Fall 2018
Covering and Promoting Ranch Horse Competition
Ranch Horse Associations Build New Alliances Lifetime Leading Riders, Horses and Breeders
Versatile Victory Seven S Woodrow & Ben Baldus Win AQHA World Title
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7/10/18 9:42:22 7/18/18 5:21:35 AM
Volume 3/Number 2
Features 8 Entry Boom
Like minds from across the ranch horse industry are forging new alliances and debuting exciting events. By Erin Haynes
22 Dally and Drag
Learn to safely handle a rope and pull a log in the ranch horse trail class with horseman Bozo Rogers. By Susan Morrison
ROSS HECOX
Overall participation spiked at championship ranch shows this ear, on rming the pop arit of versatility competition. By Ross Hecox & Katie Navarra
16 Coming Together
Departments 2 Editor’s Note The appeal of ranch horse competition keeps riders working to ride a true all-around horse.
On page 22, Bozo Rogers shares helpful tips on dragging a log in ranch trail classes.
4 Tack Learn how romal reins and split reins function, and determine which kind works best for you. 28 Exponential Growth All-time rankings in ranch versatility make it clear that purses are skyrocketing. On the Cover: Seven S Woodrow and Ben Baldus captured the Open World Championship in AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse. Read more on page 8. Photo by Ross Hecox. Fall 2018
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EDITOR’S NOTE
All-Around Alliance
ROSS HECOX
first-ever NRSHA National Champions. Jill Dunkel, executive director of Stock Horse of Texas, an Alliance member, says she was in awe of the event’s popularity. “We were hoping to get 200 [NRSHA] entries and get something started, and at least five people a class,” she says. “NRSHA was so new, and we did kind of throw it together just to have something here at this event and build on it. We didn’t know if people would be ready to jump in their vehicles to come, and The inaugural NRSHA National Championship Show drew they did. Even receiving a contestants from across the nation. ninth-place ribbon, people were so excited to be at a HE COOL WIND BLEW across World Show and have success.” the Lazy E Arena complex, in More than 700 entries from the six notice of a coming rainstorm. You partnering associations threw their hats in the could smell it over the rolling hills ring for a ribbon, a trophy or simply a chance to surrounding Guthrie, Oklahoma. The be at the Alliance’s first championship show. The combined American Quarter Horse Associapopularity of the versatile ranch horse is tion Versatility Ranch Horse World Champion- indisputable when looking at show entry ships and the National Ranch and Stock Horse numbers in Ross Hecox’s coverage beginning on Alliance National Championship Show hadn’t page 8. The AQHA World Champions and even started before rain threatened the event. NRSHA Champions represented ranch Although it was short-lived, the storm left competitors from across the country. the much-anticipated, unique outdoor trail Open NRSHA Champion Justin Lawrence courses muddy. With the can-do attitude long of Alzada, Montana, was the lone male to take embraced by versatility and ranch horse home an NRSHA title; the Amateur and Youth competitors, show organizers made adjustdivisions were topped by females. To get a leg up ments and the first day of classes went off on next year’s events, be sure to check out without a hitch. I was one of the contestants Justin’s training tips in the September issue of who competed on the soggy trail course, and Western Horseman. while it didn’t turn out as I hoped due to pilot Plans are already under way for another error, the thrill of the competition energized combined AQHA and NRSHA Championship me for the remainder of the week. My downfall show in 2019. Though the date and place are to was the log drag, and ironically, this issue be determined, one thing I believe is that it will be includes an article with trainer and judge Bozo bigger than this year and more competitive. The Rogers on dragging logs like an expert. It appeal of ranch versatility keeps riders in the show begins on page 22. pen, working to ride a true all-around horse. For five days, the largest gathering of “I think the entire stock horse industry has versatility competitors in the nation cut cows, really grown. You hear of other areas in the horse slid, spun and vied for world championship world where they are losing riders, and ours is titles. The historic event was a culmination of getting bigger and bigger,” Dunkel says. “It is good hard work, determination and a love of the family fun and people are recognizing that. Every versatile horse. At the show’s end, there were member of the Alliance is committed to keeping new AQHA World Champions, and seven it a versatile event for ranch and stock horses.” —Kate Bradley Byars individuals who could say they were the
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Administrative Office 2112 Montgomery St. Fort Worth, TX 76107 817-737-6397 Fax: 817-737-9266 Publisher: Ernie King Editor in Chief: Ross Hecox Editor: Kate Bradley Byars Copy Editor: Erin Haynes Art Director: Ron Bonge Fort Worth Production Manager: Sherry Brown Director of Production: Karen Fralick Digital Imaging Manager: Erik Lewis Advertising Customer Service: Nancy Hughes 817-569-7107 Emily Trupiano 817-569-7108 Senior Digital Strategist: Sonny Williams Brand Manager: Megan Thomas Digital Content Manager: Dani Licklider Business Manager: Tonya Ward Warehouse Manager: Tim Gelnaw A Publication of the MCC Magazines, LLC a division of Morris Communications Company, LLC 735 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901
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Ranch Horse News is published by: Morris Media Network Equine Group 2112 Montgomery St. Fort Worth, Texas 76107 Articles that appear in Ranch Horse News do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of Ranch Horse News or Morris Communications Company, LLC. Ranch Horse News does not endorse and is not responsible for the contents of any advertisement in this publication. No material from Ranch Horse News can be copied, faxed, electronically transmitted, or otherwise used without expressed written permission. Requests must be submitted in writing.
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TACK Split reins can be used in all events. Keep the reins even, with the in e or pointer nger in between the reins to maintain proper length.
Rein Change
While some competitors may select their bridle reins based on what’s trendy or what looks cool, reins should be viewed primarily as a means to guide a horse. Experienced trainer and accredited judge Marilyn Peters advises riders to learn how romal reins or split reins work before making a rein change. Story by ate ra ey yars • Photography by Ross Hecox 4 Ranch Horse News RHNMG_180900_004_DEPT REINS.indd 4
H
ARKENING BACK TO WHEN COWBOYS rode horses more than they sat in automobiles, the style of bridle reins used reflected the area where you rode. In California and northwestern states, braided rawhide romal reins ruled because of the vaquero influence on training. In the Southwest and farther east, cowboys preferred leather split reins to do their work. In competitive horse shows nowadays, either rein style can be and is used by a wide variety of competitors. Yet in June in Guthrie, Oklahoma, during the American Quarter Horse Association Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships and National Ranch and Stock Horse Alliance National Championship Show, accredited judge and experienced horsewoman Marilyn Peters noticed riders incorrectly using both rein styles. She saw riders receiving penalties for errors such as putting a finger between the romal reins, or not putting the necessary finger between split reins. Other problems stemmed from not utilizing the reins properly. The lack of proper rein use led to miscommunication with the horse, and that adversely affected the rider’s score. “In ranch horse versatility, it isn’t like a horse show class where you have the same look or mode as everyone else. The nice thing is you can have your own look,” Peters says. “If your horse operates the way it’s supposed to and you operate your reins properly, it makes no difference to me as a judge [which kind of reins are used]. It’s when someone doesn’t know how to use their equipment that it becomes a problem that can be reflected on the score card.” Peters says there are pitfalls and benefits to riding in rawhide romal reins or leather split reins. For Peters, it comes down to the rider’s experience and comfort with a certain rein style. “The good thing about versatility is there is a choice,” she says. “Riders need to not try to look like another rider but to use clean tack that works for them.” Before making a change in rein style based on what other riders are using, take
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into account how a different rein style will change the communication with your horse. Then, understand how to properly use the reins. Here, Peters outlines common issues seen with both romal reins and split reins.
