Bridle & Bit Magazine February 2024 Edition by Bridle & Bit

Thursday February 29th Trey and JD Yates 1:00PM in Equidome

FREE ADMISSION &

CLINICS

JD & TREY YATES AL DUNNING DEANNA SEARLES

Friday March 1 Al Dunning “How Winners Cut!” 9:00am in Arena 8

Friday March 1 Deanna Searles Western Riding Clinic 1 pm – Ranch Fuel Arena (Arena 4)

FEBRUARY 2024

Guts, Glory and Freedom: Cole Hauser’s new PBR creative debuts Campaign encapsulates centuries-old cowboy values, American resiliency.

By Andrew Giangola PUEBLO, Colo. – “You can never rid the human soul of its desire to run free.” That’s the opening salvo in a new short film written, directed and voiced by Cole Hauser to launch PBR’s new brand campaign, a beautifully shot seven-minute paean to generational American resiliency. It’s Bull Time: A PBR Film Featuring Cole Hauser of “Yellowstone” Whereas sports campaigns tend to lean on big plays, big games and feats of athletic distinction, the new PBR creative celebrates the American spirit at the heart of our enduring freedom.

Resilient cowboy values of hard work, embracing responsibilities and fighting for principles are all expressions of the freedom our ancestors dreamed about, and the new campaign brings them to life in various iterations fans will see across traditional and social media as well as throughout PBR programming on CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network. In the short, Hauser, in the role of a bull stock contractor, meets up with his prized athlete grazing on a pasture. The bovine (Beaver Creek Beau, to the faithful) eagerly trots toward Hauser’s trailer, and the two travel across a vast stunning landscape, heading to a PBR event where communities of honest, hard-working people come together and legacies are forged through epic, ancient showdowns between man and beast, culminating in the presentation of the National Anthem – the pinnacle symbol of blood-sweat-and-tears sacrifice. Hauser’s proud and resolute narration concludes, “To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory. This is America. And this is the PBR.” The accomplished veteran actor starring as Rip Wheeler on television’s No. 1 drama “Yellowstone” teamed up with PBR in 2022, committing to tell stories that elevate values traditionally associated with ranchers, farmers and cowboys. The creative was shown for the first time last night at a party Hauser co-hosted with Kid Rock at the House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay to introduce the coaches and team names for Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, scheduled for May 17 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. “The values associated with ranchers, farmers, and cowboys are centuries old, and ones we want to amplify in working with Cole Hauser,” said PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason. 12

“Our sport has always been unabashedly proud of America’s history and heritage, and particularly the important place in that history of cowboys and cowgirls and the values they live by, such as honesty, integrity, hard-work, commitment and sacrifice when necessary. We’re very proud to be showcasing what it means to truly love America and live the cowboy way.” In announcing his partnership with PBR, Hauser said, “At its core, PBR is an inviting sport showcasing courageous cowboy athletes doing the seemingly unthinkable. But beneath the rush of an 8-second bull ride, these athletes share a simple, pure humanity and live a life centered on values that are more important today than ever.” Hauser said his goal in working with PBR was “to tell stories revealing the humanity of a group of extraordinary bull-riding cowboys that pulls back the curtain in an uplifting way that celebrates family, loyalty, love, honor, determination and friendship representing the best of Americana.” Hauser is one of the few actors in Hollywood who have ridden a bucking bull. During filming of the 1998 western The Hi-Lo Country, 9-time world champion and PBR co-founder Ty Murray taught Hauser to ride. He owns a horse named King. The Hauser-PBR partnership is the first time in PBR’s 30-year history that an outside storyteller has collaborated with the organization to turn up the volume on promoting Western values. Last weekend, PBR’s premier Unleash The Beast tour, on its third stop of a 23-event season, debuted in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, with sell-outs Friday through Sunday. The red-hot UTB is now loading in at SNHU Areana in Manchester, New Hampshire, for a Friday-Saturday weekend set.

FEBRUARY 2024

SCAN QR CODE TO SEE THE VIDEO

FEBRUARY 2024

AZ Sun Circuit Free Clinics at WestWorld February 29 and March 1

Arizona Sun Circuit horse show’s free clinics, sponsored by Adequan, are popular with exhibitors as well as the general public. Presented by top pros who all have multiple World Champion titles under their belts, they offer specific, actionable information to help you improve your ride. They are also a great opportunity for riders to explore new disciplines and jumpstart the learning process. All clinics are audit only and there is no need to register. Sun Circuit competition runs March 1-10 at WestWorld in Scottsdale and events kick off on February 29 with the annual Hershberger Performance Horse Sale.

Father and son roping duo J.D. and Trey Yates will present a Roping Clinic on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 1:00, just prior to the start of the Hershberger Sale preview in the Equidome. J.D. has always ranked horsemanship first on his priority list and will show you how good riding and getting in the right position are crucial to roping success. One of the most respected horsemen in the industry, Al Dunning will be sharing tips from his vast trove of Cutting knowledge on March 1. In this clinic, you will learn how winners earn those extra points, how to approach your run and how to show your horse to his fullest potential. Held in Cutting Arena 8, there will be plenty of demonstration and analysis of each move. Also on March 1, Deanna Searles demonstrates the elegant refinement of Western Riding. This clinic will be held in outdoor Arena 4, aka the Ranch Fuel Arena at 1:00PM. Learn what judges are looking for in your horse’s ability to change leads and gaits precisely with fluidity. She will break down the pattern and help you set up your approach to each section. Sun Circuit is free and open to the general public and never has parking fees. Visitors can see some of the finest American Quarter Horses on the planet competing in several arenas throughout the day in into the evening. Be sure to browse the vendor marketplace for horse, ranch and lifestyle goods, services and equipment. For a full schedule of events and details, visit suncircuit.com.

Adequan Free Clinic Series

Arizona Sun Circuit horse show’s free clinics, sponsored by Adequan, are popular with exhibitors as well as the general public. Presented by top pros who all have multiple World Champion titles under their belts, they offer specific, actionable information to help you improve your ride. They are also a great opportunity for riders to explore new disciplines and jump start the learning process. Clinics are audit only, free and open to the general public!

No Sign-Up Necessary. Thursday February 29 – Trey and JD Yates Roping Clinic 1:00PM Start in Equidome

AL DUNNING

DEANNA SEARLES

JD YATES

Friday March 1 – Al Dunning Cutting Clinic “How Winners Cut!” Start Time 9:00am in Arena 8

One of the most respected horsemen in the industry, Al Dunning will be sharing tips from his vast trove of Cutting knowledge on March 1. In this clinic, you will learn how winners earn those extra points, how to approach your run and how to show your horse to his fullest potential. Held in Cutting Arena 8, there will be plenty of demonstration and analysis of each move.

Friday March 1 – Deanna Searles Western Riding Clinic Start Time: 1 pm – Ranch Fuel Arena (Arena 4) Deanna Searles demonstrates the elegant refinement of Western Riding. This clinic will be held in outdoor Arena 4, aka the Ranch Fuel Arena at 1:00PM. Learn what judges are looking for in your horse’s ability to change leads and gaits precisely with fluidity. She will break down the pattern and help you set up your approach to each section.

FEBRUARY 2024

McCutcheon Paves His Way to NRHA $2 Million Rider Status From a dynasty of reining legends, NRHA Professional Cade McCutcheon has always seemed destined for greatness. During his first year in open competition in 2019, McCutcheon proved himself when he not only won the NRHA Level 4 (L4) Open Futurity Championship and Reserve Championship but also became an NRHA Million Dollar Rider. As one of the youngest riders to ever receive the accolade, he is proving himself once again—now as an NRHA $2 Million Rider.

Hailing from Aubrey, Texas, McCutcheon grew up immersed in reining. With his dad and mom, Tom and Mandy, being two of the top professional and non pro riders (respectively), it was a natural progression for McCutcheon to take the reins as a trainer within his father’s prestigious business: Tom McCutchen Reining Horses. There, the 23-year-old established an impressive training operation, a testament to his talent, hard work, and the enduring support of his team and family. Before the 2023 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships (NAAC), McCutcheon was less than $6,000 away from $2 million in NRHA lifetime earnings (LTE). With three mounts in the futurity and one in the NAAC, the talented professional blew past the milestone on finals night with an impressive run aboard the Deana Nell bred and nominated All Nite Partier (Gunners Special Nite x Topsail Survivor) owned by Sotol Investments LLC. The 224-point performance earned the duo a thirdplace finish in the L4 Open and over $90,000, catapulting McCutch-

eon across the NRHA $2 Million Rider milestone. On March 8, McCutcheon will compete at The American Performance Horseman, presented by Teton Ridge in Arlington, Texas, for $1 million in prize money. He will compete on Team Regal Red with Austin Shepard, National Cutting Horse Association professional, and Sarah Dawson, National Reined Cow Horse Association professional. Attendees will also hear live music from Luke Bryan. Visit americanrodeo.com to purchase tickets to watch the action in Globe Life Stadium and cheer on McCutcheon in person. McCutcheon’s top earning finishes since crossing $1 million include: 2023 NRHA L4 Open Futurity third place aboard All Nite Partier (Gunners Special Nite x Topsail Survivor) – owned by Sotol Investments LLC and bred by Deana Nell, earning $91,545 2022 The Run for a Million (TRFAM) Million Dollar Competition fourth place aboard Modern Gun (Gunners Special Nite x Taris Modern Design) – owned by Ms Stables and bred by Turnabout Farm Inc., earning $70,000 2021 TRFAM Million Dollar Competition sixth place aboard Modern Gun (Gunners Special Nite x Taris Modern Design) – owned by Ms Stables and bred by Turnabout Farm Inc., earning $50,000 2023 TRFAM Million Dollar Competition sixth place aboard Varsity Blu (Wimpy Chic x Flo N Blu Boon) – owned by Clark Reining Horse LLC and bred by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC, earning $45,000 2020 NRHA L4 Open Futurity fifth place aboard Gunners Town (Hollywoodstinseltown x Bubblegun) – owned by Duff Cattle and bred by Kimberly Tillman, earning $42,147 The professional’s accomplishments showcase a level of expertise and dedication that inspires fellow competitors and enthusiasts alike. As McCutcheon continues to make his mark in the world of reining, NRHA celebrates his extraordinary achievement and eagerly anticipates his future contributions to the sport.

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FEBRUARY 2024

$3 Million in Prize Money at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show Arabian Horse Day on February 19 with special events and activities at the show.

The Arabian Horse Association of Arizona (AHAA) is excited to announce the return of the 69th annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show at WestWorld of Scottsdale. The world’s largest Arabian horse show will run from Thursday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 25, featuring the world’s best Arabians, exciting competitions, a shopping expo, and more.

“We’re thrilled to invite unique, beautiful horses from all over the world to join us in Scottsdale for the 69th year,” says Melissa Schalles, executive director of the AHAA. “If you’re curious about Arabians or know nothing about them, this is the perfect show for you – there’s something for everyone here.” The 2024 show will feature over 2,100 horses who will compete for more than $3 million in prize money. Event goers can look forward to a huge variety of classes where Arabians will show their versatility, beauty, and grace. The immersive experience will return this year, giving attendees a hands-on experience to learn, touch and ride, hosted by HoofbeatZ USA, a Phoenix-based organization. The interactive experience, included in the event ticket, introduces newcomers to the world of horses and all the benefits they offer. Along with the engaging performances, event attendees will have the opportunity to see exhibits featuring fine art, crafts, clothing, and jewelry in the Shopping Expo adjacent to the main arena. More than 300 artisans and entrepreneurs are expected to sell unique goods and offer a wide variety of products and services.

The AHAA will also be celebrating the third annual National 22

The 2024 Scottsdale Show is proud to benefit several charities including Arabian Horse Promotional Fund, Arabian Horsemen’s Distress Fund, Friends of Vail Foundation, Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and Refuge Horses Help TRC, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), March of Dimes, Scottsdale Community College, Horses Help Therapeutic Riding, and Youth for Troops. The 11-day show will start at 8 a.m. each day at WestWorld, located at 16601 N. Pima Rd., in Scottsdale. General admission tickets cost $15, tickets for seniors are $10, while children aged 12 and under are free. Military Appreciation Day is Tuesday, Feb. 20, when military personnel and their families can attend for free. A family night will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, giving families free admission beginning at 4:30 p.m. A special general admission ticket good for all 11 days can be purchased for $75. Tickets are available each day at the gate or through Elevate via the website. For more information, visit scottsdaleshow.com.

Thursday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 25th FEBRUARY 2024

FEBRUARY 2024

Barrett-Jackson Holds Record-Breaking 2024 Scottsdale Auction with $207.6 Million in Total Auction Sales

2,016 No Reserve vehicles achieve a total of $200.9 million in auction sales with a 100 percent sell-through rate.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. ‒ January 31, 2024 – Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, supercharged its kickoff to the 2024 auction calendar with their flagship Scottsdale Auction, January 20-28 at WestWorld of Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona. In dynamic fashion, the event featured its largest auction docket in company history with 2,016 collectible vehicles, all selling with No Reserve, for $200.9 million in auction sales. Additionally, Barrett-Jackson sold 1,180 pieces of authentic automobilia for $6.7 million, bringing total auction sales to $207.6 million, the most for a single auction in Barrett-Jackson history, with a 100 percent sell-through rate and over 190 world-record auction sales. Top auction sales included a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (Lot #1406) for $3.41 million and a 2018 Bugatti Chiron (Lot #1378) for $2.97 million.

