In keeping with the tradition of the ranch horse, cattle could be included at the 2018 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show; AQHA Select World Championship Show, presented by Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan);Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show; and Adequan® Level 2 Championships as a part of each ranch riding class pattern.

“The ranch riding class showcases the attitude, movement and versatility of a working horse,” said Pete Kyle, AQHA chief show officer. “The class tests ranch-type horses in a show setting, so by having the option of including cattle at all of our championship- and world championship-level shows, we’re giving these equine athletes the chance to demonstrate that they have the ideal traits of a working ranch horse, which includes being around cattle with a calm and attentive demeanor.”

Ranch riding patterns feature both required and optional maneuvers. Ranch riding rules allow for the inclusion of maneuvers that would be reasonable for a ranch horse to perform, and riding in or around cattle is something a ranch horse does on a typical day’s work. Specifically, Rule SHW417.3 in the 2018 AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations states optional maneuvers “may include … some reasonable combination of maneuvers that would be reasonable for a ranch horse to perform.”

Cattle were included in ranch riding patterns for the first time at the 2015 Lucas Oil World. In 2016 and 2017, cattle were integrated into the junior and senior ranch riding preliminary and finals patterns.

Patterns will be posted online for each respective show, along with schedules and other information.

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