“There’s just something about blue sky and sunshine,” says Trainer Dale Livingston of San Antonio, Texas, as he waits for his youth rider’s next class.

Livingston knows what everyone else at the 2014 Arizona Fall Championship has discovered – that the perfect combination of management and facility makes a world of difference. Youth client Sabrina Janis of Groton, Massachusetts, agrees, “I love the show grounds, and being here in general,” she says.

Livingston says there are lots of reasons the show is a big draw.

“There is always a great place to ride here, and the atmosphere is terrific because horse people run the show. The flat fee has also encouraged a lot of people to come show,” he explains.

Since WestWorld of Scottsdale expanded its facility with benefits like a climate-controlled Equidome and warmup paddock, excitement has grown for the pairing of this show grounds with the AzQHA Fall Championship event producers.

The mastermind behind the management team, Director Doug Huls, has tapped into what exhibitors want, and it is paying off in the second year of the show. Stall counts this year included 480 reserved, with anticipation of over 7,000 entries, similar to last year’s numbers. The flat fee of $375 (that includes a stall and all classes, plus the AQHA drug test fee) was continued, too.

But the addition of some new concepts have caught the interest of the horse community, such as the new Three Year Old Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle Class, a whole division of 11 & Under Walk Trot Classes, Special Event Trail and Western Riding, and a United States Team Pattern Horsemanship Challenge, a team competition with money up for grabs, that takes place Friday, Sept. 26.

The talk around the ring, however, is the Championship Round. In the 2014 show format, exhibitors show to two judges the first time. The second time, they show in a Championship Round with four judges, and that’s when all awards and money are paid out, and the overall champions are named.

“Everyone has a chance to win during the Championship Round,” tells Huls. That’s because no qualifying is necessary, and exhibitors have to simply be entered for an opportunity to win, in addition to showing to six judges total for the show.

Awards for Championship Rounds include Embroidered Leather Jackets for Grand Champion Halter Horse in each division, Performance Halter Horse in each division, and all Performance classes except for Leadline and NSBA Dual approved Classes.   The excitement doesn’t stop there, since the team also put together plenty of exciting added money classes and futurities:

• NSBA 3 Year Old Western Pleasure

$1000 Added
 – Sponsored by Mike Dunn & Nancy Keegan

$250 to High Placing Limited Rider Sponsored by Buddy Fisher Performance horses

• NSBA 3 Year Old Non Pro Western Pleasure

$500 Added – 
Sponsored by Kail Quarter Horses

• NSBA 2 Year Old Western Pleasure

$1000 Added – Sponsored by Platinum Partners/Dale Livingston-Sabrina Janis

$250 to High Placing Limited Rider Sponsored by Buddy Fisher Performance Horses

• AQHA Green Western Pleasure

$1000 Added
- Sponsored by Mike Hawkins Performance Horses

• AQHA Novice Amateur Pleasure

$1000 Added 
- Sponsored by Nancy Chapman

• AQHA Open Ranch Horse Pleasure

$1000 Added – Sponsored by Southwest Finance,LLC, Hamilton Quarter Horses & Chip’s Equine Dental

• NSBA 2 Year Old Hunter Under Saddle

$1000 Added – Sponsored by AQHA Stallion – Mechanic

• NSBA 3 Year Old Hunter Under Saddle

$1000 Added
 – Sponsored by AQHA Stallion – Mechanic

• AQHA Green Hunter Under Saddle

$1000 Added 
- Sponsored by AQHA Stallion Allocate Your Assets

• AQHA Amateur Horsemanship

$1000 Added
 – Sponsored by Evans Performance Horses

• 3 Year Old Trail Futurity

$1000 Added
 – Sponsored by Sarah Faught Performance Horses

• AQHA Amateur Trail

$1000 Added
 – Sponsored by Brendan Brown Performance Horses

• AQHA Novice Amateur Trail

$1000 Added
 – Sponsored by Nancy Chapman

• AQHA Select Amateur Trail

$1000 Added 
- Sponsored by Dawning Performance Horses

• AQHA Green Trail

$2000 Added 
- Sponsored by T & L Quarter Horses

• AQHA Junior Trail

$2000 Added
 – Sponsored by Robin Frid Show Horses

• AQHA Green Western Riding

$2000 Added – Sponsored by Eric and Alexandra Chavez

“All our payback money is sponsored by our generous supporters, and the entries for those classes have been huge,” adds Huls. “It’s all part of our goal to keep expanding the show, but most of all for the AzQHA to produce an enjoyable event for all exhibitors.”

Judges for this year’s event are Pierre Briere, Murray Griggs, Becky Schooler, Michael Colvin, Tom Finkenbinder, Jonathan Meilleur, John Boxell, Andrea Simons, Suzy Jeane, Michelle Pearson and Laurel Denton.

The list goes on of the perks and possibilities available at the Arizona Fall Championship, such as live streaming, delayed video feed at each arena for exhibitor viewing, and online work orders, in addition to lots of vendors and fabulous shopping for equestrians and the general public alike.

Results for Wednesday’s Trail and Western Riding are already posted and results will be posted daily throughout the show. Click here

For InStride Edition candids from the show by Delores Kuhlwein, Click Here

Live streaming from the show at http://horseshowglobal.com/