“It was a tremendous event this week in Scottsdale with our largest docket in history, a record number of bidders, and an impromptu live performance by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We continue to set the bar within the hobby with record-breaking sales like the 1956 300SL Gullwing, and our top sales reflect both the quality and diversity of our docket with a superb mix of classic sports cars, supercars, pre-war classics and Resto-Mods.”

The top 10 auction vehicles that sold during the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction included: 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (Lot #1406) $3,410,000 2018 Bugatti Chiron (Lot #1378) - $2,970,000 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster (Lot #1371.1) $2,420,000 2005 Porsche Carrera GT (Lot #1381) - $1,870,000 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder (Lot #1405) - $1,787,500 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring (Lot #1380) - $1,650,000 2019 Ford GT (Lot #1399) - $1,375,000 2017 Ferrari F12 TDF (Lot #1386) - $1,347,500 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible built by Jeff Hayes (Lot #1367) - $1,100,000 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster (Lot #1407), previously owned by Donald J. Trump - $1,100,000 “Our Scottsdale Auction showcased the vibrancy of the collector car hobby,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “With 28

over 2,000 vehicles, this was the largest entirely No Reserve public consignment auction for collector cars in history. Jawdropping Resto-Mods, customs, trucks and supercars crossed the block among exceptional concours-level classics, giving every generation of collectors an opportunity to buy their dream car. “With so many other aspects to the weekend, from Thrill Rides and hundreds of exhibitors to live concerts, BarrettJackson is a ‘bucket-list’ event. The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction is a phenomenon that everyone is proud of, especially after this record-breaking week.” Several of the most powerful moments during the 2024 Scottsdale Auction included the sales of four charity vehicles that together raised $1 million. The charity vehicles that sold during the BarrettJackson 2024 Scottsdale Auction include: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 3LZ (Lot #3000) - $270,000 to benefit the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation for Amyloidosis Research, including $50,000 donated by philanthropist and longtime member of the Barrett-Jackson family, Michelle Mauzy. 1968 Shelby GT350 Convertible Re-Creation (Lot #3001) $100,000 to benefit the Northeast Texas Community College Foundation by providing scholarships to students enrolled in the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program. 2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Custom Pickup (Lot #3002) $325,000 to benefit Building Homes for Heroes, including $50,000 donated by Mauzy and an additional $25,000 from Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis. 2024 Ford Mustang Darkhorse VIN 001 (Lot #3003) $375,000 to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, including $50,000 donated by Mauzy and $25,000 from The Elayne Snyder Acts 20:35 Foundation. During the week, entertainment icons, professional athletes and titans of the industry joined auction guests to indulge in the world’s most immersive automotive lifestyle event. Celebrities in attendance included musicians such as Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Chase Rice; entertainment icons such as Daymond John, Rob Schneider, Adam Ferrara and David Spade; automotive industry personalities Danny Coker, Chip Foose and Aaron Shelby; as well as current and former professional athletes including Larry Fitzgerald, Bill Goldberg, Kyle Larson, Paul Tracy, Kurt Busch, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Jacoby Ellsbury, Marco Estrada and members of the Arizona Ridge Riders PBR team. “You won’t find an equal celebration of passion for the automotive culture, which is why we’re also hosting the Scottsdale Fall Auction this October,” added Jackson. “We’re going to bookend 2024 with two of the greatest collector car events of the year.”

FEBRUARY 2024

INTERVIEW - RICO AUSTIN Q - When establishing your new Tequila brand, what posed the

greatest challenge in the entire process for you and your team?

A - First of all, thank you

Ms. Tracy for interviewing me about our new BAJARRIBA Tequila brand. We are very excited to share this incredible tasting product made with 100% Blue Weber fully matured agaves from the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Yes, there were many challenges in creating a new product and especially one where all the ingredients, components and vendors are in a completely different country than the one in which you reside. One of the most difficult tasks was in finding all the vendors necessary for the creation of the bottle itself from locating a mold maker who could manufacture a two-piece steel mold to in which the hot, molten, recycled glass is poured, thus bringing to life the shape of the glass bottle who is another vendor – the glass blower or bottle maker. In having a unique shaped glass bottle of which we wanted to be an artisan hand crafted and painted we then had to locate an artistic bottle painter instead of just having a simple label designed, printed and slapped onto our bottles. Once we had the bottle problems fixed and altered many times so as no breakage issues we then had to get lettering, alcohol content, warning labels and bottle size all approved by both government agencies – the CRT in Mexico and the TBB in the United States (each with their own set of rules and regulations), thus we have two different languages on each bottle – English for the US market and Spanish for the Mexico market. Also, there was the journey of finding a reputable, synthetic cork manufacturer, box manufacturer, and most importantly finding the perfect distillery whose Master Distiller is well respected, trustworthy and Does Not Take Short Cuts in their production process by using young, immature three- to four-year-old agaves and then having to add sugar to create the tequila flavor and making it sweeter than tequila should and originally was made to taste. Then comes the need to acquire an import company to transfer the product from Mexico into the USA. And before all of this we needed to interview and find a good fit for a distributor in both Arizona and California, the first two markets we decided to enter. We have since added Nevada and are looking to find a distributor in Texas as our next state of Bajarriba tequila distribution. From the date I created the Tres Cabo Amigos, LLC in October of 2020 until our first bottle was delivered to us in December 2022 my partners and I had traveled to Guadalajara and the surrounding areas of the state of Jalisco several times to meet with dozens of vendors, distillers before finding the right fit and 30

By Tracy Wager

then traveling back and forth to make certain everything was taking place as planned. Over two years of planning, development, disappointment and finally elation of getting an excellent product to present to the consumer exactly as perceived. One of the most difficult accomplishments in my lifetime with many thanks to my wife Connie who designed the bottle and the co-founders (Jay Nance & Mike Hill), my partners (Mark Nuessle, Marinette Garcia, Ira Gaines & Tom Chambers), the vendors, our distributors who have all played a grand role in helping me create this dream of having my own tequila brand. And thanks to the many restaurants, bars and liquor stores who are helping us get this unique product out to the consumers. Our goal is for Bajarriba to touch as many lips as possible.

Q - Given the vastness of the

tequila market, your decision to design a bottle reminiscent of Baja California aims to make your product stand out. How has this distinctive packaging influenced the launch of your product in 2023?

A - Great question as you are absolutely correct in stating the vastness of the tequila market as there are literally over 3,000 (3136) brands of tequila made in Mexico at 122 registered distilleries according to Tequila Matchmaker a mobile app of which can tell you which tequilas and distilleries are Non-Additive approved as is our distillery NOM 1107 and our brand is currently in process of being certified Non-Additive and added onto the exclusive list of which there are currently only 111 Additive Free brands of which BAJARRIBA will add one to that number. Our decision on creating a unique Baja Peninsula up-side down shaped bottle was based on the three founders having met each other in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California and our love for the Baja and wanting to give tribute to the Mexicans who share their country and their tequila with us gringos. The distinctive packaging has helped us to launch a great product and we set an opening day and opening week sales record with both our California Distributor – 88 Spirits Corp. and with Old Town Tequila, a tequila store and on-line spirits store in San Diego, CA. Bajarriba Tequila sold more bottles on opening day and for the week of any new launching spirits or wine ever for both entities. Even our great friend and consultant Mr. Jim Riley stated in a letter that in all his years in the spirits business and as a founder of his own tequila brand – Azuñia, he had never witnessed such sales success as a new, unknown brand opening. This was due to much social media pre-selling and of sharing our entire process from idea, having the bottle developed, our trips to Mexico, our failures and our triumphs by both Jay Nance and me. Too, I wrote some Blog entries and stories sharing our journey which all helped in a very successful launch.

FEBRUARY 2024

Too, our unique bottle and our coin inserted medallion wooden topper with synthetic cork is what helped us win the coveted “Brand of Promise” Bottle / Packaging of the Year by Tequila Aficionado Media and Magazine as announced in December 2022 issue, this was before we had even sold a single bottle of tequila. Both our Plata and Reposado expressions were finalists for “Tequila of the Year” a testament to the distillery owned by Juan Edwardo Nuñez and his Master Distiller – Ms. Karina Rojo, one of the few women with this title in a masculine dominated country.

Q - Starting from the moment you seriously contemplated creating your own tequila brand, how much time elapsed before it became a tangible reality?

uno: dinero, knowledge, industry contacts, know and study the laws, regulations and which government entities are involved, know your competition, industry trends, societal beliefs, economic factors and to the best of your ability to analyze or predict the future economy of spending for your product or service and whether it would be considered a need vs. want or commodity vs. luxury product. Do a four corner SWOT Analysis consisting of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats. (3) After you have completed and checked off all the pieces of advice given thus far, then reevaluate, go over again, as you will most likely find something that you overlooked and then again, make certain you have enough, Mas Dinero!

Q - Despite your busy schedule, what

A - I began talking with my two Amigos,

Mike & Jay in September 2020 and sharing my dream with them of starting my own tequila brand as I had met both Mike and Jay in Cabo some 15 years prior as they both lived there, and I was on a book tour with my best seller “My Bad Tequila” novel. I had book signings at both their bars, Mike owned Miguel Loco’s and Jay had the Cabo Lounge. Jay and Mike already knew each other by both being in the restaurant / bar industry and the three of us became good friends. Fast forward to 2020 and both Mike and Jay were living in Arizona and thus the ease of forming a company amongst friends and tequila lovers. Mike shared an idea he had of a Baja shaped bottle, and I showed my wife Connie who is a graphic designer and artist perfected it and we came up with the name from Baja Arriba to form one single unique word – BAJARRIBA which loosely translates to “Bottoms Up.” I then came up with a catch phrase “Sip out of Cabo” of which I have trademarked along with our bottle design and Bajarriba name. In late November 2022 our product was delivered to California, and we sold our first bottle early December of that month and won bottle of the Year at the same time due to sharing our story and journey on social media. So just a bit over two years, our story and journey on social media. So just a bit over two years, 27 hardworking, arduous months from creating the LLC until delivery of product.

Q - For individuals with aspirations, what three pieces of advice would you share with them as they navigate the path toward realizing their dreams?

A - Wow, what three pieces of advice would I share to those

motivated you to take on the new venture of developing a tequila brand with your unique recipe?

A - Yes, I am working, traveling full time

as a manufacturer representative selling commercial truck tires and construction tires in the Western 13 states and working another full time position as Managing Partner / Spokesperson for Tres Cabo Amigos, LLC which owns the tequila brand Bajarriba. This involves tequila tastings and events, trying to sell to new customers, visiting existing customers, marketing and sales ideas, handling inventory, invoicing and ordering tequila as well as keeping up-to-date and in touch with our Mexican vendors. My writing has been almost nonexistent, and I do miss that very much. My motivation was in developing and having my own brand of tequila and proving to myself that I could do it with the limited resources I had as it is recommended that you have at least $2 million dollars before even considering taking on developing your own liquor brand especially tequila because everything is done outside the US. I suppose this is why mostly celebrities are involved in the new brands we all hear about as they have the never-ending funding which is needed. The recipe of true tasting tequila is unique as per our distillery and the exact reason why we chose the distillery Tequila El Viejito as it is always consistent with only mature agaves and Old-World, time-tested cooking method using pure, deep well water, copper / stainless steel pots and slow roasting in “hornos” (brick ovens) for ultimate flavor.

Q - Rumor has it that Bajarriba will be served at Turf Paradise, is there any truth to that or would you care to tell us about that?

who want to realize their dream and make it a reality? (1) Try to get a position in the tequila industry so that you can begin to understand all the nuances involved from the distillery viewpoint, bottling, packaging and of course comprehending the distribution end of it. If you can’t or don’t want to try and work in the industry prior I would strongly suggest researching and doing your due diligence beforehand and know exactly everything you will need and coming up with a solid business plan and the sacrifices you will have to make. Even by doing this, there will be extra steps and duties that will come along that were not foreseen or contemplated. The sacrifice of time spent with family and friends and vacations, etc. will all need to be considered by you and only you. (2) Make certain you have all the resources available to you, such as numero

A - Yes, fortunately that rumor has complete truth to it and our

team is over-the-top excited about BAJARRIBA being the “Official and the Only Tequila” served at Turf Paradise on its reopening of January 29th, 2024, just a couple of days ago where we had a tequila tasting on opening day and will have another on Super Bowl Sunday, February 11th, 2024 and again during the running of the 150th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. Thanks to our Amigo and customer Keith Kottke owner of CD’s Sports Pub & Grill located at 32409 N. Scottsdale Rd. in North Scottsdale who has been awarded the food and beverage contract at Turf Paradise we have been asked if we would supply Bajarriba to the Turf Paradise horse racetrack as his customers, friends and even his bartenders

FEBRUARY 2024

continued page 32

2024 World’s Greatest Horseman™ Largest Payout To Date National Reined Cow Horse Association [Pilot Point, Texas] – The National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) has added more money than ever before to the upcoming Ray Shell Ranch and Western Bloodstock World’s Greatest Horseman™ competition. This year, there will be $80,000 up for grabs in preliminary goround money alone.

