Changes to the AQHA leveling program – driven by exhibitor feedback – are on the way for 2014. Many of those changes are directed at what had been known as theNovice and Rookie levels, and 2014 will see the reintroduction of the mid-levels. To collect exhibitor feedback, the AQHA Blue-Ribbon Task Force worked with Mallory Vestal, Ph.D., of […]
In 1989 Joan and Robbie Schroeder left Bob Perry Quarter Horses, home of Zippo Pine Bar, to establish their own identity in Gainesville, Texas, the heart of horse country. For the next 20-plus years they committed themselves to their vision of producing and training some of the very best horses for competition in Western Pleasure, […]
Several qualifying methods exist for competitors seeking an invitation to the 2014 Nutrena East and SmartPak West AQHA Novice championship shows. The qualifying period for the 2014 Novice Championships is July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014. Competitors may qualify through either national or state methods, and qualifiers may choose which of the two Novice Championships to attend. To […]
Futurity season came to a close with the Tar Heel Fall Classic in Raleigh, North Carolina. Judges for this year’s event included Joe Carter, Mike Hawkins, Ryan Kail and Margo Ball. The show boasted a 2-year-old jackpot where 100% of the purse was paid back. There was also a $500 bonus for the highest placing […]
In both horse shows and pageants, judges evaluate contestants and compare them to others. They’re picking out things that set competitors apart and make them better than someone else. At 17, Abby Floyd is an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Youth World and Reserve World Champion and in January she was crowned Miss Arkansas Teen […]
InStride Edition columnist Dr. Tanis MacDonald Walker DVM and her husband, Rob, welcomed a daughter, on Sept. 19. The new arrival, named Katherine Frances Walker, weighed in at 8 pounds and was 21 inches at birth. She is the first child for the couple who reside in Greenwood, Delaware. Dr. Tanis graduated from the Atlantic […]
Brenda Arnold was bitten by what she calls the “bling bug” when her own children started to display an interest in showing horses. As the daughter of a German farmer, she was taught that necessity is the mother of invention. So when her daughter, Courtney was 5 years old she called upon her creative instincts […]
Olivia Hoecker is quick to tell you – Pine Meadow Quarter Horses is more than just a farm; it’s a family, a family of which she is extremely proud. Hoecker fell in love with horses at an early age but never dreamed she would own the successful operation she has literally built from the ground […]
Summer is the season for horse shows… and also for extremely hot and humid weather. Making sure your equine partner is comfortable during summer hauling and horse showing will make for a more successful show season. Your number one priority should be to make sure that your horse has access to clean, fresh water on […]
Dan & Carol McWhirter American Quarter Horse Association Leading Breeders, Dan and Carol McWhirter, have developed a breeding program that paved the path of the modern Western Pleasure horse. The Big Investment and AQHA Hall of Fame stallion, The Invester, were just the first in a long line of sires from […]
Is bigger really better? That’s long been the question at the center of Hunter Under Saddle competition. From weekend shows to World Championship events, owners, riders and spectators have had sometimes heated debates over whether it is necessary to have a 17-hand-plus mount to be called to the top of a judge’s line up. Trainers […]