ROMAL RIDING
If customers have a problem keeping their riding reins even, Peters says she puts them in romal reins. The one rein loop, connected to a long romal with a popper, is easier to manage and less apt to become uneven unless the rider pulls the reins incorrectly. She emphasizes comfort with the proper way to use the tack. For a romal rein, that means holding the rein in a closed fist, with the thumb up. Peters likens it to holding a cup of coffee. “You want to keep your hand up like you’re holding a coffee cup and not ‘spill the coffee,’ ” she says. “You can’t flatten your hand out, which I saw a lot of at the versatility show. They had their hand open rather than their fingers curled around the rein. That is a zero score in regular horse show classes, as is sticking a finger between the [romal] reins. In the ranch horse versatility, it is a five-point penalty per maneuver.” The romal rein creates an upward pull on a horse, meaning that cues are most effective when the rider lifts up, not pulls back. The same goes for turning side to side. One major issue Peters sees is riders turning their hand sideways instead of keeping the wrist upright. There was a lot of coffee spilled at the versatility show, she says. “When you pull [with your wrist sideways], it really accentuates that you’re pulling across the horse’s neck and makes your reins uneven,” she explains. “The other thing is seeing people pull back toward the belly instead of up with their hand. It doesn’t work to pull back. The romal gives you lift; it comes from the underside of your hand. When you pull into your belly, you lose that advantage to that romal.” Peters emphasizes understanding how to use the romal reins and knowing what constitutes a penalty in a competitive association. The AQHA, the National Reined Cow Horse Association and the National Reining Horse Association all have different rules governing rein use. Those
Fall 2018
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rning the wrist, or spi ing the offee, an res t in more press re on the o tsi e roma rein, t rning the horse s nose awa from the ire tion it nee s to go to omp ete the mane er.
ari n eters opts to show in the ow horse with roma reins. ere, she ho s her rein han i e ho ing a p of offee, with the th m p. n ow wor , it is ega to ho the horn, an to ho the roma tai with the han against the horn.
Ranch Horse News 5 7/19/18 10:11:02 AM
rules may or may not apply to a regional versatility stock or ranch horse association. “I don’t think a judge has an opinion either way if you ride in split reins or romal reins,” she says. “Just ride in what is comfortable.”
SPLIT SELECTION
For years, Peters showed exclusively in leather split reins. It was the custom in her home state of Oklahoma. When she began showing reined cow horses, she began using romal reins, which are required in many bridle horse classes. When home, though, she often opts for split reins. She also prefers to ride with split reins during a trail class at a versatility show. For her, it is comfort using the reins as well as convenience in the show pen. “I think it is easier to do trail in split reins because it is easier to ground tie than it is with the romal. I believe a lot of associations will [soon institute a rule to] make you use a get-down rope [when you are riding] with a romal in the ground tie,” she says. “I also use split reins when I have a younger horse that needs a little more guidance. I can ‘cheat’ the
Riders must keep one finger between the split reins, and that is typically the index finger. That finger maintains evenness between the reins, and it can also help to shorten or lengthen the rein. “If you stick more fingers between them, that is a penalty,” she says. “You can shorten your inside rein a little to cock the nose to the inside to run a circle or turn. But you have to remember to even those reins up or shorten the new inside rein [after changing direction]. Riders forget to release it, and then when they go the other direction, the horse’s head is pulled to the outside. As a judge, I will notice.” While judging, Peters is looking for a horse-and-rider team that works well together to complete the class and has a neat appearance, whether riding in split or romal reins. “I think it really takes time to ride well in a romal, and also split reins. It goes back to what you’re most comfortable with,” Peters says. “I think that both work, as long as the rider is comfortable adjusting reins while riding and knows how to ride correctly with that rein.”
split rein and shorten one side or the other as needed. Somebody that shows in split reins can cheat a little bit and not get a penalty. If you try to shorten an inside rein on a romal, you’ll have a bubble and may incur a penalty for slipping the rein in the cow work event.” Riders who use split reins can have the same issues as riders using romal reins— pulling across the neck and creating a situation where the horse’s head is turned away from the direction the rider is headed. That often relates to uneven reins. Although a rider might shorten the inside rein, failing to readjust it after changing direction can impede a horse’s movement in a spin or a circle. “To me, seeing someone with a big rein length difference [shows] a lack of knowledge or awareness,” Peters says. “The horse will tell on you, just like pulling across the neck in the romal. A horse can’t turn against a rein too short. Typically, a rein too short on one side doesn’t affect the score, but it does affect how the horse responds to the rider, and that can affect the score.”
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Fall 2018
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ENTRY B
ROSS HECOX
Overall participation spiked at championship ranch horse shows this year, confirming that versatility competition remains one of the fastest growing segments of the horse industry.
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Fall 2018
7/19/18 12:49:49 PM
Y BOOM
Horses line up for the open ranch cutting at the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships, an event that drew a record 1,572 entries. Fall 2018
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stin awren e of a a, pen ro n tit e.
ontana, g i e
ia i in to the
strong performan e in the ow wor he pe i ne n e of r her it , e as, aim the mate r ro n hampionship.
