The Palomino Horse Breeders of America kicked off the 2022 Palomino World Championship Show today with classes in Youth Showmanship, Leadline and Ranch competition, followed by speed events, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

Kyrah Bowker, of Moriarty, New Mexico, got off to a strong start by winning a total of five Youth Ranch Classes, including Youth Ranch Rail Pleasure, Youth Ranch Reining 18 & Under, Youth Ranch Riding 18 & Under, Youth Ranch Horse 18 & Under and Youth Ranch Trail 18 & Under, riding Lenas Wimpys Rooster, a 2010 gelding by Wimpys Little Step.

This is the third year Kyrah has competed at the Palomino World Show and she said winning five classes today was “pretty cool.”

“The Youth Ranch Horse class was definitely the hardest class today,” she said. “The pattern was very tight.”

Kyrah attributes her success today to “hard work and long hours ranch riding and smiling in que.”

Ranch Classes

Youth Ranch Rail Pleasure (14 shown) – Champion: Lenas Wimpys Rooster, owned by Kurt Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico, shown by Kyrah Bowker; Reserve: Shez Sleepy Too, owned and shown by Ely Joe Taylor, Stephenville, Texas.

Palomino Bred Youth Ranch Rail Pleasure 18 & Under (4 shown) – Champion: Leos Blue Eyed Blaze, owned by Molly Green, Reidsville, North Carolina, shown by Alana Grace Barham; Reserve: MWS My Kinda Therapy, owned and shown by Creek Plemons, Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Novice Youth Ranch Rail Pleasure 18 & Under (6 shown) – Champion: Shiner Surprize, owned and shown by Alexandra Edsall, Rural Hall, North Carolina; Reserve: X Clusive Gold, owned by Erica Hoffman, Wildwood, Missouri, shown by Hailey Hoffman.

Youth Ranch Reining 18 & Under (3 shown) –  Champion: Lenas Wimpys Rooster, owned by Kurt Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico, shown by Kyrah Bowker; Reserve: Jacs Blond At The Bar, owned and shown by Kyrah Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico.

Youth Ranch Riding 18 & Under (15 shown) – Champion: Lenas Wimpys Rooster, owned by Kurt Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico, shown by Kyrah Bowker; Reserve: Shez Sleepy Too, owned and shown by Ely Joe Taylor, Stephenville, Texas.

Palomino Bred Youth Ranch Riding (4 shown) – Champion: Leos Blue Eyed Blaze, owned by Molly Green, Reidsville, North Carolina, shown by Alana Grace Barham; Reserve: MWS My Kinda Therapy, owned and shown by Creek Plemons, Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Novice Youth Ranch Riding 18 & Under (8 shown) – Champion: Loping For Gold, owned and shown by Megan Delille, Coal Valley, Illinois; Reserve: Seek The Deck, owned by Cory Franklin Roehrs, Mead, Colorado, shown by Eliana Roehrs.

Youth Ranch Horse 18 & Under (5 shown) – Champion: Lenas Wimpys Rooster, owned by Kurt Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico, shown by Kyrah Bowker; Reserve: Shiner Surprize, owned and shown by Alexandra Edsall, Rural Hall, North Carolina.

Youth Ranch Trail 18 & Under (12 shown) – Champion: Lenas Wimpys Rooster, owned by Kurt Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico, shown by Kyrah Bowker; Reserve: Shez Sleepy Too, owned and shown by Ely Joe Taylor, Stephenville, Texas.

Palomino Bred Youth Ranch Trail 18 & Under (3 shown) – Champion: Leos Blue Eyed Blaze, owned by Molly Green, Reidsville, North Carolina, shown by Alana Grace Barham; Reserve: Royal Peppy Chex, owned by Margaret Orzel, Hortonville, Wisconsin, shown by Macey Koehler.

Novice Youth Ranch Trail 18 & Under (6 shown) – Champion: Shiner Surprize, owned and shown by Alexandra Edsall, Rural Hall, North Carolina; Reserve: X Clusive Gold, owned by Erica Hoffman, Wildwood, Missouri, shown by Hailey Hoffman.

Youth Ranch Conformation 18 & Under (16 shown) – Champion: Exquisite Stilettos, owned by Erin Josefiak, Rozel, Kansas, shown by Tyler Brea Rystrom; Reserve: Dunnit With A Magnum, owned by Larry Standley, Anahuac, Texas, shown by Cayden Lalonde.