The new go-round money in the prelims will now payout $20,000 per event, nearly doubling the prize money from 2023. This increase in money is largely due to the support of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), the American Rope Horse Futurity Association (ARHFA), and One Time Pepto, who will be sponsoring the rein work, steer stopping, and cow work, respectively. The winner of each event in the preliminary go-rounds will now take home $10,000, with second place paying $6,000 and third paying $4,000. “The goal of adding the money to the prelims was to incentivize

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MORE RICO AUSTIN

such as Lori and Connor have told him what a great tequila we have. We urge all you horse racing fans, equestrian lovers and tequila enthusiasts to come out and join us in the festivities and tastings at these fun events coming up.

Q - Is there anything else that you would like to share with us of

why Bajarriba Tequila should be considered as an option when selecting it versus some of the other well-known national brands?

A -First of all we are an Arizona owned and based company with

51% ownership by women. Now, one of the things I am most proud of is our team partners and founders in GIVING BACK. Tres Cabo Amigos, LLC was giving back to the Baja Mexico as early as October 2020, over two years before having tequila to sell. Bajarriba Tequila is a proud supporter of many organizations in Baja Mexico and here in the U.S. that help orphaned and abandoned children including FLCK (Feeding Los Cabos Kids), Corazon de Vida and Los Cabos Missions for Christ. We are also proud supporters of our Veterans and Wounded Warriors. Too, we support local charities and organizations such as Cowboys for Kids and the Cave Creek Rodeo. One of our partners Mr. Mark Nuessle and his wife Beverly are the yearly HOSTS for HopeKids AZ and raise literally tens of thousands of dollars each and every year to help these terminally ill / diagnosed children and giving them hope in looking forward to fun activities instead of hospital visits. We have a partner Mr. Tom Chambers, former NBA All Star and a Phoenix Suns Legend who has on numerous occasions donated his time and his personal Suns tickets to this and many other organizations. This year thus far in 2023 Tres Cabo Amigos and the Bajarriba Family have donated more than 10% of our annual sales to at least 11 different charities. For more information on how you can help, go to our Bajarriba.com website and click onto the 32

those riders who excel in the cutting, reined, and roping portions and who have wanted to enter the World’s Greatest Horseman,” Emily Konkel, NRCHA executive director. “They now have a way to earn a significant amount of money before even getting to the finals. With the help of the NRHA, ARHFA and One Time Pepto, we are able to offer competitive payouts for the most exhilarating event in the performance horse world!” Since its inception in 1999, this event has showcased the true versatility of the bridle horses and the cowboys and cowgirls that compete with them. In 2024, the NRCHA will crown the 25th champion of the World’s Greatest Horseman, with the winner taking home a check for $150,000. The World’s Greatest Horseman™ competition will be held in conjunction with the Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions, February 11-24, at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Entries for the World’s Greatest Horseman™ will open on Tuesday, January 9. For more information, visit nrcha. com/events/celebration-of-champions. tab of “GIVING BACK”. Mentioning website, I would like to give a personal thank you to partner Mr. Jay Nance for the outstanding work he has accomplished with our website and social media.

Q - Where and how can our readers find out where they can get / find Bajarriba in Arizona & elsewhere you have distribution?

A - Yes, thank you for this question to help all your readers be able to purchase and /or taste BAJARRIBA Tequila. If you go to our website Bajarriba.com or click onto the QR code on our ad in this issue of Bridle and Bit Magazine it will take you directly to where you can order on-line through Old Town Tequila which ships to about 30 of the US states including most if not all of the Western Horse States. Too, if you are located in Arizona or California or Las Vegas there are several of the liquor stores, restaurants and bars listed where Bajarriba can be purchased, sipped by itself or blended in a delicious margarita. There are lots of great bars and restaurants listed in the Cave Creek and Scottsdale, AZ area as that is where I make my home. A few to list are Mountain View Pub, Harold’s Corral and Cave Creek Patio Grill in Cave Creek as well as Juan Jaime’s Tacos & Tequila, Kasai Japanese Steakhouse, Trevor’s Liquor, Modern Sports Grill in DC Ranch, Los Olivos Mexican Patio all located in Scottsdale, Arizona. We also have a couple of fun events coming up where Bajarriba is a Sponsor or being tasted: Mountain View Pub for St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 16th & 17th and at Cave Creek Rodeo in the Stockman’s Club on Thursday, 21st – Sunday, 24th. In California we will be hosting a tasting with Tequila Aficionado Media in Pasadena at El Cholo Mexican Restaurant for National Margarita Day on February 24th, 2024. Too, we will be introducing our Añejo expression in late February or early March 2024 which will have been aged / reposed for 24 months. I personally can’t wait to taste this as it will be similar to a fine, aged cognac – perfectly delicious for sipping and sharing on special occasions with family and friends.

FEBRUARY 2024

Danjer 2023 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse The late champion racehorse is honored with his second world champion title.

When word of Danjer’s death spread in June 2023, many tears were shed. The 7-year-old gelding was still in his prime, defeating many other top runners in his two Grade 1 wins that spring. At the close of the year, more tears were shed as he was named the 2023 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse, honoring one of the most accomplished racehorses to ever grace the sprint track.

2-year-old colt Trane Station V, who is owned by Valeriano Racing Stables LLC. Bred by Dr. Steve Burns, the Favorite Cartel colt won the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) and Golden State Million Futurity (G1), and was the year’s leading money earner with $1,754,152 while winning six of nine starts. He was trained by Santos Carrizales Jr. and M. Heath Taylor and ridden by Francisco Calderon. Third place in the All American was eventual champion 2-year-old filly Dark NME. The winner of the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity (RG1), Rainbow Futurity (G1) and Texas Classic Futurity (G1), she won eight of nine starts and earned $1,559,452. The daughter of Hes Relentless was bred by L. Hendrix Horses LLC, is owned by TYKHE Racing LLC, trained by Santos Carrizales Jr. and ridden by Francisco Calderon and Francisco Ramirez Jr. The Favorite Cartel colt Cyber Attack was named champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old colt after a season that included three wins from six starts and earnings of $569,429 as well as a victory in the Ruidoso Derby (G1). Bred by Dr. Steve Burns, he is owned by Rosenthal Ranch LLC. The colt, who was last year’s champion 2-year-old colt, was trained by Christopher G. O’Dell and ridden by Eduardo Nicasio. Fearless Moon is a homebred racing for Gentry Farms and is the champion 3-year-old filly after a year where she won two and placed in five more of her 10 races, earning $293,387. The First Moonflash filly was trained by Juan G. Aleman, and ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala, Irving Lara, Sergio Becerra Jr. and Diego Herrera. The Canadian Champion is Snow Moose, who races for breeder Milena Kwiecien. Sired by Separate Interest and trained by Jason Pascoe, the horse won five of nine starts and earned $54,672. He was ridden by J. B. Botello and Brian Bell, and his wins include the Ontario-Bred Derby and QROOI Open Derby. Dr. Steve D. Burns is a repeat winner of the champion breeder title after a year that included breeding two champions. Horses he bred won 117 races and earned more than $4.7 million to lead all breeders by money earned. West Texas Racing Partner is new to the champion stage as the sport’s top owner. Consisting of Joe Dee Brooks and Scott Bryant, they raced the winners of seven races and the earners of $1,615,493, led by champion Cowboys Gun Z. Gathering his first nod as the Blane Schvaneveldt Champion Trainer, Wesley Todd Giles trained 74 winners and the earners of more than $3.4 million.

This is the second world champion title for Danjer, who earned his first in 2021. He was also named the 2023 champion aged gelding and champion aged horse, bringing his total career champion titles to eight. He was bred and trained by Dean R. Frey, and coowned by Frey in partnership with Downtime Enterprises and Billy Smith. He was ridden in both his 2023 starts by Francisco Calderon. In 2023, Danjer won the Leo Stakes (G1) and Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1), earning $230,364, defeating eventual Champion of Champions (G1) winner Flash Bak in both races. In his career, he won 22 of 35 starts, with an additional 10 placings, and earned $2,499,432. The son of FDD Dynasty is the sport’s all-time leading winner of Grade 1 races with 12 victories. He is also the sport’s No. 3 all-time leading money earner and the only racehorse in the sport’s history to surpass the $2 million mark in earnings while never winning a seven-figure-purse race. Just A Kool Boy is the champion aged stallion for breeder Garrett Baker and owner Adina Baker. Trained by Eddie D. Willis and ridden by Jimmy Brooks and Justine Klaiber, the Favorite Cartel stallion’s 5-1-0-2 record includes a victory in the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes (G2) and earnings of $53,782. Johnny Trotter’s Famous Shining Star won the Charger Bar Handicap (G1) and two other stakes, and is the champion aged mare. The Julianna Hawn Holt-bred daughter of One Famous Eagle won four of six starts and earned $109,970 while being trained by Jose Antonio Flores and ridden by Cruz Mendez and Erasmo Gasca. This year’s All American Futurity (G1) trifecta was also the trifecta of 2-year-old champions. Leading them was the race winner Cowboys Gun Z, who is the 2-year-old champion and champion 2-year-old gelding. By freshman sire Flying Cowboy 123, the Running C Ranch LLC-bred horse is owned by West Texas Racing Partner, trained by Michael W. Joiner and ridden by Agustin Silva. He earned $1,548,344 while winning three of six starts, with two seconds. 36 Second place in the All American was eventual champion FEBRUARY 2024

FEBRUARY 2024

BAREBACK RIDER JACEK FROST STARTS 2024 WITH RAM CALIFORNIA CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO TITLE After just missing a bid to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo his Resistol Rookie year in 2023, Jacek Lane Frost’s hunger to get to Las Vegas is stronger than ever. “It was definitely disappointing to watch all my buddies at the NFR when I wasn’t there,” said Frost, 19. “I want to step it up and be there with my boys

FEBRUARY 2024

(in 2024).” The 2024 ProRodeo season is a marathon and Frost took a baby step to reach his ultimate goal, winning the average at the RAM California Circuit Finals Rodeo with 251 points on three head in Red Bluff Sunday night. Frost, who finished 22nd in the 2023 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $82,557, clinched his first career RAM California Circuit Finals average crown with his final ride – an 86-point trip on Four Star Rodeo’s Dirty Harry. “That was the first time I had been on that horse,” Frost said. “I can’t explain what that ride was like. Once he broke it was like a dream. Eight seconds felt like 10 minutes. Once he broke everything was just so slow. He was just bailing in the air, and it was just so much fun.” By securing the average, Frost qualified for the 2024 NFR Open July 9-13 in Colorado Springs, Colo., which had $1 million in payouts to contestants, livestock and other PRCA members last year. “The California Circuit is really competitive,” said Frost, who earned $6,561 in Red Bluff. “Clayton (Biglow) had it locked up and he just had some bad luck on that last one. I just try to do my job and I reckon it worked. Qualifying for the NFR Open is a great steppingstone. I wanted to go last year, and I just missed it and I’m glad I stepped up a little bit this year and I can’t wait to go there. “To get to the NFR, I just need to stay confident and keep on working at my craft.” Frost, who lives in Browns Valley, Calif., which is 90 minutes from Red Bluff, acknowledged his rookie campaign was quite the journey – and learning experience. “I drive my truck all over the place and every meal is a picnic and every day is a holiday,” Frost said. “You’re a professional driver and you do your job for eight seconds at a time and that’s your holiday. I traveled with (PRCA World Champion) Clayton (Biglow) and R.C. (Landingham, a fourtime NFR qualifier) last year and I wouldn’t want to be in the rig with anybody else. They are just wonderful people to be around.”

FEBRUARY 2024

Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, PBR World Finals Championship to take over AT&T Stadium May 17-19 Tickets for both revolutionary events are on sale now!

ARLINGTON, Texas – This May, an unprecedented weekend of Western sports will take over Arlington, Texas, and the iconic AT&T Stadium, with the revolutionary Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo on May 17 leading into the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship on May 18-19. The can’t-miss sporting weekend begins with the inaugural, $1 million Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo on Friday, May 17 at 7:45 p.m. CT. Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo is a reimagined rodeo produced by PBR in partnership with Kid Rock. Six teams, each led by a legendary rodeo head coach, will compete in bracket-style competition inside AT&T Stadium May 17 for a $1 million purse.

