent them.

The Journal asked a few AQHA Professional Horsemen what the top five mistakes are that most halter amateur exhibitors make, and how to avoid them.

No. 1 – Set Up the Horse Improperly

Know the conformation of your horse and how to show her so she will look her best.

• For a long-backed horse, bunch the horse up a little bit in the set-up, which will round her back. Don’t set your horse up too wide, which also hollows out the back.
• Don’t set your horse’s head too high. Look at where the neck comes out and present the horse’s head so that it doesn’t dip the back.

No. 2 – Lead the Horse Incorrectly

Walk and trot your horse properly to the judge.

• Don’t pull your horse’s head to you. This will kick your horse’s rear end out to the side, and it will make your horse look and travel a little bit funny. This won’t give the judge a clear picture of how your horse travels.
• Make sure that your horse’s head is pointed straight and ahead. As the exhibitor, you should focus on the wall in front of you, rather than the judge as you lead the horse.

AQHA judges are highly trained to spot good conformation and give the top award to the most-deserving horse.You can learn how AQHA judges score halter classes in AQHA’s FREE Judging Halter report.

No. 3 – Get Too Close to the Horse’s Head

If you stand too close to your horse’s head, the horse might want to start playing with your hand, biting on you or chewing. To avoid this, make sure your hand is away from your horse’s head.

No. 4 – Pay Too Much Attention to the Judge

Don’t lose focus on your horse because you are spending too much time watching the judge. Always make sure that your horse is properly positioned, just in case the judge looks over at you.

If your horse is set up improperly, and the judge is coming, don’t be afraid to re-set your horse. If you just take a second and get it right, the judge will give you the time to set your horse up correctly.

No. 5 – Over-Show the Horse

Don’t let your nerves get the better of you and help you to make the biggest mistake of all: over-showing your horse.

Keep up your self-confidence, and you’ll find that you won’t make as many mistakes. Positive thinking is a must, as well as getting to know your horse.

In AQHA’s FREE Judging Halter report, you’ll get an understanding of the ideal American Quarter Horse. You’ll train your eye to acknowledge balance, structural correctness, breed and sex characteristics, muscling and more.

If you’re not sure what to expect at a show, go and watch it first. Going to lots of horse shows will calm your nerves and let you know what to expect.

And if you find that you get nervous at big shows, just treat that major show like it’s a weekend show. Slow it down and stay in your regular show routine, and you’ll do a better job of presenting your horse.

Final Tip

Remember that horse shows are to be enjoyed. Take your time, relax and enjoy it. Keep in mind the words of AQHA Professional Horseman Denny Hassett of Auburn, Kansas, “Your horse is ready, you’re dressed properly, and if you get it shown properly, you’re going to win a prize.”

Novice western pleasure exhibitors can put these tips to use along the rail.

Everything from your attire to your equipment should make your horse look as smooth as possible. Western pleasure is about making the horse look good.

By AQHA Professional Horseman Louis Hufnagel with Larri Jo Starkey in The American Quarter Horse Journal

This is the last half of a two-part series. Need to review Part 1?

Plan Ahead

Showing your horse to the best of your ability means planning ahead and knowing your horse. In the warm-up pen, pay attention to the other horses so that when you enter the ring, you will know whether your horse is slower or faster than the ones in front of you and behind you at the walk, jog and lope.

If your horse cannot jog slowly and the horse in front of you can, you’ll end up passing the horse in front of you. Passing isn’t bad – it’s better to pass than to crowd – but you can set yourself up better if you get behind a horse that jogs faster than yours so you don’t have to make that decision.

If you need to pass, do it, but be smart about it. Plan ahead. Don’t start thinking about passing when you’re six inches from the tail of the horse in front of you. Exhibitors who do that end up suddenly realizing they’re too close and jerking their horse sideways to pass, which slingshots the horse off into the middle of the arena like a Frisbee.

Learn how to be prepared for your first horse show with AQHA’s FREE Ultimate Guide to Showing report. Download your copy today!

What you should do is start moving your horse off your leg toward the center of the ring a couple of horse-lengths before you pass the horse in front of you, leaving plenty of room. Then, once you’re past, quietly move your horse back over.

You can also use the corners of the ring to either pass a horse or allow one to pass you.

When a gait is called, you can count, “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two,” but by one-thousand three, you should be in that gait. Don’t poke around on the rail.

The one who has the most room is supposed to go first. If you are a line that’s pretty tight and you can lope off when they call lope, you have gained points.