NRSHA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP oss e o
THE NATIONAL RANCH AND STOCK HORSE ALLIANCE was formed early in 2018, leaving very little time to organize a championship show. But with a chance to run the show concurrently with the American Quarter Horse Association’s Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships, NRSHA members seized the opportunity and hosted the first NRSHA National Championship Show in June in Guthrie, Oklahoma. NRSHA is an alliance of six organizations—AQHA, East Coast Stock Horse Association, National Versatility Ranch Horse Association, Oklahoma Stock Horse Association, Stock Horse of Texas and Western States Versatility Ranch Horse Association. By competing in at least one NRSHA member organization show, contestants were qualified for the National Championship Show, and the event drew more than 700 entries. “We were hoping to get 200 entries—just hoping to get something started,” says SHTX Executive Director Jill Dunkel. “It by far exceeded our expectations. NRSHA was just a few months old, and we didn’t know if [NRSHA contestants] would be ready. But they just latched onto this and came. AQHA did a good job of getting awards together, and they managed entries. It was all done on a very short timeline.” Those NRSHA entries, combined with AQHA’s Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships, an AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge, and other AQHA classes, added up to a remarkable 2,575 entries for the event held at the Lazy E Arena. Next year, NRSHA contestants will have to compete in at least three events with any of the member organizations to qualify for the National Championship Show. Dunkel expects a large number of entries again. “We’ve had other [ranch horse] organizations ask us about joining our alliance, and we’re working on guidelines so more people can join,” she says. “Stock horse competition has really grown. Every Alliance member is very committed to keeping it a versatile event for ranch horses and stock horses. That’s our passion. We want to keep it ranchy, with an emphasis on horses that can handle cattle and also do the ranch riding, ranch trail and reining.”
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QUICK FACTS
Members: AQHA, ECSHA, NVRHA, OSHA, SHTX, WSVRHA Alliance Founded: 2018 Championship Show: June 13–16, 2018 ranchhorse.net
CHAMPIONS OPEN: Mia Lil Pink ridden by Justin Lawrence AMATEUR: Sidney Dunkel riding Bobbie Can Do LTD AMATEUR: Jessica Rumbaugh riding Boonfull Of Caesar YOUTH: Gracelyn Jacobs riding Wild Card Jackson LTD YOUTH: Madison Miller riding Cee Hickory Doc NOVICE YOUTH: Catelyn Walker riding Do It Classy Fall 2018
7/17/18 5:02:18 PM
QUICK FACTS
Membership: 251,263 Association Founded: 1940 Championship Show: June 13–16, 2018 aqha.com/ranching
AQHA VERSATILITY RANCH HORSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
ROSS HECOX
By Ross Hecox
ROSS HECOX
Ben Baldus guided Seven S Woodrow to an Open World title in AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse.
Victor Wolf of Costa Rica rode Judys Ten to capture the Amateur Championship.
VRH WORLD CHAMPIONS OPEN: Seven S Woodrow ridden by Ben Baldus
LTD AMATEUR: Jessica Rumbaugh riding Boonfull Of Caesar
COWBOY: Gray Hope Stik ridden by Gatlin Duncan
YOUTH: Trail Townsend riding TRR Lucky Playgun
AMATEUR: Victor Wolf riding Judys Ten
LTD YOUTH: Maisen Avent riding Jojo Tari
Fall 2018
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IN JANUARY OF 2008, the first AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships was held in Denver, Colorado. That year, there were two divisions, open and amateur, and 31 riders qualified and competed. Ten years later and now located in Guthrie, Oklahoma, the event attracted 1,572 entries. In 2011 the VRH World Championships moved from Denver to Houston, Texas, and in 2016 a rule change allowed competitors to qualify in individual classes rather than in all six (ranch conformation, ranch cutting, ranch reining, ranch riding, ranch trail and working ranch horse). As a result, entries more than tripled to 508. The following year they rose to 931. Although contestants can now enter in only one event and vie for a class championship, a World title is awarded only to those competing in the all-around. “That’s the versatile horse. That’s what we want to promote,” says AQHA Director of Ranching Kim Lindsey. “We don’t want this to turn into a show for one-event, specialist horses.” Lindsey adds that versatility ranch horse is one of the most popular disciplines among AQHA shows, and the huge turnout for this year’s VRH World Championships proves that. By also including an AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge, the NRSHA National Championship Show, and the AQHA Level 1 Cattle Championships, the event boasted total entries of 2,575. Another contributing factor to the event’s success was moving from Houston to the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, which was able to schedule more days for showing and is in a more centralized location in the United States. Also, by changing the date from March to mid-June, the show didn’t take place during breeding season, inclement winter weather or the spring school semester. “I believe this was the biggest ranch event in history,” says Lindsey, who began as a ranch versatility competitor in 1998 and then served many years as the Executive Director for Stock Horse of Texas before joining AQHA. “This show has been a vision of mine for years, and everybody came together to make it work. The more often we can do that, the better it is for the industry.”
Ranch Horse News 11 7/17/18 5:02:25 PM
RHAA NATIONAL FINALS
ROSS HECOX
By Katie Navarra
Ridden by Riley Smith, Sparkin Jo Beckett won the Junior Class at the RHAA National Finals.
MEMBERS OF THE RANCH HORSE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA gathered during the second weekend of May for the RHAA National Finals, held in Abilene, Texas. The 2018 championship show saw riders from Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. There were 55 entries. Riders who qualify for the championship compete in two rounds, and then the top five competitors from each class advance to the final round. The exception is the Wrangler class qualifiers, who compete in one round with the top five scoring horse-and-rider pairs called back to the finals. “Entries were a little down this year, but we still had a good show,” says Raylene Cox, the association’s secretary-treasurer. “Since the finals in May, we’ve been getting a number of new memberships.” Competitions include a dry work pattern made up of circles, spins, stops, lead changes and rollbacks. Once the pattern is completed, riders box a cow at the end of the arena, then drive it down the fence and turn the cow each direction. To complete the run, contestants then rope, stop and drag the cow a short distance. Competitors earned a share of $50,000 in cash and prizes.
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Fall 2018
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QUICK FACTS
Member States: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming Association Founded: 1998 Membership: 325 Championship Show: May 10-12, 2018 rhaa.org
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
WRANGLER CLASS Champion: SCR Crackin One Time ridden by Trey Mitchell Reserve Champion: Iokay Gunpowder ridden by Joe Stovell COWBOY CLASS Champion: Sparksgenuinearticle ridden by Lane Birkenfeld Reserve Champion: TRR Pepto Yi Yo ridden by Brazos Roberts
JUNIOR CLASS Champion: Sparkin Jo Beckett ridden by Riley Smith Reserve Champion: Boon Hickorys ridden by Asa Daugherty SENIOR CLASS Champion: Gray Hope Stik ridden by Gatlin Duncan Reserve Champion: Smart Sugar Star ridden by Parke Greeson
ROSS HECOX
RANCH HAND CLASS Champion: Too Suen Laddie ridden by Dee Oles Reserve Champion: Smart Lil Redman ridden by Jayton Baca
In the Senior Class, Gray Hope Stik and Gatlin Duncan clinched the National Championship.
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Fall 2018
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Ranch Horse News 13 7/19/18 2:29:46 PM 7/19/18 12:50:02 PM
COURTESY OF ASHA
The ASHA collegiate team championship was claimed by the Texas A&M University Stock Horse Team.
