The event totals are in – these were the top AQHA shows and circuits in 2017.

From early spring in Oklahoma City to the tail end of the year in Florida, AQHA members turned out in droves to support shows and circuits across the United States. Combined, the Top-10 AQHA shows saw an increase from the previous year, totaling 97,065 entries in 2017. Rankings were calculated by dividing the total number of entries for each event by the event’s total number of show numbers.

“We want to congratulate the show management teams behind these top shows. These teams work hard to provide exhibitor satisfaction and their dedication translated into their show being a major destination for competitors,” said AQHA Chief Show Officer Pete Kyle.

“It’s also exciting to look at this list of shows and see both the East and West coasts represented, with shows from up north and down south, spanning spring, summer, fall and winter,” Kyle added.

Top AQHA Shows:

• All American Quarter Horse Congress, Columbus, Ohio
• Arizona Sun Country Circuit, Scottsdale, Arizona
• Oklahoma Redbud Spectacular, Oklahoma City
• Big A Circuit, Conyers, Georgia
• Silver Dollar Circuit, Las Vegas
• Stars and Stripes Circuit, Conyers, Georgia
• Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show,  Tampa, Florida
• Kansas Quarter Horse Association Prairie Classic, Oklahoma City
• The Little Buckeye, Wilmington, Ohio
• SOQHA The Madness Circuit, Wilmington, Ohio

Top Equestrians With Disabilities Show: 

• Chisholm Challenge at the Fort Worth Stock Show, Fort Worth, Texas
• WPQHA Summer Celebration EWD Show, Harlansburg/Newcastle, Pennsylvania

Top Level 1 Shows: 

• Keystone Quarter Horse Show, Centre Hall, Pennsylvania
• Northern Ohio Quarter Horse Association Spring Extravaganza, Findlay, Ohio
• Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association Show, Northampton, Massachusetts
• Area 3 Quarter Horse Show, Orangeville, Ontario
• Northern Michigan Quarter Horse Show, Midland, Michigan
• Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association  Clinic and Show, Centre Hall, Pennsylvania
• Western PQHA Show, Harlansburg/ Newcastle, Pennsylvania
• WSQHA Level 1/Rookie Event, Monroe, Washington
• Summer Rookie, Level 1 Show, Rochester, Indiana
• Suntan Circuit Level 1 Show, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Top Introductory Shows: 

• Centre County Grange Fair, Centre Hall, Pennsylvania
• Mississippi Congress, Canton, Mississippi
• Valley Riders Saddle Club; Franklin, Indiana
• Francis Field Youth, New Lenox, Illinois
• Candy Apple Classic, Hamburg, New York
• Fundamentally Fun, Bryan, Texas
• Champlain Valley Horse Show, New Haven, Vermont
• Wisconsin Quarter Horse Youth, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
• Brown County Horsemen, Georgetown, Ohio
• Color Classic Quarter Horse Association, Windsor, Nova Scotia

Top Dressage Shows: 

• NCDTA Capital Dressage, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Central Plains Championship, Stillwater, Oklahoma
• Prime Time Dressage, Raeford, North Carolina
• Suncoast Sunburn Classic, Tampa, Florida
• April Dressage Concours I and II, Venice, Florida
• March Magic Dressage, Williamston, North Carolina
• Florida Dressage Concours I and II, Venice, Florida
• Oklahoma Dressage Spring I and II, Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Dressage in the Sandhills, Pinehurst, North Carolina
• Sun Dance Dressage, Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Top Versatility Ranch Horse Shows:

• Colorado State Fair Ranch Versatility, Pueblo, Colorado
• Southwestern Exposition VRH Show, Fort Worth, Texas
• Stock Horse of Texas Show, Abilene, Texas
• Stock Horse of Texas Show (September), Hamilton, Texas
• Stock Horse of Texas Show (June), Hamilton, Texas
• Arizona Sun Country Circuit, Scottsdale, Arizona
• Stock Horse of Texas Show, Lubbock, Texas
• Tri-State Fair, Amarillo
• Rose Palace Roundup/Stock Horse of Texas, San Antonio
• Stock Horse of Texas/VRH, Sweetwater, Texas 

Alliance Events:

• NRHA Derby, Oklahoma City
• Winter Slide, Ardmore, Oklahoma
• April SRCHA Show, Ardmore, Oklahoma
• Rocky Mountain Columbine Classic, Pueblo, Colorado
• SRCHA Swing into Spring, Guthrie, Oklahoma
• Eastern Slope Slide Event, Castle Rock, Colorado
• Tulsa Reining Classic, Tulsa, Oklahoma
• SRCHA Swing Into Spring, Guthrie, Oklahoma
• Lazy J Arena Pen and Sort, Stillwater, Oklahoma
• NRCHA Stallion Stakes, Las Vegas 

Special Events:

• Houston Livestock Show Barrels/Poles and Roping, Houston
• National Pole Bending Association Championship, Cloverdale, Illinois
• Dixie National Special Event Roping, Jackson, Mississippi
• NPBA Championship, Cloverdale, Illinois
• OQHA Spring Show Roping Event, Oklahoma City
• Rockin M Farms Speed Show, Demossville, Kentucky
• BCQHA Spring Show, Waco, Texas
• San Luis Obispo County Quarter Horse Trail Event, Paso Robles, California
• April SRCHA Show, Ardmore, Oklahoma
• Special Event Roping, Denison, Iowa

Total AQHA show entries will be available to view in the 2017 AQHA Annual Report, which will be posted in March.

Some Level 1 competitors will want to take a close look at the top-10 shows list. A Level 1 competitor can compete with a horse that he or she does not own; however, the top-10 shows/circuits require exhibitors to be the owner or related to the owner of the horse or have an AQHA show lease or permit. If the top-10 show does not allow permits, an AQHA show lease must be on file with AQHA. Go to www.aqha.com/formsto download a show lease.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter and visit www.aqha.com/news.