On the other hand, if you just slingshot your horse, you’ve lost a lot more than you’ve gained, so you’ve got to be smart.

In a western pleasure class, there are only three speeds you can go: too fast, too slow or just right. According to the rulebook, the just-right speed is cadenced and balanced, not just slow. When you’re on the rail, work on keeping a rhythm to effectively show your horse, not someone else’s.

Look Professional

If you watch the professionals in the open classes, they’re just neat and clean, like the rulebook says. They wear clean shirts and ties, nothing fancy.

Some amateur competitors will spend $800 or more on an outfit to wear, when they could have spent that extra money on getting a better horse.

When I judge, I couldn’t tell you what exhibitors are wearing. If someone is wearing something atrocious, I might notice it, but I’m not going to like it. It won’t have any effect on the judging. Look at your rulebook again: It doesn’t say how much shirts have to cost for you to compete in pleasure.

And remember to work on making your horse look good. Here are some things to avoid:

• If your horse is rough, don’t wear a ponytail that swings around like a helicopter.
• Pin your number down so it’s not flopping.
• If your reins are draped so long that they’re swaying and making your horse look rough, they’re too long.
• If the back of your saddle is bouncing, it doesn’t look smooth.

Want to learn about the different events and divisions you can participate in with your American Quarter Horse? Download AQHA’s FREE Ultimate Guide to Showing report!

Everything from your attire to your equipment should make your horse look as smooth as possible. Western pleasure is about making the horse look good.

Live in Region 5? There’s still time to enter AQHA’s Region 5 Championship July 22-25 in Lexington, Virginia. Go to www.regionfiveexperience.com or call Rick Shiffler at (717) 269-8611.

Novice western pleasure exhibitors can put these tips to use along the rail.

Any time you have a question about how your horse should look in the show ring, don’t depend on fads to tell you, read your AQHA rulebook.

By AQHA Professional Horseman Louis Hufnagel with Larri Jo Starkey in The American Quarter Horse Journal

Only one horse in 100 does all the gaits slowly and correctly on its own every time, and as a beginner, you probably don’t have that horse.

Instead, when you’re showing in western pleasure, you’re trying to do as well as you can with the horse you can afford.

Read the Rulebook

Whether you’re going to be showing in pleasure, horsemanship or showmanship, you need to read the class specifications. It’s going to tell you what’s going to happen in that class. You still need to see a class before you show in it, but you’ll know the basic guidelines.

You’ll know that in a western pleasure class, you’re going to be judged going both directions and that the horse is being judged, not the rider.

Your horse should be a pleasure to watch and a pleasure to ride. All of your efforts should be aimed at making your horse look smooth.

Any time you have a question about how your horse should look in the show ring, don’t depend on fads to tell you – look at the rulebook. If you’re confused about what bit to use – look at the rulebook.

AQHA’s “Show Me” DVD features numerous people involved in different areas of showing. They explain how to take the first step and get involved in your first show. Order your copy today!

Practice

If you don’t practice, it doesn’t make any difference what you do in the ring.

Some amateurs just want to show up and get on. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn’t. You need to get to know your horse, and you need to practice your riding so you can make your horse look more pleasurable to ride, especially if you’re a novice.

Roll It!

Watch as world champions are crowned the 2009 AQHA World Show.

A lot of novices get scared when their horse goes a little too fast, because their balance changes with the rhythm. That’s something you need to practice, too: changing rhythms until your whole body is relaxed. It’s like any other sport – it takes physical exertion. Your horse won’t stay steady in the ring unless you’ve got him steady at home.

If it were easy, you could just as well go to Walmart and put your quarter in the coin horse because it will always give you the same ride. Instead, get on your western pleasure horse and practice to get ready for the horse show.

Stay tuned for the second part of this series.

Winning Tips

Don’t let equine gastric ulcer syndrome keep you and your horse out of the winner’s circle. Know the signs for EGUS to keep your horse comfortable and competitive.

Dr. April Knudson, manager of Merial Veterinary Services, advises owners to recognize the signs of EGUS. She says, “It’s common for horses with stomach ulcers to endure mild colic, poor hair coat, inadequate body condition or substandard performance – as well as the more well-known signs of decreased appetite and poor behavior.”

In AQHA’s “Show Me” DVD you’ll learn the different AQHA disciplines to choose from and the different class divisions, including plenty of choices for beginners. Order your copy now!

Stressful situations usually trigger ulcer formation, Dr. Knudson says. She urges owners to be aware of the stressful situations that can trigger EGUS, such as training, competition, stall confinement, trailering and lay-up due to injury. These common activities are almost impossible to avoid for competitive horses, and without preventive treatment, stomach ulcers are likely to develop.

There is a reliable product to prevent ulcers if horses are about to go into training or travel to a competition, Dr. Knudson says. UlcerGard is the only product that works to prevent equine stomach ulcers.  At about $10 a day, UlcerGard has been proven effective in preventing stomach ulcers when used during stressful situations.

International youth riders will battle it out in Oklahoma City for the chance to take the gold, and the glory, back to their country.

To level the playing field, competing team members do not show their own horses at the American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup.

Get ready for the 2010 American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup July 3-10 in Oklahoma City.

The event is held every two years and is hosted by a different country each time. The 2008 Youth World Cup was in London, Ontario.

While at the Youth World Cup, five youth plus one coach and manager from each country will take part in educational seminars, discipline clinics, leadership training and, finally, competition. Five additional youth from each country are invited by each international affiliate to attend the education and leadership portion of the week’s events and to cheer on their teammates.

To level the playing field, competing team members do not show their own horses. The host country provides each team’s horses for clinics and competition. AQHA relies heavily on AQHA Professional Horsemen and owners to supply this event with the best American Quarter Horses around.

Ready to start earning money doing what you love? The AQHA Incentive Fund pays participants for showing and breeding their American Quarter Horses. Find out how!

The youths riding for Team USA in 2010 are Peyton Bivins, Amarillo, Texas; Alison Ceresani, Tuckerton, New Jersey; Katie Krshka, Yukon, Oklahoma; Reed Kyle, Whitesboro, Texas; and Nick Murphy, Jackson, Missouri.

The leadership members of Team USA will consist of Taylor Duncanson, Raymond, Maine; Lauren Halvorson (rider alternate), Guthrie, Oklahoma; Jocelyn Tanner, Webster, New Hampshire; Leah Thomas, South Royalton, Vermont; and Kaitlyn Wadman, Haverhill, Massachusetts.

You can read about the riders competing for other countries, just click on “Team Bios” in the top navigation bar.

Roll It!

Catch highlights from the 2008 American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup in Ontario, Canada.

A Brief Recap

At the 2008 Youth World Cup, Team USA took home the gold with a final tally of 185 points, followed by Team Germany with 142 points and Team Italy with 129 points.

Sixteen nations were represented at the 2008 competition: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.

2008 Individual High-Point Awards:

• Showmanship: Marissa Dalton, United States
• Hunter under saddle: Ilke Poelman, Belgium
• Western pleasure: T. Joe Jeane, United States
• Hunt seat equitation: Sara D’Imperio, Italy
• Horsemanship: Cara Walker, United States
• Western riding: Vanessa Bauer, Austria
• Trail: Carolin Lenz, Germany
• Cutting: T. Joe Jeane, United States
• Reining: Felix Schnabel, Germany

The American Quarter Horse Journal is on the scene at the 2010 Youth World Cup to report all the great news. Stay tuned for updates from the competition at the Journal on the Road blog on americashorsedaily.com.

Ever wondered how exactly the AQHA Incentive Fund works? Download AQHA’s free brochure and find out!

Battle in the Saddle

Don’t forget about another great event, Battle in the Saddle, also at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

Battle in the Saddle is the great American western-horse showdown — with more than $300,000 up for grabs. Competitions include reining, cutting, working cow horse, roping and ranch remuda. Battle in the Saddle also features the U.S. reining team selection trials for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and much more. You can purchase Battle in the Saddle tickets online.

Plan on being in Oklahoma City for all of the excitement? Reserve your hotel room now and save big with the 2010 Battle in the Saddle sponsor hotels.

Everything you ever wanted to know about reining, and then some.

Shawn Flarida and RC Fancy Step, by Wimpys Little Step out of Sonita Wilson, marked an impressive 232.5 to win the 2009 NRHA Open Derby.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

Reining has been called the dressage of the western world. As in dressage, a rider pilots a collected horse through a prescribed pattern while being judged on smoothness, control, attitude and finesse.

However, all similarities stop there. Where dressage is slow and measured, reining is a fast-paced thrill ride full of hard-driving runs, explosive stops and dizzying spins.

What Is Reining?

Reining evolved from the everyday ranch horse, which was quick on his feet and could be directed by a light rein. Proud of their hard-working mounts, cowhands would get together and challenge one another to see whose cow horse could stop harder, slide farther and turn faster. Thus, the reining competition began.

Today, reining is a judged event designed to show these same athletic abilities in a horse, but within the confines of a show arena.

Each horse and rider perform an individual, pre-assigned pattern from memory. In National Reining Horse Association competitions, contestants are required to run one of 10 patterns. There are 11 patterns in AQHA events.

AQHA’s “Reining Basics with Craig Johnson” is a valuable addition to any horseman’s DVD library, whether you are learning to ride or an accomplished rider, Craig has helpful instructions for you and your horse. Order your copy today!

Each pattern includes 360-degree spins; flying lead changes; small slow circles; large fast circles; rollbacks and sliding stops. The rider and horse must complete these various maneuvers smoothly and accurately, while maintaining controlled speed.

Keeping Score

The best ride is one that appears effortless while combining technical difficulty and stylistic elements.

A judge scores every part of the pattern from the time the horse enters the ring until the last maneuver.

Each rider enters the ring with a score of 70, which denotes an average performance. The judge then adds or subtracts points during the performance. With seven to eight maneuvers in each pattern, each gets a score ranging from minus 1 1/2 (extremely poor quality) to plus 1 1/2 (excellent quality). Points are given for level of difficulty and finesse, while points are taken away for loss of control of the horse or deviations from the pattern. If no points are given or taken away, that denotes a maneuver that is correct with no degree of difficulty.

Why Didn’t That Really Fast Horse Win?

At reining shows, it’s not unusual for the crowd to get excited and whoop and holler for explosive stops and super-fast spins. Although these horses sometimes win, other times you might be scratching your head as to why they didn’t score well.

Remember, the judge is scoring the entire run. Even if a horse has beautiful, long sliding stops, he’ll lose points if he races out of control in his large circles.

Roll It!

Celebrities join forces for the Celebrity Slide at the 2009 National Reining Horse Association Futurity benefiting the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

It’s Not Easy, but It’s Fun

As with dressage, reining is a challenge. It takes many hours of practice and plenty of skill to even get a score of 70. But the best thing is that it is a wonderful discipline for both the horse and rider, and it will make them more versatile and better performers as they move into other events.

Going Global

In 2000, reining was approved by the Federation Equestre Internationale, and in 2002, the sport took the international stage as part of the World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Reining was again a part of the World Equestrian Games in 2006 in Aachen, Germany, and is now preparing for its third appearance at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky.

2010 NRHA Derby

Keep up with the NRHA Derby June 21-26 in Oklahoma City through the Journal on the Road blog at americashorsedaily.com. The open finals will be Saturday.

Save Big With Battle in the Saddle Sponsor Hotels!

The world’s most talented horses and cowboys will take center stage to battle it out for top honors at the first annual Battle in the Saddle competition July 5-10 in Oklahoma City!

Competitors from around the world will shoot it out in five fast-paced, exciting events: reining, working cow horse, roping, cutting and ranch remuda, with more than $300,000 up for grabs in all divisions.

Are you going to be there for this exhilarating event? Reserve your hotel room now and save big with the 2010 Battle in the Saddle sponsor hotels.

In AQHA’s “Reining Basics with Craig Johnson,” Craig demonstrates how the working relationship between horse and rider softens, gets smoother and becomes increasingly responsive, until the cues are nearly invisible. Order yours today!

Fly Control Tips From Tractor Supply Co.

Insects can distract you and your horse when you’re trying to look and perform your best. Keeping insects at bay requires a multifaceted approach.

At home, keep your stalls dry and free of manure to prevent flies from breeding, circulate air inside the barn, use traps to capture any flies that do hatch, and encourage birds, bats and other animals that thrive on insects to help control the bug population.

On the road, apply insecticides to your horse to deter any flies. Apply sprays liberally before you enter the show ring, and don’t forget to bring your fly spray and mask with you for use before and after the performance.

At Tractor Supply Co., you can find all the bird attractants, muck boots, shovels, absorbent bedding, shop fans, fly traps, masks, sprays and grooming supplies you need.

Visit your local Tractor Supply Co. store, or shop online and get a coupon for $5 off to use on your next purchase of $25 or more. Online offer valid through July 15, 2010.

Opportunity knocked for learning, big prizes and fun at the 2009 Region Seven Championship.

Samantha Siedentopf, 15, of Santa Rosa, California, won seven buckles in speed events aboard Shell Be First Class at the 2009 Region Seven Championship, in Reno, Nevada.

By Christine Hamilton in The American Quarter Horse Journal

Showmanship – that’s the only reason Bob Fischer, a building contractor from Kelseyville, California, went to the 2009 Region Seven Championship in Reno, Nevada.

Specifically, he went for the clinic given by AQHA Professional Horsewoman Jennifer Thompson. Bob got hooked on horses through daughter Kimberly’s involvement in 4-H and bought One Smooth Mister for fun. And now he has found himself really enjoying showmanship. He watched Jennifer’s entire two-hour clinic, asking questions and taking notes.

“I’ve got some new tips to try,” he said, with a smile. He knows now that he has been showing with too many links in his shank, and he has a better idea of how to get a straight back up.

And that’s what the Regional Championships are all about – giving people chances to try new things and opportunities to learn.

Showmanship is one of the most popular classes at AQHA shows.  The Showmanship at Halter DVD will give you the knowledge and tools you need to be a top-notch competitor.

Although it rained almost every afternoon – strange for Reno – the Reno Livestock Events Center had enough covered arenas to keep the show rolling.

“I am thrilled with this show,” said Region Seven Committee Chairwoman Carol Whitaker. “I have seen it from the first. The neatest thing that we do at (Regional Championships) is the awards, and the way we present something to everyone who places. This is the first big show for a lot of these people.”

As for Bob, his clinic time paid off. He showed One Smooth Mister immediately after the event and won his first showmanship class.

“He calmly walked into the show arena, stopped perfectly, backed the required five steps as if he was counting them off himself,” Bob wrote in an e-mail. “His pivot has never been so smooth. The judge even commented on it when we were stopped for her inspection. I was real proud of him.”

Roll It!

Team Wrangler Judges give a review on how they judge various events. Featuring Mark Wray and Jim Watts.

This year’s Region Seven Championship is August 13-15 in Salina, Utah. Are you going? You can make more plans by visiting www.aqharegion7.org.

If you’re not in Region Seven, you can learn more about your Regional Championship by going to www.aqha.com/showing. Click on Regional Championships in the dropdown link under “Shows and Events.”

Don’t forget that you must be a member of your affiliate to compete in your Regional Championship this year. Memberships can be purchased at the shows.

Enter Battle in the Saddle Now!

Entries are now being accepted online for Battle in the Saddle, July 5-10 in Oklahoma City. It’s the great American western-horse showdown — with more than $300,000 up for grabs. Competitions include reining, cutting, working cow horse, roping and ranch remuda. Battle in the Saddle also features the U.S. reining team selection trials for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, a chuckwagon cook-off and much more. You can purchase Battle in the Saddle tickets online.

The Showmanship at Halter DVD is a must have for the youth, novice, amateur and open competitor. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just want to try out the most popular class, this DVD has something for you!

The Region 11 Championship promotes the American Quarter Horse across the Atlantic.

The 2009 Region Eleven Championship in Paaren, Germany, offered clinics and demonstrations, as well as the typical AQHA classes for novice competitors.

By Ramona Billing in The American Quarter Horse Journal

The German Quarter Horse Association brought AQHA’s popular Regional Championship event to Europe for a second time in 2009.

The Region Eleven Championship was part of the western-themed Texana Riding and Country Show at Paaren, Germany, close to Berlin. More than 7,000 visitors saw the American Quarter Horse compete in a variety of disciplines, and they learned from many clinics or even tried riding during the test rides. Besides the typical classes for novice riders, the event also offered several attractive top-quality shows like a Federation Equestre Internationale reining CRI and a National Cutting Horse Association competition, which was organized by NCHA Germany.

“Junior Master Horseman” empowers children with useful ways and ideas to safely interact with their horse, or the horse they dream of someday owning!

Although entries were slightly down from 2008 (523 in 2009 and 608 in 2008), the purpose of the Championship is to attract new riders to showing, and this is exactly what it did.

About 80 percent of the competitors were novice riders – not only from Germany, but from across Europe.

“We saw a lot of fine rides,” said Michaela Kayser, who judged the event along with Doug Allen and Janette Steffel. “I liked, especially, how the novice competitors handled their young and inexpensive horses. A real sight to see.”

Due to the combination with a big fair dedicated to the American West, the event attracted many people who had never seen an American Quarter Horse. And the horses did their best to show their versatility and great mind.

Have a young horse lover in your life? The Junior Master Horseman program offers dynamic activities and the interactive Web site juniormasterhorseman.com.