AQHA Magazine January / February 2019 AQHA March / April 2019 | Page 12

Points for
Ranch Versatility
If it is an APPROVED AQHA
Ranch Versatility show you
will receive A points. If it’s NOT an
approved AQHA Ranch Versatility
Show, only AQHA recognised
classes will receive
B points.
Article - Leanne Hall
Newly introduced into our AQHA
Handbook and growing in populari-
ty, Ranch Versatility events open up
a whole new market and competitive
division for our industry.
The rules are defined under Rule
102 RANCH VERSATILITY HORSE
CHALLENGE.
When the American Quarter Horse
Association first began Quarter
Horse Shows, many of the horses
that competed were working ranch
horses that came to town to compete
on the weekend then back to the
ranch to go to work. The best horse is
of course the one that can complete
many tasks well, obediently and with
little cueing from the rider, letting
the cowboy concentrate on his job.
The ranch horse should be a horse
that you can ride comfortably all day,
athletic and good minded.
We have followed in the tradition
of our forebears and adopted these
refreshing new events into our
Australian shows with a few minor
“geographic” differences.
Ranch Versatility Shows are stand
alone events, not held within the pro-
gram of our usual weekend shows.
This in itself will help to encourage
participation of new members that
have an interest in the ranch style of
horse.
There are three divisions – Open,
Amateur and Youth and seven events
that are acceptable in a Ranch Ver-
satility Challenge, and these are then
grouped into four categories.
1 – Ranch Pleasure, Ranch Trail
2 – Ranch Reining
3 – Ranch Cutting, Ranch Cow
Work, Limited Ranch Cow Work
4 – Ranch Conformation.
Many clubs do not have access to
cattle or arenas suitable to hold and
work cattle and with this in mind
AQHA have tweaked our rules so that
the cattle events are not mandatory.
12 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • March • April• 2019
The AQHA Handbook sets out the
combination of events that must be
held in order to gain show approval.
With the excitement of these new
events there comes confusion with
rules and requirements - so many
people so eager to come play! It’s a
wonderful thing.
Although the event names sound the
same as those that we are already
familiar with, there are quite a few
differences. Always remember we
are looking for the ideal ranch horse
that we can ride and work all day, not
a horse that will only compete on the
weekend. We are looking for a work
horse that rides and performs like a
horse at work would. In saying that,
these events are still an exhibition of
the ability of your horse – clean, tidy
horse, rider and gear are required.
Some things you need to know
– First of all horses competing must
be at least three year old.