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Fall 2018
7/25/18 2:16:40 PM 7/19/18 12:50:04 PM
ASHA COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP
By Katie Navarra
THE AMERICAN STOCK HORSE ASSOCIATION crowned collegiate champions April 19–22, 2018, at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater, Texas. The AHSA’s Collegiate Stock Horse Versatility Education Program brought together 18 teams to compete for year-end awards. “This is a neat venue for students to come together and compete as individuals and as a team,” says Rob Hartley, president of the American Stock Horse Association. “We see a lot of potential for growth, which is why we combined the Collegiate Championship with our national show.” Riders campaigning for the championship all-around title are required to ride in stock horse pleasure, trail, reining and working cow horse. They can ride their own horse or one from the string owned by their school. “It gives them a real sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to compete at a national competition,” he says. The annual collegiate championship has been held for a decade.
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QUICK FACTS
Member Colleges and Universities: Clarendon College, Eastern New Mexico State University, Laramie County Community College, Missouri State University, Middle Tennessee State University, New Mexico State University, Northeastern Junior College, Oregon State University, Sam Houston State University, Tarleton State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, West Texas A&M University, University of Findlay, University of Wyoming, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, North Central Texas College Association Established: 2008 ASHA College and University Membership: 18 colleges Collegiate Championship Show: April 19-22, 2018 americanstockhorse.org
TEAM CHAMPIONS Division 1 - Texas A&M University Stock Horse Team coached by Morgan Moreno Division 2 - University of Arkansas Ranch Horse Team coached by Daniel Potter INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS: Non-Pro Champion: Hannah Penny, North Central Texas College, riding BFR Hickory Starlite Non-Pro Reserve Champion: Paris Starn, University of Wyoming, riding Given Ya Goosebumps Limited Non-Pro All-Around Champion: Jaci Marley, Texas A&M University, riding Hickorys Chic Olena Limited Non-Pro All-Around Reserve Champion: Addison Fjelstad, Texas Tech University, riding Mini Mes Mercedes Novice Non-Pro All-Around Champion: Victoria Goodson, North Central Texas College, riding RB Sweet Cat Novice Non-Pro All-Around Reserve Champion: Lyndsy ff T DON HENNEKE AWARD RECIPIENTS Non-Pro: Lanham Brown riding for Texas Tech University Limited Non-Pro: Sidney Dunkel riding for Texas Tech University Novice: ff T
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COMING T
Like minds from across the ranch horse industry are forging new alliances and debuting exciting events. By Erin Haynes
APHA and SHTX: A Natural Fit
In May, SHTX and APHA announced a new partnership. From the perspectives of APHA Executive Director Billy Smith and SHTX Executive Director Jill Dunkel, the alliance between the two already friendly groups just makes sense. “The Paint Horse community is a stock horse community,” Smith says. “We’ve seen significant growth in our ranch classes over the last three to five years, and we think that growth is just going to continue.” Dunkel explains that historically SHTX has had many registered Paint Horses in competition and that APHA rules have permitted show managers the option to use
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SHTX rules when hosting an APHA ranch horse show. The new alliance means that those Paint Horses already showing with SHTX will have their SHTX accomplishments—show earnings, year-end awards, Stock Horse World Show titles—logged on their APHA show records. Dunkel also says that SHTX plans to start offering more dual-approved events. In addition to benefitting Paint Horse owners who already participate in both organizations, the cross-marketing opportunities within the alliance give SHTX and APHA the ability to reach new exhibitors through, as Smith says, “greater exposure of the stock horse disciplines in the Paint Horse world and the greater exposure of the Paint Horse in the stock horse world.” APHA also debuted the Ranch Work Championship July 7 in Fort Worth, Texas. The event occurs at the end of the APHA Youth World Championship Show and acknowledges high-scoring Paint Horses in each event, but is open to all breeds and all ages and levels of exhibitors. “What we’re saying is the more the merrier,” Smith says. “Bring everything that you want to show, and we’ll have a good time.” The event offers traditional ranch horse classes, but, uniquely, offers them in a divisional structure (similar to the one is used in the barrel racing world) where exhibitors are grouped by score. The inaugural Ranch Work Championship was a 3D event.
“We think it may create a more equitable opportunity for exhibitors,” Smith says. “This is a test to see if this approach will be accepted and will have the effect we hope, which is to create an environment where the top ranch horse exhibitors can show as well as bring new people to the discipline. The new people don’t have to worry about not being competitive at the highest level because they have the chance to win money at any of the divisional levels. We’re hoping we can create some new ground.” This is exactly what Smith sees happening across the growing landscape of ranch horse competition: new approaches and new opportunities. APHA, he says, is continuing to develop and look for more cross-marketing partnerships in the ranch community and expects to “scale up” the Ranch Work Championship. “I think right now is probably the best time in years to think about participating in the ranch horse show community because there are so many options available and so many ways to participate,” Smith says.
NRSHA: A Meeting of Like Minds The concept of a national, all-breed stock horse organization had been simmering in the minds of several longtime devotees of the stock horse industry for years before it bubbled over into the National Ranch and Stock Horse Alliance, established in February
ROSS HECOX
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T’S IN THE SPIRIT OF TRUE CAMARADERIE and dedication to the same ideals that neighbors gather together on branding day. That spirit birthed on the ranch is alive and thriving in the ranch horse show industry, as well, and inspiring people to join hands in promoting, preserving and enjoying the all-around versatile stock horse. The fruits of this community spirit include two major alliances formed in 2018, one between the American Paint Horse Association and Stock Horse of Texas, and another among six associations that have formed the National Ranch and Stock Horse Alliance. Both the APHA and the NRSHA also debuted events designed to unite horsemen nationwide in a grand-scale competition.
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G TOGETHER
ROSS HECOX
Last June, exhibitors from across the nation traveled to Guthrie, Oklahoma, to compete in the rst ationa Ranch and Stock Horse ian e ationa Championship Show.
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Ranch Horse News 17 7/18/18 5:33:03 PM
ROSS HECOX
COMING TOGETHER
Paint Horses have shown competitively in stock horse events for more than 20 years.
