On Sunday October 2nd, it was the Non-Pros turn to shine, and Bud Lyon also continued his domination in the Three Year Old Ranch Riding Futurity as Ranch events continued at the 2022 All American Quarter Horse Congress.
Youth, Select and Non-Pros Earn Championships
NSBA Youth members saw four splits of Ranch Rail competition before the class was whittled down to finalists in a competitive class with 81 exhibitors. Sixteen year old Trent Ferrier showed his horse Wimpys LittleDiamond to win the AQHA and NSBA portions of the class.
“We call her Wimpette,” laughed Trent when describing his 15 year old palomino mare. “We’ve only had her since January. She’s by Wimpys Little Step. She’s just a good solid mare and I can always count on her to be in it.
“In our split, she was really leaning in on me, so I schooled her before the finals and then pretty much everything went the way I wanted it to in the finals. She did everything I wanted her to do. This was our first Congress championship. I’ve been reserve, third and fourth, but now we’ve won here. It’s great.”
The Level 1 Youth Ranch Riding was another big competitive class, seeing 74 exhibitors complete the pattern. Madelaine Munaco showed McSwagger to win the AQHA and NSBA championships. “I’ve only been showing the Ranch Riding in AQHA for the past month and a half, but I’ve had Swag for about three years,” Madelaine said. “I show more in the American Ranch Horse Association shows. This is my first time to show at the Congress, and it’s nice to have such a big place to be able to show and practice. Most of the shows I’ve been to just have one arena.”
Madelaine noted that the show associations are similar, but have some differences. “The Ranch Riding classes are a lot like our Ranchmanship classes, but they have more poles and more obstacles,” she said. “It was fun to get to show in a different arena and do some different things. We are hoping to go to the NSBA World Show next year.”
The Level 1 Amateur Select Ranch Riding saw an exhibitor who has seen success in the Western Pleasure futurity pen as well as in NSBA’s Rider’s Cup program showing Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation find new success in the Ranch Riding arena when Kathryne Zachrich showed Shine Mega Shine to win the class, outscoring their competition by 3.5 points with a 228.5.
“This is my first full year showing Ranch Riding,” Kathryne said. “We got Shawn in June of 2021 from Allison Chappell, and he had done a little bit of Reining, but he had never done these classes before. He is by Shine Chic Shine and out of Mega Sugarbaby. Steve Meadows won an APHA and NSBA world title with him and I was reserve champion at the NSBA World Show. He’s been doing really well.
“Going into our class, I just wanted to focus on doing our best. I figured if we could just do all the elements, we would be fine. He’s a really nice mover, and today’s pattern was one where we could really show off his transitions and his movement. I can’t believe I’m actually a Congress champion!”
Kathryne referred to her success in other disciplines. “I love all the elements of all the genres – I just like a good horse regardless of what type it is,” she said. “I’ll continue to show Ranch Rail and Ranch Riding at this year’s AQHA World Show, and we plan to add Ranch Trail next year. It’s still to be determined if I keep going on the Pleasure side of things!”
Karen Johnson and Gotta Hot Gun ended their 2022 Congress where they started – with a Congress championship – this time winning the Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes. They earned a score of 239 and a paycheck of more than $5,100.
“When I saw the pattern, I didn’t think it would be a very good one for Kangaroo, because he doesn’t like that far end of the arena and has some sight problems in his right eye,” she said. “But when we went in, he trusted me, and he just did what he does. He has such a pretty way of moving, and he has beautiful transitions. When I came out of the class, I didn’t know how we scored but I was so happy with how it went.”
The 12 year old gelding by Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Hot Coated Candy has been Karen’s show partner for six years now, and has won several AQHA and NSBA world championships and Congress titles. The duo has added to their count at this year’s Congress, winning championships in Amateur Select Ranch Rail, Amateur Select Ranch Rail, and the Non-Pro Ranch Rail Stakes prior to their final class on Sunday. “He’s actually more comfortable on the rail with the other horses,” Karen said. “It’s when we do the individual work that he has to rely on me, but he trusts me, and we do the best we can. We had a wonderful Congress.”
The Bud Lyon Show Continues
Taking a trio of three year old horses into the Congress Three Year Old Ranch Riding Futurity, trainer Bud Lyon continued his domination of his first Congress show by claiming all three top spots in the class. He showed Ruff Shiner to the win for owner Shannon Reid, earning a score of 235 and a paycheck of $6,664.
“The three year olds are the biggest X Factor in the entire show,” Bud said of the class. “They’re just young, and this is the biggest show they’ve ever been to, the furthest they’ve ever traveled from home, and there are a lot of things that happen here at the Congress that don’t happen at any other horse show we go to – you just don’t know what they’re going to do before you go into the arena. I’m very proud of the way my horses all did.”
The three year old palomino gelding by Ruff Spook and out of a Shining Spark mare is naturally called ‘Trigger.’ “Trigger is such a beautiful mover, and he has so much expression. He does the hard parts of any pattern with a high degree of difficulty, and I think that really makes him stand out. He is owned by Shannon and Herschel Reid, and they are wonderful clients but even greater human beings,” Bud said. “They have been long-time supporters of the horse industry from Roping to Ranch Riding and many other events.”
Bud also showed Thank Mi Later to the reserve award for owner Thalia Postins, earning more than $4,500, and CTC Cotton Socks to third for owners Carlton and Khris Crowe to earn more than $3,100 more.
Ranch classes conclude with Open, Youth, Amateur and Stakes Ranch Trails classes on Monday. Nearly 300 gos of Trail are expected with an early start time of 7:00 a.m. on the day. To view complete show results, please visit the Horse Show Tracker app or the All American Quarter Horse Congress website at quarterhorsecongress.com.