Weekly Tune-In Schedule Promo

Within the new $1-million team-formatted rodeo, Kid Rock will perform live in concert. The all-star rodeo team competition and upbeat production will be patterned after the successful formula PBR brought to bull riding through the Teams league launched in 2022. “To be doing a concert at the first team competition Rock n Rodeo is something very different for us, and it’s far from just another gig,” said Kid Rock. “I take it as a personal challenge to deliver something different than we normally do and to rock the rafters off the home of the Dallas Cowboys.” Single-day tickets for the high-adrenaline weekend are on-sale now and start at $20, standard ticketing fees may apply. Tickets for both the Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo and PBR World Finals – Championship can be purchased at the AT&T Stadium Box Office, online at ATTStadium.com, SeatGeek.com and PBR.com/WorldFinals, or by phone at 1-800-732-1727. Elite Seats are also available for PBR World Finals – Championship for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets, available in three tiers, offer premium seats, personal on-site concierge and more. For more on elite seats, visit https://pbr.com/elite-seats-unleash-the-beast, or call 1-800-732-1727. Holding a combined 56 PRCA world titles, Trevor Brazile will coach Team Low Riders, Charmayne James will helm Team Misty Mountain Hop, Bobby Mote will champion Team Free Riders, Cody Ohl will lead Team Convoy, Sid Steiner will coach Team Jokers and Fred Whitfield will lead Team Sledge Hammers. Each of the six teams will compete head-to-head in barrel racing, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling and breakaway roping. Each discipline will compete simultaneously on the dirt in a tournament-style bracket for the million-dollar purse. All teams will go head-to-head in a randomly seeded Round 1, with the winning team from each showdown automatically advancing. Of the three losing teams, the top performer will earn a consolation spot in Round 2. The four remaining teams will then compete head-to-head in Round 2 with the winners advancing to the final round determining the discipline victor. At the end of competition for the seven disciplines, the top two teams based on combined discipline performance will advance to 46

the championship round. Each team will go head-to-head one final time in each discipline. The first team to log four discipline wins will be crowned the inaugural Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Champion. After the dirt settles on the first-ever Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, the PBR World Finals – Championship will buck into the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, May 18 at 7:45 p.m. CT before concluding on Sunday, May 19 at 1:45 p.m. CT. The 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast will debut a revolutionary new format, culminating with the Championship inside AT&T Stadium, while also increasing the prize purse for bull riding’s most prestigious event to a record $3.13 million. Twenty riders will advance to the PBR World Finals – Championship via Eliminations. Following the four-day Eliminations, venue location to be announced soon, the Top 15 in the Unleash The Beast standings, and the Top 5 in the event aggregate, not already advancing, will earn a direct berth to the Championship in Arlington. Before the PBR bucks into the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the World Finals’ Ride For Redemption will take over iconic Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, from May 15-16, featuring the 25 riders not advancing from Eliminations, joined by 10 riders from PBR Teams and five invited riders both to be announced via selection processes. In a format rarely seen in a major sport’s title event, competitors will have their chance to ride back into the World Finals Championship where they can compete for the title of 2024 PBR World Champion and 2024 PBR World Finals event winner. Ride For Redemption, held at Cowtown Coliseum, the famed, newly renovated rodeo arena where PBR held its first event in 1993, will award nearly $23,000 nightly, which is nearly double the payout awarded during a regular season Unleash The Beast round. The 2024 PBR World Finals will then come to a climactic end with the Championship event at AT&T Stadium from May 18-19. Each day of competition will feature two rounds, with Rounds 1-2 on May 18, followed by Rounds 3-4 on May 19. While the riders who earned a berth via Eliminations are guaranteed to compete in all four Championship rounds, contenders who advanced via Ride For Redemption must record a score in Round 1 to advance to Round 2 and then log a qualified ride in Round 2 to remain in the World Finals Championship for Rounds 3-4. At the conclusion of Round 4 at the 2024 PBR World Finals Championship the new World Champion will be the No. 1-ranked rider in the Unleash The Beast standings. The 2024 PBR World Finals event winner will be the rider with the top aggregate score across the four rounds of action inside AT&T Stadium. Inside AT&T Stadium, PBR will award more than $2.31 million, including the $1 million bonus to the 2024 PBR World Champion, $350,000 to the World Finals event winner, and $50,000 to each of the four Championship round winners. Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest news and results and be sure to follow the sport on all social media platforms at @PBR.

FEBRUARY 2024

The American Performance Horseman Riders Announced

Wesley Galyean, Adan Banuelos, James Payne, Morgan Cromer, and Austin Shepard. FORT WORTH – With the start of a new year comes the second annual The American Performance Horseman, presented by Teton Ridge Performance Horses. Five teams consisting of a top rider from the National Cutting Horse Association, National Reining Horse Association, and the National Reined Cow Horse Association join together for the chance at $1,000,000.

Adan Banuelos

Morgan Cromer

Austin Shepard

The National Cutting Horse Association riders include Wesley Galyean, Adan Banuelos, James Payne, Morgan Cromer, and Austin Shepard. Wesley Galyean recently won the 2023 NCHA Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity on Lone Woolf, owned by Billy Wolf. Galyean was the 2023 NCHA #1 leading Open Rider with a current lifetime earnings of $5,963,453.30. He also competed last year in TAPH on Team Purple with Andrea Fappani (reining) and Corey Cushing (reined cow horse). Adan Banuelos won the NCHA Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity in 2020 on All Spice and won TAPH last year with a 229. His team consisted of Fernando Salgado (reining) and Sarah Dawson (reined cow horse). For the 2023 Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity, Banuelos rode Kateye, owned by Ten/27 Ranch earning a 219.5 finishing in the top 10. Banuelos has a total lifetime earnings of $6,227,550.98 as of the start of 2024. James Payne of Overbrook, Oklahoma, concludes the 2023 show season with a total lifetime earnings of $5,079,400.85. Payne made the finals at numerous NCHA events on various horses throughout the season. One of his largest accomplishments of 2023 year was winning the Cotton Stakes 5/6 Open on Purdys Rebel. One of the only two cowgirls competing, this is the first year Morgan Cromer has competed at TAPH. Cromer concludes the 2023 show season with a total lifetime earnings of $5,033,258.02. Cromer was also the only female to advance to the 2023 NCHA Open Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity Finals. She gave everyone a run for their money when she advanced to the Open Futurity Finals on two horses, Cool Guitar and Precious Blu Metal, earning $126,298 in one night. Austin Shepard is returning to Globe Life Field in Arlington, with a total lifetime earnings of $10,097,851.39. Of those advancing to The American Performance Horsemen, Shepard leads in NCHA lifetime earnings with over 10 million dollars. He attended TAPH in 2023, riding Kittennish for a score of 220 for team Burnt Orange. Kittenish was named the 2023 NCHA Open Horse of the Year. Throughout the 2023 season, Shepard had continuous success on Kittennish, but he would not have been able to qualify for the 2024 The American Performance Horsemen without Wood She B Magic. Congratulations to each competitor participating in The American Performance Horseman this year! The NCHA looks forward to the extreme competitiveness and dedication that each rider, owner, and trainer displays to be a part of TAPH. We look forward to the teamwork and camaraderie that the NRHA and NRCHA provide and can’t wait to see all three disciplines in Arlington again. To learn more about the National Cutting Horse Association, visit nchacutting.com. FEBRUARY 2024

Wesley Galyean

James Payne

FEBRUARY 2024

Josh Frost returned to PBR action with flashy 2024 debut at 90-man event inside historic Denver Coliseum.

DENVER – For a professional bull rider like Josh Frost, it’s rare not to have a lot on your plate. From being a husband, son and good friend to travelling the world, competing within PBR Camping World Team Series action and Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour events, all while keeping his rodeoing dreams alive by appearing at various PRCA events … … it’s no surprise that the cowboy has a monthly schedule update on his Instagram page. Not to mention his responsibilities as a homeowner and caretaker of animals. “I took a little time off after Las Vegas. I got on a lot of bulls last year and it was nice to take a little break,” Frost said. “I went to Canada for Christmas with the wife. Then I did a bull riding school in Australia for a week. We landed in Denver on Sunday and it’s back to bull riding, now.” With endless avenues, events and crowds that are more than happy to welcome the talent as a rider, rodeo pro, coach, etc. etc. etc., how does the Randlett, Utah, native prioritize his workload? Goals, checks and a bit of historical appreciation. (And if some fun adventures happen to unfold, so be it!) “My trainer was actually the one who set the Australia deal up, they called him,” Frost added. “They did a full Rough Stock school: Bareback, saddle broncs and bulls. They asked me to do the bull riding side of the deal, and the trip was paid for, so I figured it was a great opportunity, hard to pass up.” Taking some time to connect with the community and pass along some of the skills and knowledge that he’s built up over the years, he seemed like quite the natural in educating the next wave of bull riding hopefuls. Interacting with a set of talented youngsters can bring out some lively anecdotes from the early riding days of one’s own career. Sometimes right there beside those memories are the emotions and reminders of how just how much this sport means. Whether or not the international visit and time away from PBR competition actually recharged the busy body’s batteries or not, Frost made his goals and priorities for the 2024 campaign utterly clear. “My big goal is to qualify for the NFR and become a PRCA World Champion still, so I’m going to take pretty much the same path that I did last year,” Frost said. “It’s hard to miss PBR World Finals; how much it means, and it pays so well, so I have to dial it in. I need to win the Velocity and be sitting at the No. 1 rank in the PRCA come mid-July.” Not too far-fetched of a goal, especially after exiting last year’s PWVT series ranked as the No. 1 rider on tour, bringing home $54,800 at the conclusion of the 2023 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals event en route to punching his ticket to the biggest stage in the industry. Collecting a welcomed $157,500 from his seventh-place finish at the 2023 PBR Finals: Unleash The Beast, it’s all business for the 28-year-old when it comes to checking all of the necessary boxes. Drafted No. 1 overall by the Carolina Cowboys during the 2023 56

PBR Teams Draft in Fort Worth, Texas, he quickly changed gears, balancing his time within the 5-on-5 series while keeping his rodeo status intact. Josh Frost Marches Along the Finish Line with an 89-Point Masterpiece on I’m Him

Josh Frost rides I’m Him for 89 points on Day 1 of the 2023 PBR Team Series Championship in Las Vegas, NV That’s where things may look a bit different for Frost this time around. “When (PBR) Teams starts, I’m going to focus on Teams more this year. Not split my time so much,” he admitted. “I got a little banged up last year, didn’t take any time off, so I’m going to be more committed to Teams. I really enjoyed that, but like I said, PBR World Finals and the NFR Finals pays so much and it’s hard enough riding in both of them.” Not just the cash, though, which dictates his schedule. It’s the lore of the old barns. The history associated with these types of events. Having fun with his friends on all of the tours. Just nine days into the fresh calendar slate, Frost found himself within the confines of the Denver Coliseum as he prepared to return to PBR action for the first time since later October, last competing with the Carolina Cowboys at the 2023 PBR Camping World Teams Championship. Competing at the Denver PBR Chute Out Jan. 8-10, one of the many electric events taking center stage during The 119th annual National Western Stock Show this month, he peeled back a few layers as to why the historical aspects continue to attract him. “That’s part of what’s hard for me to let go of rodeo, is the history of them. The PBR puts on the best bull riding in the world, the best show, but every weekend you go to is the same weekend,” he shared. “When you’re rodeoing, you’re traveling all over of the place to a lot of outdoor arenas with a lot of history and prestige built into them. Denver and Cheyenne and Fort Worth and all of them, so I think myself and all of the PBR guys really enjoy coming here.” Storming back onto the scene Tuesday night, as part of the second group of 45 contestants getting the nod in the opening round, Frost instantly provided some sparks. With 80k on the line inside the legendary venue, this one is always circled on his calendar. Well, technically he began his evening during a less than ideal showdown with Here Kitty. Eventually granted a re-ride, he walked over to the field judge to see what he had in store. Upon immediately recognizing his new opponent, he couldn’t help but smile as he returned to the locker room. “(I was) really excited. Sometimes you never know, like that first bull was a young bull. Sometimes the re-rides are more young bulls, so it can be kind of a shot in the dark,” he shared. “When I walked over there and saw that he was the re-ride, I had a big ole grin on my face.”

FEBRUARY 2024

HH Azur and Paradigm Win 2023 Titles at SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards

Louisville, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that HH Azur, Double H Farm and McLain Ward’s 2006 Belgian Warmblood mare, was voted the 2023 International Horse of the Year, and Paradigm, Meredith Lipke’s 2012 Warmblood gelding, was voted the 2023 National Horse of the Year by the USEF membership. HH Azur and Paradigm were honored during the SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 13.

HH Azur, 2023 USEF International Horse of the Year (Shannon Brinkman Photo) HH Azur (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Sion vd Zuuthoeve, Sir Lui vd Zuuthoeve) 2006 Belgian Warmblood mare Owners: Double H Farm and McLain Ward HH Azur has been one of the most successful horses in recent history, amassing a resume of accomplishments too long to list throughout her historic partnership with McLain Ward. In a resurgence of dominance later in her career, HH Azur stole the spotlight in Geneva, Switzerland, at the 2022 CHI Geneva, winning the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva. As leaders of the Rolex Grand Slam standings, HH Azur and Ward traveled to the Dutch Masters in March 2023 to contest the second leg of the slam. Showing the strength of their partnership, they secured victory in the Rolex Grand Prix of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, which saw 16 of the world’s best combinations return for the jump-off. Their victory marked only the second time in history two consecutive Grand Slam events have ever been won consecutively since the inception of the Rolex Show Jumping Grand Slam in 2013. The pair finished sixth in the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix at WEF just a few weeks later before making a moving final appearance in front of thousands of fans at the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, which marked the pair’s last start together to close the chapter on HH Azur’s incredible competitive career. In total, Ward and HH Azur finished inside the top 10 more than 75 times at the CSI5* level, which includes a victory at the FEI Jumping World Cup Final 58

in 2017, alongside their team silver from the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. “I am very honored to be able to accept International Horse of the Year for HH Azur. Her story is well-documented, and it is something truly remarkable,” said co-owner and rider McLain Ward via an acceptance video. “When I think back to 2023 for this incredible mare, this incredible partner, and a friend of ours to receive this honor when I think she only jumped five or six FEI classes. It just shows what an impact she had on the sport, obviously in my life and my career, as well as all of us who are involved with her. We always joke that she is truly the queen. At 16 and 17 years of age, after a hiatus from the sport, to come back and compete at that level is a testament to what an incredible, brilliant horse she has been.” “It is a real honor and privilege to look after such a good mare and for her to get this recognition of Horse of the Year,” said Lee McKeever, longtime groom for Ward and HH Azur. “It is a very special award for her, and she has well deserved it.” Double H Farm and McLain Ward were the recipients of the Horse of the Year trophy and a premium gift pack of critically acclaimed wines from Horsepower Vineyards.

Paradigm, 2023 USEF National Horse of the Year (Shawn McMillen Photography) Paradigm (Carrico x Queensberry PJ) 2012 Warmblood gelding Owner: Meredith Lipke A 2012 Warmblood gelding nicknamed “Mikey,” Paradigm stood on the pinnacle of the hunter sport this year when he won the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship with rider and National Equestrian of Honor John French. Paradigm, who was imported from Europe by Mike and Tracy McCormick as a breeding stallion before being bought by current owner Meredith Lipke, bested 83 competitors in that notable win. An observer was quoted as saying that “French and Paradigm’s exceptional trip embodied everything a derby win should be—grace, scope, style, pace, handiness, and overall brilliance. What a class, what a horse, what a ride.”

FEBRUARY 2024

2024 APHA World Championship Show $1.5M in cash & prizes By Jessica Hein

2024 APHA World Championship Show Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth, Texas June 21-July 7, 2024 Pre-entry, stall & RV deadline: May 15, 2024 More Classes—11 new for 2024 Green Reining Green Ranch Riding Green Ranch Rail Pleasure Green Ranch Pleasure Green Ranch Trail Non-Pro Western Yearling Longe Line Sweepstakes Non-Pro Hunter Yearling Longe Line Sweepstakes Gold 2-Year-Old Longe Line Breeders’ Futurity Gold 2-Year-Old In-Hand Trail Breeders’ Futurity Gold 4- & 5-Year-Old Trail Breeders’ Futurity NSBA Foundation Heroes on Horses Walk-Jog Western Pleasure More Buckles

30 new classes for Intermediate exhibitor recognition More Youth Activities Youth World Games, showcasing teams of Youth vying for prizes and their countries’ bragging rights Intercollegiate Equestrian Association Western National Finals The refreshed Youth Team Tournament (no horse required!) Cowtown Reining Classic—the world’s richest Paint reining and all-breed slide Ranch Horse Triple Crown Challenge events (all-breed—Open, Non-Pro & Youth) International Ranch Horse Association World Championship classes & IRHA 3-Year-Old Ranch Riding Futurities (all-breed) ARHFA Cowtown Classic Rope Horse Futurity (all-breed) Wild West Promotions barrel race (allbreed) Details: apha.com/worldshow Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal and a link provided back to apha.com.

FEBRUARY 2024

Impact of Short-Term Transportation Stress on Equine Endocrine and Immune Function

Horses are routinely transported for equestrian events as well as medical care. It is well recognized that long-distance transportation is a risk factor for the development of pleuropneumonia. Results from a nationwide survey showed that horses are most commonly trailered short distances of three hours or less. The Adams Lab at the Gluck Equine Research Center within the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is currently working to investigate the impact of acute transportation stress on immune function in different groups of horses. Previous research has shown that transporting horses one to three hours can elicit a stress response as seen through increased heart rate. Our lab has previously shown that short-term transportation stress can cause changes in whole blood gene expression of cytokines in aged horses. Following these findings, we wanted to know if similar responses occur in young horses. Additionally, since horses are often transported to veterinary clinics for diagnostic testing, we have investigated the effect of transportation on endocrine responses and testing for insulin dysregulation.

AAVMC chief executive officer steps down after 12 years The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) announced that its chief executive officer, Andrew T. Maccabe, DVM, will step down after serving 12 years in the position. Maccabe will continue to be the CEO of AAVMC until he officially steps down in June 2024. “Dr Maccabe’s many years at the helm of AAVMC helped ensure a close relationship between our two organizations, and enhanced the AVMA’s strong collaboration with veterinary schools and programs,” said Rena Carlson, DVM, American Veterinary Medical Association’s president, in an organizational release.1 “Under his leadership, the AVMA and the AAVMC have partnered on many projects that have greatly benefitted the profession, including initiatives that have promoted One Health, wellbeing, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are grateful to Dr Maccabe for the ongoing commitment and dedication he has for students, veterinary teams, and the profession.” Maccabe earned his veterinary degree from Ohio State University in 1985 and began his career in Jefferson, Ohio, where he worked in mixed animal patients focusing on dairy herd health. Then in 1988, he was commissioned as a public health officer in the US Air Force and would serve for 24 years as an active military and reserve officer service before returning in 2017. As he was serving in the Air Force, Maccabe completed his master’s in public health in 1995. He then went on to work as a liaison for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where he coordinated programs and policies between the FDA and CDC before beginning his career at AAVMC.

“Serving as CEO of AAVMC has been the greatest privilege of my career. I have had the pleasure of working with an incredibly talented, highly professional, and diverse staff and I am in absolute awe of the amazing work done every day by the dedicated educators and administrators at our member institutions as they prepare the next generation of veterinarians to serve societal needs,” expressed Maccabe. AAVMC retained Sterling Martin to help with the search for a new CEO and any inquiries should be directed to David Martin, CEO and founder, at dmartin@smartinsearch.com. 68

Two studies where horses were transported one and one-half hours (55 miles) round trip were performed. Study #1 focused on evaluating age-differences in stress and immune response following short-term transportation. Horses were grouped by age with six horses in each group. Group one had an average age of two years old and group two an average age of 22-years-old. Study #2 evaluated differences in endocrine responses to transportation between seven insulin dysregulated (ID) and seven agematched noninsulin dysregulated (non-ID) horses. For both studies blood, saliva, heart rate and temperature were collected before and after transportation. Transportation stress led to various physiological changes in both studies. For both studies, heart rate and cortisol increased in response to transportation, with the highest heart rates recorded at loading and both serum and salivary cortisol being highest directly after transport. There were no differences based on age or whether a horse was insulin dysregulated. In Study #1, all horses had increased ACTH following transportation, with three out of five aged horses having ACTH concentrations above the cutoff for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) 15 minutes after transportation. While rectal temperature was not influenced by short-term transportation stress in either study, these studies were conducted in mild weather during the spring and fall. Study #1 also showed increased gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 post-transport in aged horses and increased salivary IL-6 in aged horses compared to young horses. Additionally, aged horses had increased cytokine production from lymphocytes compared with young horses. These results are all indicative of the older horses being in a state of “inflamm-aging” where they have increased inflammatory markers, putting them at higher risk for development of diseases. Serum insulin was measured in both studies. In Study 1, insulin was increased one to three hours post-transportation in aged horses and followed a similar trend in ID horses in Study #2, although not statistically different from pre-transportation insulin levels. In Study #2, performing an oral sugar test (OST; current standard for diagnosing ID in horses) post-transportation caused insulin concentrations to be above the recommended diagnostic cutoff for insulin dysregulation in non-ID horses and were twofold greater than pretransportation OST results in some ID horses. The results of these studies show that there are significant changes in immune and endocrine function following short periods of transportation. Additionally, caution should be used when performing endocrine testing for metabolic diseases post-transportation as ACTH and insulin may be elevated in horses without endocrine disease. It is recommended that ACTH should be collected for PPID testing at least 30 minutes after transportation. Furthermore, performing an OST within the first few hours following transportation could lead to inaccurate diagnostic findings, particularly in non-ID horses. Given the importance of PPID in the aging horse population, we are currently evaluating if short-term transportation stress alters endocrine function and diagnostic results of horses with PPID and plan to report on those findings in the near future. Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from Equine Disease Quarterly, Vol. 32, Issue 4, funded by underwriters at Lloyd’s, London, brokers, and their Kentucky agents. It was written by Erica Jacquay, PhD Student at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center, in Lexington.

FEBRUARY 2024

US Equestrian Introduces New National Endurance Award Program Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is proud to announce the launch of the newly amended USEF National Endurance Award Program, a revamped initiative aimed at recognizing and celebrating the achievements of endurance athletes and horses across the country. Officially launching with the 2024 season, the USEF National Endurance Award Program includes the USEF Endurance Year-End Awards and the USEF Endurance Career Mileage Awards.

USEF Endurance Year End Awards will be calculated based on USEF and FEI competition results during the competition season (Dec. 1 – Nov. 30) and are composed of the following categories:

Top Ten National-Ranked Senior Athletes Top Ten National-Ranked Junior/Young Rider Athletes Endurance Athlete of the Year Award Endurance Horse of the Year Award Endurance Best Condition Season Award The USEF Endurance Career Horse Mileage and Athlete Mileage Awards will honor horses and athletes for their achievements at 250; 500; 750; 1,000; 3,000; and 5,000 miles, showcasing the

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The Publisher and Editor cannot be held responsible for errors or any consequences arising from the use of information contained in this publication; the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Publisher and Editors, neither does the publication of advertisements constitute any endorsement by the Publisher and Editors of the products advertised.

FEBRUARY 2024

dedication and perseverance demonstrated in the world of endurance riding. Athletes and horse owners can request recognition of their or their horse’s career mileage from American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) or Equine Distance Riding Association (EDRA) competitions held before December 1, 2023. To be eligible, requests must be submitted via email to the USEF Director of Endurance by September 1, 2024. Verification of requests will be conducted through AERC or EDRA competition records. Stay Connected Keep up with U.S. Endurance by following USA Endurance on Facebook and US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

FEBRUARY 2024

US Equestrian Announces 2023 Combined Driving Winners

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian congratulates the winners of the 2023 Combined Driving Annual Awards. These awards recognize the top U25 driving athletes from the 2023 calendar year as well as a volunteer who has been nominated for their exemplary service to US Equestrian driving competitions. U25 Driver of the Year – Preliminary: Sarah Batstone-Roberts Sarah Batstone-Roberts made her USEF combined driving competitive debut in 2023, her first year of eligibility at the age of 13. She competed with her own pony Winston, earning successful completions in at Grand Oaks CDE and Spring Fling CDE. U25 Driver of the Year – Intermediate: Rylee Miller Ryley Miller (Elverson, Pa.) had a busy 2023 season competing in the Intermediate Single Horse division with Sunrise’s Commander, a 2007 Dutch Harness Horse gelding owned by Mary Baldwin. Their year was highlighted by a win in the USEF Combined Driving National Championship – Intermediate Single Horse in September at the Tryon Fall CDE in North Carolina. Volunteer of the Year: Geir Kanstad Geir Kanstad was named 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award in recognition for his dedication to the Florida Horse Park on behalf of the local driving community. A former driving competitor, Kanstad now gives back to the sport by working to maintain the driving arenas and trails as well as fundraising to improve obstacles at the park. Stay up to date on with USA Driving on Facebook and US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. Use #USADriving.

FEBRUARY 2024

Primo Morales Returns As NRCHA Official Photographer for 2024

[Pilot Point, Texas] – The National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) announces that Primo Morales Photography will be returning as the Official Photographer for the 2024 show season. Primo Morales Photography

is based in Lisbon, Ohio, and has been shooting reined cow horses for over 20 years. He first shot the reined cow horse in Florida in the early 2000s. Primo and his team photographed their first NRCHAproduced event in 2005 at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® in Reno, Nevada. “First, I want to thank the NRCHA for trusting us with the

title of Official Photographer again. My team and I are looking forward to capturing each and every competitor at the NRCHA events this year,” said Primo Morales, owner of Primo Morales Photography. Primo will begin the official photographer role at the 2024 Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions, February 11-24, in Fort Worth, Texas,

and continue through the 2024 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® slated for October 4-19, in Fort Worth. “After careful consideration of many great applicants, the NRCHA Board determined that the NRCHA Official Photography contract will remain with the one and only Primo Morales,” Emily Konkel, NRCHA executive director, said. “He has taken exceptional care of our members over the past twenty years, and we are excited to continue our relationship with him and his team. Thank you to all of the photography applicants.” For the latest news regarding NRCHA events and industry news, visit nrcha.com.

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FEBRUARY 2024

FDA drafts guidance on veterinary drug ingredients manufacturing

The FDA recently announced that a draft guidance for industry (GFI) #286 (VICH GL0) titled “Good Manufacturing Practice for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Used in Veterinary Medicinal Products” is now available. The draft was developed by the International Cooperation on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for

Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH). According to the release, VICH is a trilateral program that launched in April 1996 and aims to harmonize technical requirements for approval of veterinary medical products within the European Union, Japan, and the United States with input from both regulatory and indus-

try representatives included. GFI #286 VICH aims to create the opportunity for international compatibility of regulatory requirements, and they will be available for other countries to use. Like ICH Q7: Good Manufacturing Practices for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, which is intended to cover

human drugs from the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), GF1 #286 guides recommendations regarding good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for veterinary medicinal products. It facilitates the harmonization of a single set of international standards for GMP inspections of facility manufacturing APIs and starting materials to be used in these products. GFI #286 VICH GL60 will also allow manufacturers and regulators a framework to ensure that the APIs meet the quality and purity characteristics that it is intended to possess. The FDA has previously participated in efforts to increase harmonization internationally and committed to seeking scientifically based technical procedures for pharmaceutical development. The FDA’s goal of harmonization is to identify and reduce differences in technical requirements for drug development among regulatory agencies across the globe. Through its work with VICH, the FDA aims to help guarantee regulatory certainty for veterinary products such as predictable and uniform requirements across the European Union, Japan, and the US. The collective efforts also help reduce animal testing, facilitate trade, and ensure product safety and consumer confidence with regulated products. The FDA is encouraging the public to submit any comments on the draft guidance within 60 days to make sure the FDA considers comments before starting the final version of the guidance document, but the FDA also wants the public to know it will accept comments at any time. Comments can be submitted electronically on https:// www.regulations.gov and use docket number FDA-2023-D-4761 in the search bar. Comments may also be submitted via mailing them to this address: Dockets Management Staff HFA-305 Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061 Rockville, MD 20852.

FEBRUARY 2024

Brodie Poppino had not roped a steer since September. That’s hard to imagine considering what unfolded Friday. The Big Cabin, Okla., cowboy bested a starstudded field to capture the championship at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo steer roping event, which took place at the Uvalde (Texas) County Fairplex.

BRODIE POPPINO WINS SAN ANTONIO STOCK SHOW & RODEO STEER ROPING EVENT

“This is awesome,” said Poppino, 32. “I don’t know how you could beat it. This is a dream come true. I had absolutely zero expectations because I had not run a practice steer since the first of September, and I just came down here because it is one of the best ropings of the year. They add great money, and they are awesome to us. “I just went down there to have fun and stay in my lane and see what happened.” Poppino won the event with a 36.6-second time on three head. He was riding his father, Marty’s horse, Ice Box to the title. “I was just able to draw the right steers at the right time,” Poppino said. “I drew them in the right order because they weren’t very good after I ran them or before I ran them. The Lord was just looking over me and truly blessed me today.” Poppino clocked times of 13.0 seconds, 12.0 seconds and 11.6 seconds in his three runs at the event, which had a $100,000 purse. Poppino left town after earning $12,223. “I was wanting to win it and I was trying to make the best run I could every time,” said Poppino, who finished 32nd in the 2023

GEORGE WILLIAMS, NFR SADDLE BRONC RIDER, RODEO JUDGE, PASSES AWAY George Williams, who qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding in 1961, 1963 and 1964, passed away on Nov. 27, 2023, at age 91, in Phoenix, Ariz. Williams finished 10th in the world standings in 1961 and 1964 and 11th in 1963. He placed in four NFR rounds in his career, including taking second in Round 4 and Round 5 in 1964. Born in Amarillo, Texas, May 7, 1932, Williams was raised in Tulsa, Okla., where he got his start rodeoing at competitions held by the Tulsa Mounted Troops. An avid reader of Will James’ books, he badly wanted to be a bronc rider and was already at work breaking horses for pay – earning $10 per head for putting 30 days riding on each mount. Williams joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1949 and was a PRCA Gold Card member. Back when rodeo judges were 92

PRCA | RAM World Standings. “I just had to do what I could do, and the steer ropers are super thankful that San Antonio brought the steer roping back and gave us the opportunity to compete for this much money. We are super grateful.” Poppino is no stranger to success as he is a three-time qualifier to the National Finals Steer Roping – 2014-15, and 2018. He finished a career-best 12th in 2018 with $64,197. “I wouldn’t say I’m retired by any means I think I’m too young to do that,” Poppino said. “I have a family now and my priorities just changed. I have been working more to support my family and be home more for them. I might enter a little more (after this win), I’m just going to play it by ear. “This is one of the top wins of my career. I won Cheyenne (Wyo.) in 2018 and that was super cool. There are a lot of awesome rodeos and you want to win all of them, and now I can check Cheyenne and San Antonio off my list.” Poppino and his wife, Taylor have a boy, Beckett, 7. When Poppino’s not roping, he works as a sales rep with Professional’s Choice, a Western Tack company. This is Poppino’s ninth year with the company. “It is nice to have a job to pay the bills,” Poppino said. “I spend a lot of nights away from home and a lot of miles traveling with my job, so it is hard when you get home and get out of a vehicle and get in a truck and trailer and be gone again.” elected by contestants, he was selected to judge Denver, Cheyenne and the NFR. He was elected to two terms as saddle bronc riding director on the RCA board and later served on the NFR Commission. While on the PRCA Board of Directors as the Saddle Bronc Riding Director, Williams Introduced and it became a rule to announce scores at the rodeo and it also came into law to use the 1-25 marking system. Williams also was the editor of the Rodeo Sports News (19651966) and subsequently served as associate editor of Persimmon Hill magazine and publisher of The Wild Bunch at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Williams was noted for his world brainstorming during his competitive days. He was among the first American cowboys to compete in Australia, winning in Queensland in 1958. He also won saddle bronc riding events in Mexico City (1957), and Havana, Cuba, (1958). He was the all-around champion in Fukuoka, Japan in 1962 and competed in the Wild West Show at the Brussels (Belgium) World’s Fair in 1958. He made treks to Europe and Japan with the legendary Casey Tibbs.

Williams was involved with the establishment of the Rodeo Historical Society and helped increase its membership during its early years. In 1981, he was named Rodeo Man of the Year. In 2008, he was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City.

FEBRUARY 2024

By Jessica Hein

Get a leg up on the competition at HorseIQ Live

Do your scoresheets look like weird hieroglyphics from judges? Are you a competitive horse judger? Thinking about becoming a professional judge? If yes, join us at HorseIQ Live, where we take a deep-dive into how horse-show classes are judged over an interactive weekend, April 5-7, 2024, in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards.

Get a leg up on the competition at HorseIQ Live! HorseIQ Live April 5-7, 2024 APHA Headquarters, Fort Worth, Texas Pre-Register: March 1

HorseIQ Live is perfect for: Trainers and exhibitors looking for an upper hand Competitive horse judging teams striving for an advantage Aspiring judges in any stock-breed association

HorseIQ Live details

Features a wide array of English performance, Western performance, ranch horse, and halter classes. Instruction by APHA Director of Judges & Professional Horsemen Sandy Jirkovsky. Attend all 3 days at a discounted rate or come for just 1 day. For more savings, register before the pre-registration deadline of March 1. More information, including the full list of classes that will be covered and registration forms, is on the Judge Seminar webpage at apha.com. Can’t wait to start improving your skills? Sign up for HorseIQ online today to have all of our judging and horse-care content right at your fingertips! APHA members receive a 30% discount on monthly and yearly subscriptions. Questions? Email Director of Performance Development Elizabeth Lawhorn at [email protected]. Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal and a link provided back to apha.com.

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FEBRUARY 2024

Gastric Ulcers in Horses

clinical signs and, potentially, response to therapy, the location and Gastric ulcers are very common in horses with prevaseverity of ulcers cannot be determined with this method. Gastroslence rates ranging from 50-90% depending on the copy is a quick and minimally invasive procedure that allows the population being evaluated. Gastric ulcers are found veterinarian to visualize the upper airway, esophagus, stomach in all types of horses including broodmares, show (both glandular and non-glandular portions) and the proximal small intestine. horses, ponies, and even After assessment of non-glanwild populations. The clinidular ulcers, a numerical grade cal signs of gastric ulcers is assigned which then can be in horses can range from used for comparative evaluation. Grade 0 is typically considered mild signs such as inapa normal horse with no evidence petence, decreased weight of ulceration, while a horse with gain, poor performance, grade 4 ulceration has deep, rough hair coat, and ocbleeding ulcers throughout the non-glandular mucosa. casional grumpiness, to The mainstay of treatment is more severe signs such prolonged suppression of acid, as intermittent mild to sethe formation of a protective layer vere colic, weight loss, and over the ulcerations, and mainsevere behavioral issues Images of the stomach of two horses obtained taining adequate blood flow to the by using a 3-meter gastroscope. The lining of a site of ulceration. Omeprazole is (especially under saddle). healthy stomach is shown on the left. The right currently the only Food and Drug As a result, the diagnosis and image is of the same region of the stomach of Administration approved treatment treatment of gastric ulcers can be a Thoroughbred racehorse with severe gastric for gastric ulcers, and it works by very important to the management suppressing acid secretion in the ulceration. Image provided by the Center for of any performance or non-perforstomach. Although there are many Equine Health. mance horse. other products currently available, The equine stomach is composed of a nonglandular, or squamous, component as well as a glandular component. The squamous mucosa makes up approximately one-third of the stomach, has no glands, and is typically responsible for mixing food. This portion of the stomach has very little protection from the acidic environment present in the lower portion of the stomach. The glandular portion (lower portion) makes up the remainder of the stomach and contains specialized glands that secrete acid and other substances that breakdown food. The lower portion of the stomach contains numerous protective mechanisms to keep it safe from acid. Although both parts of the stomach can develop ulcers, occurrence in the non-glandular mucosa is more common. In the wild, horses spend most of their day grazing. As a result, the equine stomach has adapted to constantly secrete acid, which is then buffered by saliva from chewing as well as the feed itself. In some man-made environments, feeding conditions are very different to that in the wild. This results in the stomach remaining empty for prolonged periods of time, exposing the vulnerable squamous mucosa to higher levels of acid. High-grain diets and stressors (such as transport and stall confinement) can also contribute to the development of ulcers. Long-term administration of medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can lead to a decrease in protective factors and predispose horses to ulcers predominantly in the glandular mucosa. This class of drugs include common medications such as flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone. Definitive diagnosis of gastric ulcers can only be made by direct visualization of ulcers using an endoscope, a technique known as gastroscopy. Although a tentative diagnosis can be made based on 96

the formulation of this medication makes it the treatment of choice for gastric ulcers in horses. Another potential treatment for ulcers is sucralfate, which is a gastroprotectant that binds to ulcers and creates a protective barrier, thereby providing immediate (although relatively short-lived) relief. Glandular ulcers may require additional therapy if first line treatment does not result in improvement. In addition to pharmacologic intervention, management strategies are crucial to the maintenance of an ulcer free horse. By providing free choice access to roughage in the form of grass or hay, large changes in stomach pH can be minimized. Alfalfa hay, which tends to be slightly higher in calcium, can be a good option as its buffering capacity is above that of regular grass hay. Limiting or controlling stressful conditions plays a major role in the treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers in horses. While there are many supplements on the market that claim to prevent or treat gastric ulcers, they may lack validation and are not considered effective. Although there is a lack of peer-reviewed scientific research regarding most supplements on the market, those containing pectin and/or lecithin may provide the most benefit. Gastric ulcers in horses can be challenging to identify and, in many cases, challenging to treat. By using medication to modify the acidic stomach environment in combination with management strategies to maintain a more “natural” environment, we can help treat and prevent most ulcers in horses. Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from Equine Disease Quarterly, Vol. 32, Issue 2, funded by underwriters at Lloyd’s, London, brokers, and their Kentucky agents. It was written by Nimet S. Browne, DVM, MPH, DACVIM of Hagyrad Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky.

FEBRUARY 2024

UC Davis Researchers Exploring Data and AI Tools for Animal Health Diagnosis and Treatment

By Neelanjana Gautam, Office of Research

assess or grade inflammation,” said Keller.

Professor Stefan Keller in the School of Veterinary Medicine is exploring ways to use artificial intelligence for the benefit of animal health. (Vu Q Dao/ UC Davis)

Keller sees an opportunity to standardize the assessment of inflammation and share it with clinicians by digitizing the data and running AI algorithms on it. “What we’re hoping to do with this project is to train the classifier to recognize different inflammatory cells, which will allow us to The development and use of artificial standardize the assessment of inflammation,” intelligence (AI) is rapidly growing and offersaid Keller. “It is important because it affects ing new possibilities, as well as concerns, how clinicians treat patients.” This research in how it may shape the future of industries is facilitated by a graduate student fellowship and interactions. AI is already used in many for ‘Digital pathology and AI’, jointly funded by everyday digital applications like voice asCharles River Laboratories and the UC Davis sistants, travel apps and ecommerce, but Office of Research. This fellowship provides a applications in other areas like healthcare unique opportunity to strengthen the ties beare also emerging quickly. tween industry and academia as well as trainThe rise of AI based technology may ing the next generation of scientists. And this play an important role in human healthcare from Professor Stefan Keller in the leads to the third project of hosting the classifiers diagnostics to treatment. Using a data-driven ap- School ofVeterinary Medicine on a platform to help with clinical decision making. proach, AI may be able to help doctors analyze is exploring ways to use and assess diseases more efficiently. artificial intelligence for the Automating Patient Diagnosis in Real-Time Researchers at the University of California, Currently, scientists have to manually pull the benefit of animal health. Davis, are now exploring ways to use AI for the data from a patient database onto a computer, run benefit of animal health. the classifier on that data locally, and then provide the informaStefan Keller, an assistant professor and pathologist in the tion back to the clinician. What Keller’s team is working on is to cut School of Veterinary Medicine, specializes in diagnosing disease down that time-consuming, manual process by hosting the classiin various animal species. A large part of his research is directed fiers on a shared platform called Animal Health Analytics (ANNA) toward how to improve outcomes by using data to make more and feeding the patient data directly into it so the patterns can informed diagnostic decisions in healthcare. Toward that end, be detected in real-time. “What we’re trying to do is automate the Keller, with colleagues from the Artificial Intelligence in Veterinary process where the clinician, by just a push of a button, can run a Medicine Interest Group at UC Davis, is exploring ways to use AI in classifier on the patient data and get the results back immediately,” three different projects while providing insight to address some of Keller said. the apprehensions associated with it. The project is conducted in collaboration with the IT service in

Identifying Patterns with AI Tools

Keller and team are developing a machine learning algorithm (called a “classifier”) that uses historical patient data to reduce errors in the interpretation of blood tests and avoid inaccurate diagnosis. The project –– funded by the UC Davis Venture Catalyst Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIRTM) grant program in 2022 –– is focused on identifying disease patterns in animals using laboratory data and AI tools, and helping clinicians consider different diagnoses to act upon. Typically, when pets come to a veterinarian for a physical exam, standard tests are conducted including blood work. “We have thousands of these blood test data from over the past decades; if we take all that and run it through our algorithm, we can predict what disease the pets might have and what the prognosis might be,” Keller said. While the initial application is for dogs, the team sees an opportunity to adapt the tool for other species as well, including cats and horses.

Standardizing the Assessment of Inflammation

Being a pathologist, Keller’s diagnostic work involves, for the most part, looking at tissues through the microscope. In his second project, the team is investigating inflammatory bowel disease in aged cats to assess the level of inflammation. “In the current system using microscopes, there’s a discrepancy in how pathologists 98

the School of Veterinary Medicine that involves clinicians and colleagues including Professor Krystle Reagan who has developed the classifiers. “We are at the very final stages now of deploying our platform. The platform is accessible through our patient database,” said Keller. “It’s essentially just compute infrastructure to route data from a database and apply machine learning classifiers to it and then display the data. That’s the basic idea behind it.”

Addressing Challenges in Adopting of AI in Veterinary Medicine

In terms of adoption, Keller thinks veterinary medicine presents an interesting landscape, adding that training data is more easily obtained in veterinary medicine than in human medicine and there are so far no rules around the use of AI algorithms for diagnostic use. However, the pitfalls of the technology and the attitude of users are very similar in veterinary and human medicine. “If you’ve done things the traditional way for decades, you might be reluctant to adopt an AI algorithm, and then believe in the results,” said Keller. “Transparency of the method is important but with many AI algorithms there is some black box analysis that comes into play, and that is potentially concerning for users. We have to see how we can address that.” Keller considers thorough testing, feedback and objective analysis as crucial to make sure we are critical users of technology.

FEBRUARY 2024

The 2024 Cinch National Finals of Team Roping in Fort Worth

We are only a few months away from the 2024 Cinch National Finals of Team Roping in Fort Worth Texas. This year’s USTRC Finals will be held April 21-28 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center and will once again feature the three arena format ropers have grown to love over the past few years in Cowtown. To you roping families that have ropers under 21 years old;

remember that those ropers must have a minimum of 10 entries under their belt from now until the NFTR. This is simply so we can make sure that every competitor is fairly numbered prior to competing at the Finals. Key Card and Key Card Max memberships have been growing at an exponential rate which is due to ropers realizing the savings and benefits associated

with these upgraded memberships. Key Card ropers, due to the excitement and positive feedback At the WSTR Finale in Las Vegas, the USTRC will be hosting a handful of Key Card Advantage ropings at this year’s NFTR. If you are on the fence about upgrading to a Key Card or Key Card Max, remember that the money you save in just two entries will cover the

cost of the upgrade not to mention you get access to the full events live stream and get all of your runs videoed and delivered to your phone on the Global Roping app. Key Max members, the roadside assistance offered by USRoper is second to none plus a subscription to Roping.com is included. If you are hauling to ropings and love to critique your own runs plus learn from the best all while knowing you won’t get stranded in the middle of nowhere, the Key Card Max is the ultimate membership for you. No to mention all the money you save on entry discounts and accumulated earnings discounts. All of us at the roping office hope you and your family had a great kickoff to the 2024 year and hope to see each of you at a USTRC roping soon. Remember to start making your plans for this year’s NFTR because entries will be due before you know it! See you at the next one, Johnny Johnson

The Key Card

The Key Card is the premier membership accepted at BOTH USTRC and WSTR events. 2024 Key Card Membership is available as of October 1, 2023 and is valid after purchase through December 31, 2024. The Key Card offers superior savings and is the best option if you plan to rope at both USTRC and WSTR events this season. Spend More, Earn More. Every $1,000 in entry fees SPENT at USTRC events during the current season earns a $100 USTRC NFTR pre-entry discount.* Win More, Earn More. 1ST THROUGH 3RD Place Winners at any USTRC SIGNATURE EVENT earns a guaranteed $100 USTRC NFTR pre-entry discount.* Double Down with the WSTR Every $1,000 WON at USTRC SIGNATURE EVENTS & WSTR QUALIFICATION EVENTS earns a $100 USTRC NFTR pre-entry discount.* 100

FEBRUARY 2024

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2023 NCHA METALLIC CAT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FUTURITY OPEN FUTURITY CHAMPION

A special congratulations to the newly crowned 2023 Open Futurity Champion, Wesley Galyean and Lone Woolf, owned by Billy Wolf. FORT WORTH – The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) congratulates Wesley Galyean of Claremore, Okla-

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homa aboard Lone Woolf on their Open Futurity championship at the 2023 NCHA Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity. Lone Woolf is owned by Billy Wolf of Weatherford, Texas. In the Open Futurity finals, Galyean showed Lone Woolf to a score of 228.5. The

pair will go home with an estimated $318,649.29, not including bonus incentives, along with the coveted title of Open Futurity Champion. This is not Galyean’s first Open Futurity Championship title. In 2004, Galyean was the youngest rider to ever receive the title of Open Futurity champion at the age of 16 riding Spots Hot. Now in 2023, Galyean did not only win the Futurity on Lone Woolf, but additionally qualified for the Open Finals on Empress owned by the 3G’s Partnership. Despite a saddle malfunction, Galyean and Empress finished third in the Open Futurity Finals. When being asked how being crowned a two-time Futurity

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Champion felt, Galyean repeatedly proclaimed, “God is Great.” Galyean also stated in an interview with Courtenay DeHoff, “I am just super blessed and thankful for everybody.” It truly does take a village. The 2023 NCHA Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity was at the historic Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas from November 13 through December 9. To learn more about the National Cutting Horse Association, including upcoming events, please visit nchacutting. com.

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USEF Board of Directors Welcomes New Board Members, Re-elects Tom O’Mara as President

By Zack Ryle, US Equestrian Communications Department

Lexington, Ky. – The USEF Board of Directors met on Sunday, January 14, during the 2024 US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky. During the meeting, Tom O’Mara was elected to a second term as President by a unanimous vote of retention. This successive term will run from January 2025 to January 2029. Additionally, the following individuals were elected to the board for a four-year term that runs through January 2028. Jacob Arnold – Athlete Representative Tom Brennan – Independent Director Will Faudree - International Disciplines Council Representative (eventing) Lisa Gorretta - International Disciplines Council Representative (dressage) Beezie Madden – Athlete Representative Melissa Moore – National Breeds & Disciplines Council Representative (American Saddlebred) Jacob Arnold (Stamping Ground, Ky.), an athlete representative from the sport of driving, was welcomed back to the Board of Directors for a successive four-year term. Arnold has competed at five FEI Driving World Championships, including a win in the 2014 Single Horse Marathon. In recent years, Arnold has won four consecutive USEF Advanced Pair Horse National Championship titles from 2020 to 2023. Tom Brennan (Charles Town, W.Va.) re-joins the board, this time elected as independent director. A hunter rider, trainer, and U.S. Equestrian Federation ‘R’ judge, Brennan began his career as a member of Stonehill College’s equestrian team. While earning his degree in psychology, he won two individual championship titles at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Nationals and captained his team to the IHSA team championship title in 2002–03. In 2012, Brennan’s horse Gramercy Park was named the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program Hunter of the Year, and Brennan was named the WCHR National Emerging Professional Champion. In addition to teaching, training, and managing the barn, Brennan holds his USEF “R” licenses in Hunter and Hunter/Jumper Seat Equitation. Brennan has judged events including the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships, the Pre-Green Incentive Championships, USEF Pony Finals, Maclay Regionals, and the New England Equitation Championships. Will Faudree (Southern Pines, N.C.) was elected for his first term by the International Disciplines Council to represent the sport of eventing. Faudree is an internationally recognized 5-star event rider. Among many top international placings, he was a gold winning member at the 2003 Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He was also a member of the 2006 WEG team in Aachen, Germany. Will was short-listed for the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games. Faudree was also a reserve for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics on Mama‘s Magic Way and is currently a member of the US training squad. Lisa Gorretta (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) was re-elected to the board by the International Disciplines Council, representing the sport of dressage. Gorretta has been a licensed official for over 30 years as a Steward (retired), “R” Dressage Technical Delegate, and Level 2 FEI Steward for dressage. (She was a Steward at the 2015 Pan American Games and was the Deputy Chief Steward for dressage at the 2016 Olympic Games.) As a licensed official, 104

Gorretta believes in making a conscious effort to have a connection with the full range of participants in her sport. In any given year, she interacts with members and non-members at competitions from a two-ring Level 2 dressage show to a CDIO in Wellington, the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, or Dressage at Devon. A 1976 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Agriculture, Gorretta started Paddock Products, a horse products manufacturing and distribution company, as a division of her family’s manufacturing company in Cleveland, Ohio. When the company was sold in 1984, she founded The Paddock Saddlery, a sport horse specialty tack shop, of which she was the president until she sold the business in 2013. Gorretta is the president and CEO of The Paddock Group LLC, a multi-faceted consulting services company she started in 2011, that works with retail, manufacturing, and wholesale companies in the equine industry. Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) returns to the USEF Board this time filling an active athlete seat. Madden has set the standard for jumping in many ways. She was the first woman to pass the $1 million mark in earnings for jumping. In 2004, she became the first woman and the first American rider to reach the top three in the FEI Jumping World Ranking List. Madden is also the only four-time USEF Equestrian of the Year. In 2014, she became the first woman to win prestigious King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead with Cortes ‘C.’ Madden also became the first woman and one of only a few riders to achieve back-to-back victories in the King George V Gold Cup when she repeated the victory with Cortes ‘C’ in 2015.

In April of 2013, Madden won the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, aboard Abigail Wexner’s horse Simon. She is only the fifth woman ever to win the FEI Jumping World Cup Final. Subsequently, in 2013, Simon was named the 2013 USEF International Horse of the Year. Madden is an Olympic individual bronze medalist and a member of the two gold medal U.S. teams from the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, where she rode Authentic. In 2006, she won both team and individual silver medals at the FEI World Equestrian Games aboard Authentic. In 2014, Madden returned to the FEI World Equestrian Games with Cortes ‘C,’ winning a team bronze and individual bronze. Cortes ‘C’ was also voted Best Horse of the Games. Madden was a member of the gold-medal-winning 2003 (aboard Conquest II) and 2011 (aboard Coral Reef Via Volo) Pan American Games Teams and an individual silver medalist with Coral Reef Via Volo at the 2011 Pan American Games. She returned for a third Olympic appearance at the 2012 London Olympics on Coral Reef Via Volo, owned by Coral Reef Ranch. Melissa Moore (Versailles, Ky.) was re-elected to the board in the National Breeds and Disciplines seat, representing the American Saddlebred breed after having served a previous one-year term. Moore is an American Saddlebred trainer and owner of Sunrise Stables in Versailles, Ky. She debuted in the show ring at the age of six, and by 12, she had won her first world’s championship.