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of this year. During her past tenure as SHTX Executive Director, Kim Lindsey experienced great benefits that came as part of an SHTX and American Quarter Horse Association alliance, and she wanted ranch horse groups across the country to reap the same kinds of rewards. In 2016, Lindsey, who had taken up post as AQHA Director of Ranching, reached out to leaders of regional stock horse groups who were both passionate about growing the industry and wholeheartedly invested in seeing it stay true to its ranching influence and background—which everyone agreed meant ensuring cattle events were mandatory. “Never compromise your core beliefs,” says Charles Pellham, director of the East Coast Stock Horse Association and president of NRSHA. “You don’t start amending and adjusting your core beliefs to make things easier.” It’s that kind of dedication to ideals, Pellham says, that has sustained the integrity of the ranching community and will sustain the ranch horse show industry. Six such like-minded groups—ECSHA (headquartered in Reva, Virgina), Oklahoma Stock Horse Association (Ardmore, Oklahoma), SHTX (Archer City, Texas), Western States Versatility Ranch Horse Association (Camp Verde, Arizona), AQHA
(Amarillo, Texas), and National Versatility Ranch Horse Association (Colorado Springs, Colorado)—stepped out together to launch NRSHA. The group emphasizes the word “alliance,” Dunkel explains, saying that each group maintains its autonomy and identity. “We are an allied group of individual organizations,” she says. “Each group has one voting member and each of the six organizations put in money to get it started. We have very little overhead. We don’t have a staff or anyone processing membership forms. If you are a member of one of the member organizations you are automatically a member of the alliance. We wanted to keep it economical for everybody and just make it an added benefit and not an added expense.” With each group thriving in their own niche, why come together? For the good of the industry and the good of each member organization, alliance members explain. “It’s very important to keep our identity, whichever association you are,” Lindsey says. “People are proud of what they have created. They have developed it with a lot of hard work, so it’s very important to those members. But if we can tie it all together it makes us all stronger. You get people with great minds and great visions together from different parts of the country, and it creates lots of networking and brainstorming of great ideas.” Fall 2018
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COURTESY OF JILL DUNKEL ROSS HECOX
NRSHA has supported its broad-scope, long-term goal of leading industry growth while maintaining industry ideals with several practical approaches. “We wanted to make it easier for people to find a ranch or stock horse show,” Dunkel says. The alliance’s website, ranchhorse.net, maintains a calendar with all six member organizations’ events that’s searchable by location, date and association. Someone new to ranch and stock horse shows, someone new to an area or someone looking to hit up new circuits can easily filter events by whatever parameter suits them. Dunkel explains that the alliance also wants to standardize to some degree the rules and judging system used in the industry. “We want each individual organization to continue their autonomy, but come together on a central scoring system and similar rules,” she says. “Each organization may have unique classes or divisions, but by-and-large the rules are very similar. We feel like that was really healthy for the industry, so if you go to a Western States show or a Stock Horse of Texas show, you’re going to be judged on a similar type of scale, scoring system and standard.” Like many of the groups within NRSHA, ECSHA has largely adopted the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse scoring system. “We have additional classes that the AQHA and some of the other organizations don’t have,” Pellham says. “For example, the ECSHA has an event they call the ‘cattle drive’ in which a two-person team sorts cattle from a pen and pushes them across the arena and through a set of obstacles. But we still go by the same scoring systems. It make it easier for judges.” One of the biggest goals of NRSHA was to create a national showcase ranch horse event, and the NRSHA National Championship Show debuted in June in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The National Championship Show runs concurrently with the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show, which also included the Ranching Heritage Challenge Finals and Level 1 Cattle Championship. For the inaugural show, Lindsey was hoping the NRHSA entries would total at least 50. “We had over 700 entries!” Lindsey says. “I would say there’s a need out there for this kind of event in the ranch horse industry, wouldn’t you?”
The purposes of the NRHSA National Championship show are many, but primarily to give exhibitors who have been showing in their local club a large-scale championship where they can showcase their horses and enjoy nation-wide competition. “We just want to create something where we can all come together and have a great event and celebrate our ranch horses,” Lindsey says.
TOP: Jill Dunkel, executive director of SHTX, has helped build alliances with APHA and NRSHA. ABOVE: Kim Lindsey (right), AQHA Director of Ranching, says that participation in the rst ationa how exceeded expectations. The event was held in conjunction with the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Show.
Ranch Horse News 19 7/19/18 10:59:22 AM
COMING TOGETHER hree of the rst ationa hampions in e from eft i ne n e in the mate r i ision , ra e n a o s o th an essi a m a gh imite mate r .
“The show is a nationwide gathering of great ranch and stock horses from the member organizations,” Dunkel says, emphasizing that the National Championship Show will not replace each
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member organization’s championship or year-end show, but offer an additional opportunity. “Regionally we are each doing our own thing, but this way we can also come together and offer a really
cool national show experience. In NRSHA, we have Novice divisions, so even the novice riders can come and compete for a Novice National Championship. It’s great that riders of all experience levels are going to have the opportunity to compete on a national stage.” In addition, the prestige of such an event adds value to the horses competing and earning success. It strengthens camaraderie and bonds among the horse people gathering to compete as they share experiences and ideas. And from a strategic perspective, member organizations are exposed on a larger scale to national sponsors. They also benefit as the event grows because the National Championship Show funnels interest and growth back to the member organizations by requiring
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ROSS HECOX
Billy Smith, APHA Executive Director, believes the popularity of ranch horse competition has reached an all-time high.
exhibitors to qualify by showing three times with a member organization. Pellham has already witnessed how the show benefits ECSHA. “The show gives all of our members a
chance to go and compete, not just on a regional level but for a national title,” he says. “It’s really strengthened our individual association. We’ve had people coming to our shows this year who
haven’t in the past because now they have something bigger to shoot for. It would have taken a lot longer any other way to grow our numbers.” Dunkel says NRHSA has already seen interest from other stock horse organizations and plans to add more member groups. To be considered for membership in NRSHA, organizations must offer multiple ranch-type classes and at least one judged cattle class. In addition to a few other requirements, they also must have at least 100 members and be a nonprofit organization. For the members of the NRSHA, the “big picture” going forward is to never lose sight of that one founding and driving ideal that has drawn this community together. “We’re promoting this great and versatile horse,” Lindsey says. “That is the whole picture.”
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Ranch Horse News 21 7/18/18 2:41:23 7/19/18 5:43:56 PM
DALLYAND D
Learn to safely handle a rope and pull a log with horseman Bozo Rogers. Story by Susan Morrison • Photography by Ross Hecox
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RAGGING A LOG SEEMS SIMPLE, but as Fielding “Bozo” Rogers says, “it can turn ugly in a hurry.” A rope under a horse’s tail or a finger caught in a dally can result in pain and suffering, not to mention some awkward moments in the show pen. Roping comes naturally to Rogers, a trainer and judge based in Gainesville, Texas. He grew up on a ranch where he learned early how to drag calves to the branding fire. But many people who show in stock horse or versatility ranch horse classes don’t have that practical experience, and their lack of knowledge can get them in trouble. “The main thing we’re trying to prevent is getting that rope under the horse’s tail and getting someone bucked off,” he says. “It’s all about preventing wrecks.” Rogers has some simple tips to keep both riders and horses safe during the log drag in a ranch trail class, and the first step is teaching a horse to accept the rope without fear.
MAKING INTRODUCTIONS
The first thing Rogers does with a young horse or an older horse that hasn’t had roping experience is introduce it to a rope.
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To do so, he takes advantage of a fence to help block the horse’s movement. “I’ll ride the horse up next to a fence on the left side, where I can swing my rope with my right hand,” Rogers explains. “That way I’ve got the horse trapped, and it keeps him focused. If he goes somewhere, it will be straight ahead or back. I start swinging the rope back and forth [at the horse’s right side], and then pitching it out in front of him.” Once the horse accepts the rope without spooking or trying to leave—which Rogers says usually only takes a couple of days—the trainer begins dragging the rope behind the horse and backing the horse with the rope thrown out in front of it. He makes sure to wrap the saddle horn with a rubber dally wrap (which can be purchased at a tack or roping supply store) to prevent the rope from slipping or wearing the leather, and adds a breast collar to keep the saddle in place. “I drag the rope with nothing on the end of it and get the horse used to it on both sides, behind them and in front of them,” he says. “I get the horse completely confident with nothing on the rope before I ever try to drag anything. I spend a lot of time pitching the rope over the horse’s head on both sides. I want the horse not to panic if a rope gets where it’s not supposed to be.”
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D DRAG
Dragging a log seems simple, but horseman Bozo Rogers says it’s important to prepare yourself and your horse.
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DALLY AND DRAG
LEARNING TO DALLY
TOP: Rogers introduces a horse to the rope by using a fence to block its movement, then swings the rope, tosses it and coils it back up until the horse is comfortable. ABOVE: Dallying safely means having your thumb up and out of the way, and wrapping the rope in a counter-clockwise direction.
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When you’re dealing with a rope, a hand, a saddle horn and a 1,000-pound horse, accidents can happen. “It can be dangerous if it’s not done right,” Rogers says. “If you don’t get the rope on the horn right, it can pop off or slide out of your hand.” Learning the correct way to handle a rope and dally goes a long way toward preventing mishaps, he adds. The first thing to do is learn to coil the rope. “Just drag a rope quite a bit and learn how to coil it,” Rogers says. “If you don’t know how to coil a rope correctly, you’ll really have trouble dallying. The best thing you can do is go to someone who can teach you how to coil a rope, pitch it out and coil it back up.” Once handling a rope begins to feel like second nature, Rogers says, learning to dally comes next. “The first thing is, you’ve got to keep your thumb up,” he says. “If your thumb is down you’ve got a chance of cutting it off.” Dallying should be done counter-clockwise, he adds.
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“The rope comes tight around the horn quicker, and you’ve got a full wrap sooner,” Rogers explains. “You could go [clockwise], but if you do, you’re going backward to the flow of the coils in your hand and then you get a kink in the rope.” Learning how to get out of a jam also is important, he says. “If you’re in a branding pen, you’re going to get in tight situations, and you’ve got to be able to maneuver out of them,” he says. “It’s the same dragging a log. There are so many people that panic and grip down instead of turning loose of the rope if something happens. All you have to do is un-dally and turn loose, and normally you’re out of the wreck. The horse might panic and try to leave, and after you turn loose the rope might spin around and whack you on the head, but it’s not going to have you tangled up.”
Having the rope too short means the log can bump the horse and scare it.
PULLING YOUR WEIGHT
When a rider has learned to handle the rope and dally, it’s time to drag. Rogers makes a point of always going to the right when teaching a horse or a rider to pull a log. Even though he eventually teaches a horse to pull from either side, having the rope on the right side remains a constant. “If you think about it, when you’re pulling to the right the horse can see that log out beside him, and there’s no chance of him getting the rope under his tail,” he says. “You want to drag at a slight angle so the log isn’t straight behind you. If the horse is too straight, [the rope] can trap you in the saddle. If you’re at too much of an angle, it can drag you out of the saddle.” Another key is learning the correct rope length. “I see people get the rope too short or too long,” Rogers says. “If it’s too short, the log is banging the horse in the hocks and scaring him. If it’s too long and they turn, the rope comes across and can drag them out of the saddle. There’s a [correct] position where the rope will lay on a horse’s hip, and it won’t slide over the top or get too low, either. It’s kind of a bracing point. “A lot of it depends on your horse. With a bigger horse, you can have a little longer rope because the line from the horn to the log is going to be a little more sloping. With a shorter horse, you can have the
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A rope that’s too long can slide over the horse’s hip and put the rider in a bind. If the horse turns to the left, the rope also can slide under its tail, which can result in a wreck.
The correct rope length makes it easy for the horse to pull. The rope lies across the hip in the proper position, and the angle keeps both horse and rider out of trouble.
Ranch Horse News 25 7/17/18 6:58:28 PM
DALLY AND DRAG
Pulling from the right, at a slight angle, allows the rider to better control the log.
rope a little shorter. You have to learn your horse and experiment with it until you get comfortable.” When he feels the horse is ready to start pulling a log, he starts with a small one that might weigh 40 to 50 pounds. When the horse is confident with a small log, Rogers moves to a larger one that is 100 pounds or more. And while he always starts at a walk, he eventually expects the horse to pull at a trot and a lope, and both forward and backward. “These horses have to learn to walk and load up, and learn how to pull,” Rogers says. “I graduate them up to a little bigger and a little bigger logs, but we don’t overload them at any time. That’s the big secret. You see some big horses that
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wouldn’t pull the hat off your head because they’ve been overloaded or hurt. They give up. It’s all about teaching them to have confidence pulling.” That gradual progress prepares the horse for larger logs that might be used in a show setting, where logs might weigh up to 200 pounds or more. “If you’ve always got them where they’re pulling something light enough that they know they can pull it, you can hook onto something big and they don’t know that they can’t pull it,” he says. “They’re going to try.”
SHOWING WITH STYLE
Once a rider is confident at home, dragging a log in the show pen can become a credit-earning situation when done correctly. “I like to see people that, once they get a hold of the log, they look up, take off and go,” says Rogers, who also holds judging cards for several associations. “I like to see them get that forward
motion and look like they know where they’re going.” Some patterns call for dragging a log in a figure eight or around an obstacle, and doing so requires some careful thought. “If you go tight around an obstacle, it might show more degree of difficulty, but you’ll have to be on a shorter rope,” he says. “If you’re on a longer rope, you’re going to be on a bigger figure eight. But if I’ve got a horse that looks really good dragging a log, I might make a bigger pattern. I like to show that he can really walk out and drag that log just like he’d take a calf to the branding fire.” Rogers also likes to see a horse drag at a trot if the opportunity presents itself. He sees it as a more realistic presentation of a working horse. “I’ve been to a lot of brandings, and nearly everybody is bringing those calves at a trot. The quicker it gets done, the less stress there is [on the cattle],” he explains. “So I think there’s a place for both walking and trotting [at a show].”
ABOUT BOZO ROGERS
FIELDING “BOZO” ROGERS trains versatility ranch horses and reined cow horses and judges shows for the American Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, National Reined Cow Horse Association and Stock Horse of Texas. s an open ri er, ogers ran s fth among all-time leading riders in ranch versatility competition with $46,042 in earnings. He has shown WM Blasted Smart, pictured in this article, to numerous titles, including the 2013 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse Open Reserve World Championship and the HighPoint Horse at the 2014 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s Ranching Heritage Weekend. In NRCHA competition, Rogers earned an Open Two-Rein World title on One Smokin Chic. He and the mare also won two APHA World Championships in working cow horse. Rogers and his wife, Karla, are based in Gainesville, Texas.
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Ranch Horse News 27 7/18/18 2:42:54 7/23/18 4:54:00 PM
ROSS HECOX
In 2008, riding for the Four Sixes Ranch, Chance O’Neal guided i es i to the rst pen or Championship in AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse.
Exponential Growth
All-time rankings in ranch versatility make it clear that purses are skyrocketing. By Ross Hecox
A
SPAN OF 10 YEARS in the horse business is quite a short period of time. Nevertheless, ranch horse competition has made monumental strides during the past decade, and the statistics reflect that. Back in 2008, the American Quarter Horse Association was hosting its first Versatility Ranch Horse World Champion-
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ship Show. Non-pro rider Jecca Ostrander hadn’t yet won a dime in ranch competition. And WR This Cats Smart had not yet sired any money-earning foals. However, all three currently sit atop the lifetime leading standings in their respective categories. Considering their quick rise to the top, it’s apparent that show purses have been spiking in the past few years.
This year’s AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships serves as a good example of how stock horse events are one of the hottest disciplines going. HEFTY PURSE In June, Chance O’Neal gazed at the size of the AQHA VRH Championships in amazement. The Lubbock, Texas, trainer and coach for the Texas Tech University Ranch Horse Team won the first Open VRH World title on Sixes Pick. That inaugural show featured a grand total of 31 entries. This year’s show boasted 1,572, and the competition was fierce, he says. “The horse power, the breeding, the horsemanship—it’s phenomenal,” O’Neal says. “These are high-end horses that are competing at a high level in all aspects of this event. Everything that the founders of versatility were looking to establish when they started it in the late ‘90s, it’s happening.”
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This year’s show offered a purse of $87,779, the largest amount of any ranch versatility competition to date. By comparison, the 2015 AQHA VRH World Show, ranked 10th all-time, drew 157 entries and offered a purse of $28,600. The 2008 AQHA VRH World Championships may not rank among the leading all-time events, but the show’s open champion, Sixes Pick, ranks third on the list of all-time leading sires. The 1998 stallion, by Tanquery Gin and out of Natural Pick by Tenino Badger, was bred and is owned by Burnett Ranches, LLC, more often referred to as the Four Sixes Ranch of Guthrie, Texas. Today, Burnett Ranches is the all-time leading breeder of ranch versatility horses, with $219,516 in earnings. The ranch is also the lifetime leading owner, with earnings of $136,667. TOP NON-PRO Just two years ago, Jecca Ostrander was ranked eighth on the list of all-time leading non-pro riders in ranch versatility. Now she is ranked No. 1, having won more than $16,000 since 2016. The majority of her non-pro earnings
have come in AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge events, including second- and third-place finishes in Amateur Working Ranch Horse at the Rapid City, South Dakota, event last year. She has also found success competing in the open division, winning the Limited 5-And-6-Year-Old Working Ranch Horse as well as the 4-And-Up Working Ranch Horse at the Ranching Heritage Challenge event in Fort Worth, Texas, last January. Her top horses are BOXO Valentines Cat, a mare by Palo Duro Cat and out of Tracis Blue Roan, and BOXO Heavens Blue, a gelding by SNW Heavens King and out of Snippy Blue Card. BOXO Heavens Blue ranks fourth on the list of all-time leading ranch versatility horses. Ostrander and her family operate Willow Creek Ranch and Box O Quarter Horses, based in Gordon, Nebraska. With about 20 mares and two stallions, they raise working ranch horses that are proving themselves in versatility competition. Ostrander ranks fourth on the list of all-time leading owners, and sixth on the list of all-time breeders. “Yes, we want good conformation and good bone, but we feel like a horse needs to
have a solid mind and a willing attitude,” Ostrander says. “That’s most important to us. And it’s very encouraging to have such success with the horses we’ve ridden all of our lives.” ALL-AROUND CAT WR This Cats Smart earned $236,474 in cutting competition, but he has shown plenty of versatility as a sire. By High Brow Cat and out of The Smart Look by Smart Little Lena, the 1999 stallion has quickly become a leading sire of cutting, ranch versatility and reined cow horses, with offspring earnings exceeding $10 million. “He is probably the most intelligent horse I’ve ever ridden,” said the stallion’s trainer Tim Smith in an article by Quarter Horse News. “He could have been a reining horse. He could have been a cow horse. You could have done anything on him that you wanted to do.” Owned by Wagonhound Land & Livestock, WR This Cats Smart is the all-time leading sire of ranch horses, with 26 performers earning $60,737. His top-earning foal, This Cats King, has won $9,857 in ranch horse events. He is a big reason why Wagonhound ranks fourth among all-time leading breeders of ranch versatility horses.
TOP SHOWS
Name Entries Purse 1 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships (2018) ..............1,572.....$87,779 2 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships (2017) .................931.....$63,753 3 AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge – Houston, TX (2017)......................134....$55,050 4 Pitzer Ranch Horse Invitational (2016) ........................................................367....$53,450 5 Pitzer Ranch Horse Invitational (2017) ........................................................468... $50,450 6 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships (2016) ............... 508... $50,066 7 Stock Horse of Texas World Championship/Futurity/Derby (2014)........319.....$32,525 8 Stock Horse of Texas World Championship/Futurity/Derby (2013) ...... 405.....$32,023 9 Stock Horse of Texas World Championship/Futurity/Derby (2015) .......364..... $31,632 10 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships (2015) .................157... $28,600
TOP HORSES
Name Owner Location Earnings 1 Lil Ruf Catalyst ............. Sarah Anne McKibben ........... Whitesboro, TX ......... $38,893 2 Judys Ten ..........................................Kim Lindsey ...................Dickens, TX ..........$26,785 Tuff ..................................Larry Walker ......... Prairie Grove, AR .........$25,086 4 BOXO Heavens Blue ...............Jecca Ostrander .................. Gordon, NE ..........$24,352 5 Paddys Prince .................Burnett Ranches, LLC .............Fort Worth, TX ..........$22,854 6 Greyt Socks..................................Thomas Hicks ................... Hawley, TX ...........$21,377 7 Quigly Dun Under..................Stephani Wagley ...................Abilene, TX ..........$20,136 8 Josephs Catchum All...........Jimbo Humphreys ...................Dickens, TX .......... $19,345 9 Cowpony Express ...........Diamond JK Ranches ........................Cyril, OK ...........$19,278 10 Lees Doc O Sunrise.... Bryan and Christine Lee ..........North Platte, NE ...........$19,194
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All-Time Leaders in Ranch Competition These statistics are based on ranch versatility competition through June 16, 2018. Figures for the AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge Finals in Guthrie, Oklahoma, a large-purse event held June 17, were unavailable at press time. Equi-Stat, a division of Cowboy Publishing Group, tracks the results of numerous Western horse shows. These standings are based on results submitted to Equi-Stat and indicate lifetime earnings of horses, riders, breeders, owners, sires and dams. Statistics include ranch-type events with a versatility/ all-around component. What comprises a versatility ranch horse competition varies ff Ranch Horse News leaves it up to associations to determine what format best displays a versatile ranch horse.
Ranch Horse News 29 7/19/18 10:22:46 AM
TOP OPEN RIDERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Name Location Earnings Mozaun McKibben ..................Whitesboro, TX ..........................$75,441 Ben Baldus .......................................... Bowie, TX ..........................$64,214 Mike Major.......................................... Bowie, TX .........................$60,382 Tripp Townsend....................................Earth, TX ......................... $54,523 Fielding “Bozo� Rogers .............Gainesville, TX .........................$46,042 Dusty Burson....................................Guthrie, TX ........................ $46,026 Matt Koch............................................. Ault, CO .........................$38,826 True Burson ......................................Guthrie, TX ..........................$32,522 Boyd Rice................................. Weatherford, TX ...........................$23,132 Justin Stanton ....................................Idalou, TX ..........................$21,509
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Name Location Earnings Jecca Ostrander ..............................Gordon, NE ...........................$24,131 Holly Major......................................... Bowie, TX ............................$19,113 Kim Lindsey ..................................... Dickens, TX ..........................$16,326 Bryan Lee .................................North Platte, NE ...........................$16,187 Stefani Wagley .................................Abilene, TX ..........................$13,654 Baru Forell ......................................Wingate, TX ..........................$13,209 William Lewis...............................Anderson, TX ............................$12,113 Thomas Hicks...................................Hawley, TX ..........................$10,861 Sarah Anne McKibben ............Whitesboro, TX ......................... $10,740 Lanham Brown ................... Throckmorton, TX .........................$10,048
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Fall 2018
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TOP BREEDERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Name Location Earnings Burnett Ranches LLC................ Fort Worth, TX .........................$219,516 W.T. Waggoner Estate ..................... Vernon, TX ........................$109,787 Spur Ranch ............................................ Spur, TX ..........................$93,138 Wagonhound Land & Livestock .Douglas, WY .........................$79,658 Tongue River Ranch .......................Paducah, TX .........................$48,533 Jecca Ostrander ..............................Gordon, NE .........................$45,975 Mike & Holly Major ........................... Bowie, TX .........................$43,584 Pitzer Ranch......................................Ericson, NE ..........................$42,551 Werner & Linda Hermus ......... Valley View, TX .........................$38,893 Rob A. Brown ..................................Stinnett, TX .......................... $33,011
Name Location Earnings 1 Burnett Ranches LLC................ Fort Worth, TX ........................$136,667 2 Mozaun McKibben .................Whitesboro, TX .........................$58,996 & Hillary Zimmerman 3 Wagonhound Land & Livestock .Douglas, WY ......................... $49,974 4 Jecca Ostrander ..............................Gordon, NE .........................$45,626 5 Wes & Sarah Williams .................... Rhome, TX ..........................$43,742 6 Mike & Holly Major ........................... Bowie, TX ..........................$42,877 7 W.T. Waggoner Estate ..................... Vernon, TX ..........................$38,541 8 Tongue River Ranch .......................Paducah, TX ......................... $35,933 9 Tripp Townsend....................................Earth, TX ..........................$33,573 10 Jimbo Humphreys................................. Spur, TX ..........................$33,136
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Lil Ruf Catalyst continues to top the list of all-time leading horses, with $38,893 in ranch versatility earnings.
Sept. 14
and
15, 2018
Elko County Fairgrounds • Elko, NV
22ND ANNUAL
Production Sale Friday and Saturday Previews, and the Sale will be Webcast Live. Absentee Bidding via Phone and Internet available. Selling 5 working ranch dogs during the auction. For more information contact Linda Bunch 775-756-650 | [ CELL] 775-934-7404 mrsbunch@rtci.net
www.VanNormanSale.com Fall 2018
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Ranch Horse News 31 7/18/18 2:46:25 7/19/18 6:39:57 PM
TOP SIRES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
WR This Cats Smart leads all sires of ranch versatility performers with 26 offspring earning $60,637.
Horse # Performers Earnings WR This Cats Smart ........................................26 .........................$60,737 Woody Be Tuff....................................................4 .........................$54,363 Sixes Pick...........................................................10 .........................$44,695 Ten O Sea ............................................................8 ......................... $41,290 Show Me A Song Joes ......................................11 ........................ $40,549 Lil Ruf Peppy .......................................................4 ......................... $40,194 Playin Attraction................................................7 .......................... $39,731 Pepcid ................................................................ 15 ......................... $36,578 Playgun..............................................................18 .........................$35,879 Playin Stylish ....................................................16 .........................$35,626
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Horse # Performers Earnings Foxy Catalyst.......................................................1 .........................$38,893 Roosters Note ....................................................2 .........................$30,342 Hope Stik ............................................................4 ......................... $28,627 Crows Judy ...........................................................1 ......................... $26,785 Cowgirl Paddy ....................................................2 ..........................$25,148 Pretty Poco Boots ...............................................1 .........................$25,086 Watch This Sunrise............................................3 ......................... $24,362 Snippy Blue Card.................................................1 ..........................$24,352 Sixes Playgun......................................................2 ..........................$22,681 Frosty Bo Socks ...................................................1 ...........................$21,377
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Your Complete Source For Performance Horse... Event Coverage t <//.381 809<7+>398 Industry News t 9A\>9 E $<+38381 <>3-6/= Statistics & Analysis t 9<=/ /+6>2 /+>?</= Sale Results t /<=98+63>C <9F6/=
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Fall 2018
7/20/18 11:01:09 AM
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