Palomino Bred Youth Ranch Confirmation (4 shown) – Champion: Shes Legally Blonde, owned by Rebecca Myszka, Wausau, Wisconsin, shown by Madilynn Myszka.

Leadline

Leadline (7 shown) – Champion: PS Gold Zipper, owned by Maria Pohlabein, Edgewood, Kentucky, shown by Caleb Coniglio; Reserve: Jukebox Charlie, owned by Mary Clare Stephan, Columbus, Nebraska, shown by Kennedy Schleichardt.

Showmanship

Youth Walk Trot Showmanship 5-9 (5 shown) – Champion: Dress Western Gold, owned by Kyrah Bowker, Moriarty, New Mexico, shown by Klairah Bowker; Whata Golden Deck, owned by Natalie Orrick, Basehor, Kansas, shown by Wyatt Orrick.

Youth Showmanship 14-18 (9 shown) – Champion: Shez Sleepy Too, owned and shown by Ely Joe Taylor, Stephenville, Texas; Reserve: Hoos The Boss, owned by Kathryn Roehrs, Mead, Colorado, shown by Cory Franklin Roehrs.

Youth Walk Trot Showmanship 10-18 (9 shown) – Champion: Decks Cinderella, owned by Karla Ericksen, Aurora, Nebraska, shown by Alexis Ericksen; Reserve: Invite Me Im Good, owned by Sarah Pilliard, Sedalia, Missouri, shown by Aiden Watterson.

Palomino Bred Showmanship 18 & Under (6 shown) – Champion: MWS My Kinda Therapy, owned and shown by Creek Plemons, Crawfordsville, Indiana; Reserve: Royal Peppy Chex, owned by Margaret Orzel, Hortonville, Wisconsin, shown by Macey Koehler.

Youth Showmanship 13 & Under (8 shown) – Champion: Sonrise And Old Lace, owned by Ellie Schley, Boyden, Iowa, shown by Adelyn Schley; Reserve: Sleepy Keeper, owned by Betsie Moore, Covington, Ohio, shown by Addison Moore.

Novice Youth Showmanship 18 & Under (9 shown) – Champion: Showoffmyprinciples, owned by Ely Joe Taylor, Stephenville, Texas, shown by Aspen Gregg; Reserve: Invite Me Im Good, owned by Sarah Pilliard, Sedalia, Missouri, shown by Addilyn Watterson.

Speed Events

Youth Barrel Racing 18 & Under (4 shown) – Champion: Misty Invest Leaguer, owned by Richard/Pat Brown, Hope Hull, Alabama, shown by Vanessa Simmons; Reserve: Sonrise And Old Lace, owned by Ellie Schley, Boyden, Iowa, shown by Adelyn Winterfeld.

Youth Flag Race 18 & Under (5 shown) – Champion: Misty Invest Leaguer, owned by Richard/Pat Brown, Hope Hull, Alabama, shown by Vanessa Simmons; Reserve: Sonrise And Old Lace, owned by Ellie Schley, Boyden, Iowa, shown by Adelyn Winterfeld.

Youth Pole Bending 18 & Under (4 shown) – Champion: Misty Invest Leaguer, owned by Richard/Pat Brown, Hope Hull, Alabama, shown by Vanessa Simmons; Reserve: X Clusive Gold, owned by Erica Hoffman, Wildwood, Missouri, shown by Vanessa Simmons.

Youth Stake Race 18 & Under (3 shown) – Champion: X Clusive Gold, owned by Erica Hoffman, Wildwood, Missouri, shown by Vanessa Simmons; Reserve: Tecoolest Gold, owned by Mary T. Kirkham, Valley Falls, Kansas, shown by CJ Kirkland.

Youth classes continue at the Palomino World Show through Sunday when the Youth Golden Horse Awards will be presented. That will be followed by some Amateur and Open Trail classes on Sunday afternoon.

Monday through Saturday, July 16  Open, Amateur and Challenged Horseman classes are featured and this year’s show wraps up with the presentation of Open and Amateur Golden Horse awards at the end of the day on Saturday.

Photos courtesy of official photographer Jeff Kirkbride https://kirkbridephoto.com