Around the Rings – APHA Western National Championship – Thursday, Sept 21
On Thursday, September 21st, APHA kicked off its first Western National Championship to be held at WestWorld of Scottsdale. The event, held in conjunction with Arizona Fall Championship, an AQHA show, enabled exhibitors and trainers with both breeds to the same location to show.
The first day of the show celebrated Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation competition, and one young exhibitor, Alana Nix, earned a first place in Walk Trot HUS 11-18 with Playin With Eyeliner. It’s a fairly new division for youth who are not ready to lope, and the division is doing well. See what Alana has to say about her success with “Jade,” in our EC TV video:
Results for Alana’s class, Youth Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle 11-18:
1
#603
Playin With Eyeliner/Clark; Lori
Nix; Alana (E)
Queen Creek, AZ
2
#646
Smore Assets Please/Yates; Nicole
Land; Payton (E)
Snohomish, WA
3
#799
Whata Paintjob/Aniol; Ashley
Tromatore; Emmie (E)
Glendale, AZ
4
#790
Lazy Specialty/Santori; Traesa
Nelson; Celeste (E)Chino Valley, CA
5
#640
The Show Must Go On/Miller; Ruby
Miller; Ruby (E)
Prescott, AZ
6
#643
Only For The Boys/Russo; Lilly
Russo; Lilly (E)
Chehalis, WA
7
#784
Dedutch Tallent/D’agostino; Hailey
D’agostino; Hailey (E)
Prescott Valley, AZ
Dana Brown of Happy Valley, Oregon, had a great day, winning her Amateur Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle, her Walk Trot Equitation class, and her horse, Sirtain Kinda Dream, won the Senior Hunter Under Saddle with Lily Zomparelli.
Dana bought “Cece” in 2019, and she jokes they click so well together because she gives Cece cookies. “She’s super sweet,” Dana explains, “and from the moment I first rode her, I just loved her.” Although she’s showing Cece Western as well at the show, English is their favorite discipline. “She’s such a pretty English horse and she’s fun to ride English,” Dana says, “and Bobby Emmons has been instrumental since she’s had so much time with Cece.” Bobby explains that she’s had Sirtain Kinda Dream since she purchased her for Nicole Kendrick before she won five World Championships some time ago.
See Dana’s results below for Amateur Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle
1
#674
Sirtain Kinda Dream/Brown; Dana L
Brown; Dana L (E)
Happy Valley, OR
2
#777
Aww Snap Daddy/BASINGER; STACY K
BASINGER; STACY K (E)
GRAND JUNCTION, CO
3
#708
All Me/RODEN; LAURIE L
RODEN; LAURIE L (E)
PHOENIX, AZ
4
#606
The A Team/PFLUG; BERNADETTE
PFLUG; BERNADETTE (E)
LAFAYETTE, CO
5
#616
Supersized Sensation/Widoff; Amelia Rose
Hungate; Jennifer (E)
6
#635
A Sudden Legacy/KING; DENEEN
KING; DENEEN (E)
Senior Hunter Under Saddle:
1
#674
Sirtain Kinda Dream/Brown; Dana L
Zomparelli; Lily (E)
Happy Valley, OR
2
#670
Look Here Im Hot/Kauffman; Caitlyn A
Lange; Leslie (E)
Loveland, CO
2
#621
Vs Total Heartthrob/MONSEN; CANDICE J
MONSEN; CANDICE J (E)
BLUFFDALE, UT
4
#716
All Hot And Handsome/PULVER; DEZARAE
Penrod; Kelly W (E)
TUCSON, AZ4
#607
Fabulous All The Time/Miller; Jennifer
Henry; Brian D (E)
Fruita, CO
6
#627
All Ways Solid/Buckles; Pamela
Hunziker; Savanah A (E)
Paradise Valley, AZ
The APHA Western National Championship also had a youth boot race to end their great day, and this boot race was more than your average boot race – inside each boot was cash to the tune of $325 total and PH Barn Door gift certificates, thanks to sponsor Kory Kumar!
The top money winners:
More highlights from the APHA competition from Thursday (all results unofficial until verified by APHA):
Green Hunter Under Saddle
Amateur Hunter Under Saddle
Amateur Hunter Under Saddle 45 & Over
Novice Youth Hunter Under Saddle
13 & Under Hunter Under Saddle
1
Youth Hunter Under Saddle 18 & Under
Novice Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation
See some of the day’s candid photos:
