Over $375,000 in Purse and Prizes at AQHA Ranch Horse Championships NetJets® U.S. Jumping Team

Secures First Podium Finish at 2023

CHIO Aachen with Laura Kraut & Haley

The show featured a variety of events, including ranch cutting, ranch trail, ranch conformation, ranch reining, team roping, barrel racing, ranch riding, ranch cow work, working ranch horse and, for the first time, steer stopping and breakaway roping.

“This show showcases exactly what we want to see in ranch-bred horses,” said Karen McCuistion, senior director of member programs. “Competing in five different performance classes then moving into conformation is the epitome of what the American Quarter Horse can do.”

In addition to the nine VRH world champion titles, 54 VRH class championships, seven NRSHA national all-around championships, 35 NRSHA class championships, seven Level 1 youth and seven amateur and one Select Level 1 championships, and 28 Ranching Heritage Challenge championships, the event also recognized the top AQHA Ranching Heritage-bred horses.

View the official results, score sheets, the Journal’s Champion Pages at www.aqha. com/vrhworld. You can also visit the AQHA Showing Facebook page and YouTube page to watch the action from the show, including the AQHA VRH World

Highlights videos and interviews with the newly crowned world champions.

Qualifying has already started for 2024, so don’t miss the opportunity to earn your spot at next year’s event held at the Tri State Fair and Expo in Amarillo.

About the AQHA VRH World

The AQHA VRH World combines four premiere ranch horse events into one: the AQHA VRH World, AQHA RHC Finals, AQHA Cattle Level 1 Championships and NRSHA National Championship Show. This prestigious event draws ranch-horse competitors from around the globe each June to crown nine AQHA VRH world champions along with champions in the AQHA RHC Finals, Cattle Level 1 and NRSHA championship shows in addition to awarding approximately $375,000 in purse and prizes.

For more information on the AQHA VRH World and corresponding events, visit www. aqha.com/versatility.

Learn more about the Four Sixes Ranch, the presenting sponsor of the 2023 AQHA Cattle Level 1 Championships.

Aachen, Germany – Laura Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and her talented mount, Haley, impressed the audience with a remarkable performance in the Prize of Handwerk CSIO5* at CHIO Aachen, securing a fantastic second-place finish in the faultsconverted format with a swift time of 59.53 seconds. Throughout the class, the duo held the lead for a significant portion of the competition, only to be narrowly edged out of the top spot by Marc Dilasser (FRA) aboard E2K Abricot Ennemmelle, who finished just a fraction of a second faster.

Haley, a 2012 KWPN mare owned by Cherry Knoll Farm, Inc., has been an invaluable part of Kraut’s string for several years, and their synergy was evident as they skillfully navigated the day’s first track in the main stadium at Aachen. As one of Kraut’s three mounts for the week, their strong start set a promising tone for the U.S. Team as they look ahead to the upcoming competitions.

Under the brilliant lights of the main stadium at CHIO Aachen, members of the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team tackled the challenging Turkish Airlines - Prize of Europe CSIO5*, a demanding course set at 1.60m and designed by Frank Rothenberger (GER). With 54 entries, only eight combinations qualified for the jump-off round.

Natalie Dean (Palo Alto, Calif.) displayed a commendable performance with Chance Ste Hermelle, a 2008 Belgian Sport Horse mare owned by Marigold Sport Horses, LLC. They finished in 28th place, completing the course with only one rail down in the final line and adding a single time fault in their stadium debut. Following closely behind, teammate Laura Kraut and Dorado 212, a 2013 Oldenburg gelding owned by St. Bride’s Farm, secured 29th place, with four faults and two time faults contributing to their overall finish. Bliss Heers (Las Vegas, N.V.) and Antidote de Mars, a 2010 Selle Français stallion owned by Bridgeside Farms LLC, clinched the 33rd position with a total of eight faults.

Regrettably, Contagious, a 2009 Deutches Sportferd gelding owned by Beechwood Stables, LLC, sustained a minor injury, and as a result, will not be competing for the remainder of the week.

For the latest updates on the schedule and results, please visit the official CHIO Aachen website. Fans can also follow the U.S. Jumping Team’s journey on Facebook and Instagram, and stay connected with US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok using #USAJumping.

The NetJets U.S. Jumping Team’s early podium finish at CHIO Aachen marks a promising start to their campaign, and supporters are eager to witness their continued success in the upcoming events.