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WORLD CHAMPION BAREBACK RIDER TIM O’CONNELL INJURED Injuries are part of the ProRodeo game – which threetime PRCA World Champion Bareback Rider Tim O’Connell knows all too well. O’Connell, who won consecutive world championships from 2016-18, is recovering from a tear in his left groin. O’Connell said he initially suffered the groin injury in January of 2023 at the National Western Stock Show and Ro-

deo in Denver. “After Denver, I gutted it out throughout the year, but at the NFR it tore the rest of the way off, and I’m pretty sure that happened in Round 9,” said O’Connell, 32. “I had surgery (Jan. 4) in Philadelphia with Dr. (William C. Meyers), and the surgery was successful. Turns out I had a lot of bone fragments floating around there as well. So, they ended up clean-

ing out my pelvis and they took five or six pieces of bone that were floating around in there.” O’Connell placed second in Round 9 at the 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with his 86.5-point ride on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo’s Square Bale on Dec. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. He also had an 86.5-point ride in Round 10 aboard Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Bill Fick Top Notch, but he didn’t

place. “I was sore after Round 9 and I was extremely sore the day of Round 10 (Dec. 16),” O’Connell said. “After watching the Finals back and analyzing things in Round 10 my left leg didn’t really work at all. I went to the Chase Hawks (Rough Stock Rodeo, Dec. 23 in Billings, Mont.) and I was still sore, and my left leg really didn’t work. “I called (Dr.) Tandy (Freeman) on Christmas Eve and he talked to Dr. (William C.) Meyers, and I went and had an MRI and it showed it was the rest of the way off. I tough-guyed it through the (2023 season), but I really had to baby that leg through the year. I knew how to get it better, but I had to baby it.” O’Connell, a 10-time Wrangler NFR qualifier (2014-23), finished ninth in last year’s PRCA | RAM World Standings with $214,891. He earned $55,564 at the NFR, placing in two rounds. “The timetable to be completely (healthy) would be coming back the first week of April,” O’Connell said. “My timetable is to be at the last set of Houston (March 11), which would be about nine weeks and four days post-op. But I’m going to be smart with this thing as well because I’m not going to damage something because of my selfish goals.” 106

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AQHA: State of the Association

Updates on the Association’s progress in 2023 from AQHA Chief Executive Officer, Karl Stressman.

As many of you know or have come to know, I am a horseman, and I take our business personally. This is an industry of passionate and dedicated people who take on these goals, objectives and duties as a way of life, not just a way to pass our time. We have another year under our belts and we are excited about the progress we made. Aside from the initiatives we shared for 2023, we made it a point to spend more time listening than talking. From working on improving the AQHA World Championship Show and focusing on our productivity while turning around your AQHA work, members spoke and we listened. Though we still have areas we are striving to improve, our staff, your Executive Committee, the AQHA Board of Directors, standing committees and council members are diligently working to improve our business every day.

We had some wins in 2023 and I would like to take a moment to share some highlights of the efforts made to improve AQHA. We are invested in this Association, and by working together for the good of all AQHA members and American Quarter Horse owners worldwide, we are on track to create a better future for members and our horse. Our primary focus is to grow our plan of structuring the future of AQHA through the following initiatives: Provide better tools for the staff to better support our members. Acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our membership and increase participation in AQHA’s various programs – Horseback Riding Program, Professional Horsemen, Ranching Heritage programs and more. Complete a comprehensive member survey to determine the demographics and desires of our membership. Develop a multidiscipline educational series on animal welfare. Here are some updates of how we progressed in 2023 and how we are set up for 2024.

Staff Tools

Our first initiative was to improve tools for staff so they can better serve members and spend more time on the tasks that matter, your AQHA work. The goal was to create a positive environment that people wanted to work in, and to build on last year’s initiative of hiring top talent to fill positions within AQHA and be a choice employer in the Amarillo community and in the equine industry. One key improvement on our tools is replacing the phone system. As we all know, answering your phone calls with a real person is one of if not the most important aspects of our business. Earlier this year we removed the automated component where a real person answers you and now, we are taking this one step further. The new phone system we are implementing will improve the overall 108

functionality, reliability and user experience for both our staff and members while also saving on cost. This will allow you to reach a member of AQHA staff, whether they are working on-site at AQHA events or hard at it in the office. We successfully implemented notable improvements such as upgrading the onsite break room to allow our staff to enjoy lunch without leaving the site, while fostering camaraderie among coworkers. Additionally, we have prioritized moraleboosting efforts, dedicating time to listen to longstanding staff members. Knowing why they stay helps us make decisions that encourages them to choose to remain part of our team serving our members.

Diverse Membership and AQHA Programs

Our Association is as diverse as our beloved horse, with members and horses located around the world. With a variety of programs and disciplines to choose from, there is something for everyone at AQHA. A prime example of that diversity was our first-ever International AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge. AQHA staff and leadership were onsite October 14-15 in Chihuahua, Mexico, to produce the inaugural International Ranching Heritage Challenge, as well as a variety of AQHA-approved classes, during the 2023 Expogan Chihuahua at Unión Ganadera Regional de Chihuahua. There were nearly 80 entries representing 50 unique horses, seven of which were AQHA Ranching Heritage-bred. All classes were held during the slack of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit finals on October 14, with the top five finals in the heading, heeling and barrel racing being held during the rodeo performances on October 14 and 15. The well-attended event hosted more than 6,000 spectators over two-days. Miguel and Ana Laura Guerrero with Las Tunas Cattle Co. were our gracious hosts and facilitators for this event. Working in conjunction with this, we also launched the inaugural Las Tunas International Ranching Scholarship, endowed by the Las Tunas Cattle Co. of Chihuahua, Mexico, at the American Quarter Horse Foundation. The goal of this scholarship is to secure the future of our industry by providing opportunities for students interested in ranching and the international community to pursue their education.

Member Survey

Our goal for 2023 was to listen to our members, and one part of this is to conduct a comprehensive member survey. The survey will update our information on who our members are, where they are at in their journey with American Quarter Horses and what they want from their Association. In the fall of 2023, the AQHA Marketing Team conducted a request for proposals looking for the right partner to complete the survey. After reviewing submissions, the team chose to partner with the Forward Group and are in the process of reviewing questions with plans to disseminate the survey in January 2024. The Forward

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Group was widely recommended by industry leaders, such as Zoetis, and the company has vast additional experience with surveys for other endemic companies and associations. We are looking forward to sharing this survey with members in 2024 to see where we are and where we need to go next.

Animal Welfare Education

Animal welfare is our top priority, pure and simple. Without the American Quarter Horse, we would not have an association, and we aim to preserve the welfare and integrity of the animal. Our focus this year was to build on animal welfare education and make it a point to drive home the importance of ensuring that the American Quarter Horse is treated humanely with dignity and respect, whether in our backyards or around the world. To start the groundwork of education, we coordinated a segment to appear in each episode of “Let’s Talk AQHA,” the official podcast of the American Quarter Horse. This podcast segment gives industry professionals the opportunity to educate AQHA members and American Quarter Horse fans on the importance of the health and welfare of our horse. With guests such as AQHA Animal Welfare Commission Chairman Robin Frid; Past AQHA Animal Welfare Commission Chairwoman Lori Bucholz, who is now the newest member of the AQHA Executive Committee; and AQHA Director of Breed Integrity, Animal Welfare & Education Ward Stutz, listeners of “Let’s Talk AQHA” learn about best practices, rules and regulations, and how AQHA is laser-focused on preserving the wellbeing of the American Quarter Horse. We intend to continue to build on animal welfare education and are working to publishing more of the work that the AQHA Animal Welfare Commission does year-round for the

American Quarter Horse.

Final Thoughts on 2023 Our initiatives are our primary focus, but we also had a few other wins that need highlighted:

Caught up the backlog of new registration applications so that they are processed within a few days of receiving them so long as they are received in good order. During the summer months, when a new application was received, it was pro-

cessed within 24-48 hours. Transfer backlog was also caught up and new transfers received were being processed within a few days in most cases so long as everything was received in order. More than 10,000 aged transfers, which is work AQHA didn’t receive all requirements for initially and landed in a pending queue, were cleaned up. As we approach the end of 2023, you still have the oppor-

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tunity to make changes in your Association by submitting your rule-change proposal forms by December 31 and to also register for the 2024 AQHA Convention, which is March 15-18 at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. That’s where members and the AQHA Board of Directors consider rule-change proposals. We are excited for the new year and what it will bring for AQHA and the equine industry!

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By Jessica Hein Rhonda Culp of Little Elm, Texas, will be honored June 27 as APHA’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award winner. An APHA member for 15 years, Culp’s foray into Paints came through her daughter, Lynsey, who was an AjPHA member active in horse judging and leadership opportunities. Tagging along with her daughter, Culp naturally became involved in APHA and the Texas Paint Horse Club, too. When her daughter graduated and went to college, Culp remained involved—by then, APHA and its members were family. Though she grew up in a horse-loving family and raised an equestrienne of her own, Culp’s impact hasn’t come from in the saddle. Instead, she’s dedicated her equine involvement to Youth development and leadership.

Rhonda Culp honored as APHA’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award winner

Service Highlights

“The Youth are my passion and the reason I stayed involved after Lynsey graduated,” Culp said. “I saw what the leadership opportunities could do for kids, and I felt like that was a way I could get more kids involved. They may or may not show horses the rest of their lives—we hope they do—but the leadership and the life lessons they learn by being involved with horses are something that can never be replaced.”

APHA state director since 2016 APHA advisory committee member (Youth, World Show and Long-Range Planning), including chairman of the Youth Advisory Committee in 2019 and 2020 Texas Paint Horse Club board member for more than a

decade Texas Paint Horse Club president in 2017-2019 and again in 2024 Texas Paint Horse Club Youth advisor since 2011 Outreach to Paint-owning exhibitors at the Texas State 4-H Horse Show, including daily giveaways, high-placing Paint awards and free tack/show clothes Fielding multiple Youth Team Tournament squads at the APHA World Championship Show Mentoring Youth, including multiple former AjPHA presidents and officers

USDA Awards $2 Million to Study Livestock Grazing in Organic Orchards

By Pamela Kan-Rice

Grazing sheep and other livestock can help convert cover crops to fertilizer for orchard crops. To develop best management practices, the University of California and The Organic Center are collaborating on research to help organic orchard growers safely incorporate livestock grazing into their farming practices. The project is funded by a $2 million grant recently awarded through the U.S. Department 110

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Celebrate

Culp will be honored by APHA at the 2024 APHA Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Ceremony, taking place June 27 at 6 p.m. in the Round Up Inn in the Amon Carter Building at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The ceremony takes place in conjunction with the APHA World Championship Show. Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal and a link provided back to apha.com. of Agriculture’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative research program. Interest in grazing livestock on cover crops in nut orchards has increased in recent years. However, research is needed to determine the best way to improve soil health and pest suppression, and to address concerns about food-borne pathogens and food safety. “Organic farmers typically follow the USDA National Organic Program standards for raw animal manure, waiting 90

to 120 days between incorporating raw manure into the soil and harvesting the crop,” said Alda Pires, UC Cooperative Extension urban agriculture and food safety specialist in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis.

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GARRETT SHADBOLT

MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK TITLES IN DENVER DENVER – The 2023 ProRodeo season didn’t go the way bareback rider Garrett Shadbolt envisioned. A broken fibula in his right ankle forced him to miss the final four months of the season, which ultimately cost him a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The pain of missing the NFR for the first time since 2020 stung, but it allowed Shadbolt to not only heal his body but reflect on his goals in the sport of rodeo. He acknowledged for a split second he thought about hanging up his spurs. “It gave me a lot of motivation and it gave me a lot of time at home to reflect on my goals and what I wanted to accomplish in rodeo,” said Shadbolt, 27. “I’m not going to lie there were a couple of seconds there where I thought about not coming back. “So, coming back now and knowing what my goals are, is putting me where I need to be, to ride how I’m riding so far this year. Everything is feeling really good right now.”

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That good feeling continued for Shadbolt at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. The Merriman, Neb., cowboy won the semifinal round on Jan. 20 at the Denver Coliseum with an 86-point ride on The Cervi Brothers’ Pearl Harbor. He parlayed that success into back-to-back National Western Stock Show and Rodeo titles during the finals on Jan. 21. Shadbolt went head-to-head with Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s Dream Machine in the short round. The duo combined for 86.5 points, which was enough to edge out Bradlee Miller’s 86 points for the win. It was the type of match-up that dreams are made of. “It felt like a dream honestly, I think I about kicked my wife out of bed spurring in my sleep last night,” he said. “I was really hoping to get this horse. He kind of took a run out of the chute and I had a strategy when he did that, I would give him a couple of quick strokes to get him going. When he finally got going, he was coming around that circle and jumping underneath himself and it felt amazing. I had the one and I was able to capitalize.”

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Bridle & Bit Magazine February 2024 Edition

Articles inside

Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, PBR World Finals Championship

INTERVIEW - RICO AUSTIN - BAJARRIBA TEQUILA

AZ Sun Circuit Free Clinics at WestWorld February 29 and March 1

Guts, Glory and Freedom: