Former champions of the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity compete in the Champions Cup in a celebration of the sport.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Buster Welch rides through the herd November 26 at the Champions Cup. (Journal photo) For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

What started as a celebration of the 50^th National Cutting Horse Association Futurity turned into a whole lot more.

History, heritage and some pretty fancy cutting were all on display November 26 during the Neiman Marcus Champions Cup in Fort Worth, Texas.

“It was an electric night for everybody,” said cutting trainer Jody Galyean, one of the competitors who earned Read the rest of this entry »

A herd of talented 2-year-olds made for great spectating during the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress Masters classes.

By Jessica Miller for The American Quarter Horse Journal
Photo by Jeff Kirkbride Photography

“There is just something special about him,” says AQHA Professional Horsewoman Deanna Searles of Lastcallfour Alcohol. “We’d see him lope around the turnout pen and think ‘Ohh, how nice!’ He had this self-carriage and expression you just don’t find every day.”

A Win for Bud

Sometimes, you just know a winner when you see one.

From the day he was born, AQHA Professional Horsewoman Deanna Searles knew Lastcallfour Alcohol would be her 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress Hunter Under Saddle Masters horse. “Bud” (short for Budweiser) was big when he was born. From his conformation and even temper, Deanna knew as she named him that she would hear his name coming from the loud speaker as winner.

“He’s big and green so steering is always an issue,” she says. “At 17.2, he’s like a locomotive – slow to get going and slow to stop. But he’s willing to do anything I ask. And that’s why I chose him for the Masters this year. His mentality. He’s cool-headed and quiet as can be.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Take a look at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress as a mathematician would see it.

There were a lot of hooves on display at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress – 3,400 to be exact. (Journal photo).

As the world’s largest single-breed horse show, the All American Quarter Horse Congress should have some pretty outrageous numbers.

Take a look some of those astonishing figures:

• Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Katelyn Schultz’s first All American Quarter Horse Congress!

Choices! Choices! for lunch at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress. (Scroll down for more Journal photos.)

The Journal spoke with Katelyn’s mom, Nikki, watching her 11-year-old daughter ride in the covered riding area between Congress Hall and the Coliseum. She had just gone to pick up breakfast biscuits for her son, Jared, Katelyn, and Katelyn’s trainer, Rhonda Spratto.

“We came to watch last year, just to see the environment,” Nikki says. “We’ve always shown; we did the AQHA Region Three Championship to get started, and thought she was ready to take the next step up.”

From West Bend, Wisconsin, Katelyn trains with Larry and Rhonda Spratto of Pickett, Wisconsin. Rhonda had her sign up to show A Sweet Addiction for the Congress judging contest to practice for her upcoming performance in novice youth hunt seat equitation. Jared will be showing in the small fry classes.

“She rode her patterns all last weekend before coming,” Nikki says proudly. “My husband (Mike) says (the kids) got the horse bug in utero, from me!”

Among all the big wins and big prizes at the world’s largest AQHA show, it’s important to remember the firsts that got everyone started in showing American Quarter Horses.

Here are Congress highlights from last week:

Read the rest of this entry »

AQHA honors top shooters at the 2011 Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association World Championship in Amarillo.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Jessie Kuka rides PLC Nute Driftwood in AQHA competition. (Journal photo). For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

This year was the first that cowboy mounted shooters have been able to earn AQHA points on their horses, and at the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association World Championship, they aimed for the top.

In addition to the world championships through CMSA, shooters on American Quarter Horses had a chance to qualify for the 2012 Pfizer AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse and Cowboy Mounted Shooting World Championship Show.

Three competitors were honored Read the rest of this entry »

Halter wins are special for many at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Clark Bradley and Lea Ann Koch share a hug as she wins the WCHA Stretch Bradley non-pro yearling mares class. (Journal photo) For more photos from the Congress halter classes, scroll to the slide show at the bottom.

In 1978, Lea Ann Koch of Oswego, Illinois, was in her last year of AQHYA competition.

She enlisted the help of a well-known halter trainer to help her win the high-point youth mare title with Snip’s Robin Time.

They traveled a lot of miles in the pickup on the way to shows across the United States and in the midnight hours shared a lot of quiet thoughts.

So when Lea Ann heard that the World Conformation Horse Association had named its yearling non-pro stakes class at the All American Quarter Horse Congress for the late Stretch Bradley, Lea Ann knew she wanted Read the rest of this entry »

The All American Quarter Horse Congress is more than just a horse show and a great place to shop. Seminars, lectures and demonstrations are among the educational activities.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Pam Moreland "The Blanket Lady" poses with "Bertha" the washing machine in her traveling laundry. (Journal photo) For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

Pam Moreland of Weatherford, Texas, has been in business for 12 years, but one night she had a dream.

“God gave me this concept in a dream a year ago in April,” Pam said. “He said, ‘Go mobile.’ So my husband built this mobile unit for me.”

Pam’s mobile unit is a semitruck and trailer with living quarters for her and her two dogs plus enough space for her real business — washing, repairing and selling horse blankets.

“It had to have washing machines,” she said. “It had to have a big washing machine for the heavies Read the rest of this entry »

AQHA Professional Horsewoman Stacy Westfall wins the freestyle reining competition at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Stacy Westfall rides TSW Can Can Vaquero bridleless in the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress freestyle reining competition. (Journal photo) To see more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

Expectations were high as AQHA Professional Horseman Stacy Westfall entered the coliseum October 15.

Stacy made her mark with a bareback bridleless freestyle reining routine at the All American Quarter Horse Congress’ freestyle reining competition on Whizards Baby Doll, aka “Roxy.” Since then, Stacy has moved on to a new horse for her freestyle routines, TSW Can Can Vaquero, and a new challenge from an old friend.

“My friend Ann Reusser, she kept teasing me that I was doing many “man” routines, because I like to do the dusters and I like to do the old cowboy thing, and she said, ‘You need to do a girlie one again,’ ” Stacy said. “In February, I went to Road to the Horse, and I needed to do a freestyle demonstration Read the rest of this entry »

Champions are chosen at EMO/PCQHA Novice Championship show.

By Pamela Britton-Baer

Exhibitors in amateur showmanship put on their game faces October 14 at the EMO/PCQHA Novice Championship Show. (Pamela Britton-Baer photo)

The results are in. The points have all been tabulated and on October 14, 23 new champions were crowned at the EMO/PCQHA Novice Championship show. But it wasn’t the awards that made the day special, nor was it the titles competitors won.

For people like Tina Darmohray of Los Altos Hills, California, it was about creating memories with close friends, Read the rest of this entry »

The Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association Novice Championship Show encourages people to try something new – and rewards them for doing so.

By Pamela Britton-Baer

Delia Trenbeath riding Zippos Gold Command at the PCQHA Novice Championship Show.

Anybody who has ever shown on the West Coast is familiar with Rancho Murieta, California. Located less than 20 minutes from the heart of bustling Sacramento,  “the Ranch” offers numerous covered arenas, several outdoor practice pens and the largest RV parking area outside of a NASCAR garage.  Well, OK, not really, but the place seems to get bigger and bigger each year. Read the rest of this entry »

Todd Bergen rides Shiners Dun Juan to the top of the 2011 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity open division for owner Janiejill Tointon.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Janiejill Tointon's horse Shiners Dun Juan won the 2011 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity with Todd Bergen aboard. (Journal photo) For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

Janiejill Tointon of Longmont, Colorado, was inches from selling her horse. In fact, she had papers signed for his transfer until moments before the 2011 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity open finals began.

That’s when the buyer backed out and Janiejill’s unbelievable dream came true.

Her “sold” horse, Shiners Dun Juan, won the open finals October 2, and the $100,000 check that goes to the winner went to Janiejill.

“I’m riding him today,” Janiejill exclaimed between tears as she patted her horse’s neck.

Shiners Dun Juan is a 2008 buckskin gelding by Smart Shiner and out of Read the rest of this entry »

Annie Reynolds claims her seventh NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity non-pro championship with a homebred mare.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Anne Reynolds and Smart Magic Trick turn a cow on the fence September 30 in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity non-pro finals. (Journal photo) Scroll to the slide show below for more photos from the Snaffle Bit.

The 2011 Snaffle Bit Futurity wasn’t Annie Reynolds’ first rodeo. In fact, it wasn’t even her first Snaffle Bit, let alone her first win. But it was still special to the seven-time champion.

In 1998, Annie won her first National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity with Magical Lena. On September 30, Annie won again with a daughter of Magical Lena, Smart Magic Trick, a homebred by Annie’s stallion Very Smart Remedy.

Smart Magic Trick is a 2009 sorrel mare owned Read the rest of this entry »