Inaugural AQHA/PCQHA All English Over Fence & Flat Show a Soaring Success
All photos courtesy of PCQHA and Grand Pix photo.
Inaugural AQHA PCQHA all English over fence & flat show in successful as exhibitors earn AQHA points & world show qualifiers.
From PCQHA:
The first-ever AQHA PCQHA All English Over Fence & Flat show in California began with a question from Pacific Coast Quarter Horse (PCQHA) director, Madison Nirenstein. She asked, “Why aren’t there any AQHA over fence shows in California?”
Champions in the over fence progressive hunter: Victoria Savery and No Telling Im Hot.
Luckily for Madison, she voiced her question to Deb Shatley (PCQHA President) and Cece Campbell (PCQHA Director), who agreed we needed to search for a solution. After several conversations, the “PCQHA English committee” was created to find ways to bring English and over fence classes back to California. The English committee was expanded to include: Madison Nirenstein, Deb Shatley, Cece Campbell, Eric Smith and Pam Moeck.
Amy Norris feeling horse show happy.
Cece, who rides over fences with Ryan Painter Show Horses in Florida asked Ryan Painter and Lance Bryson if they had ideas for an over fence show. Lance pointed to a successful weekend AQHA over fence show in Kentucky at Lakeside Arena and a model was created for the first-ever AQHA PCQHA over fence and flat show.
Fun was in abundance at Paso Robles Horse Park!
After meetings with the entire PCQHA board, an idea was approved to create a one-day all English over fence & flat show. PCQHA gave a $3,000 donation to develop the show. Cece asked longtime AQHA/PCQHA dressage and over fence supporter, Eric Smith, about where we could hold the show. Eric suggested we ask the director at Paso Robles Horse Park to consider hosting the show. Amanda Diefenderfer, CEO and director for the park, was excited with the idea and agreed to host the show at the fabulous Paso Robles Horse Park on May 23, 2026.
English Versatility Champion Cece Campbell and DGS Valentino.
This landmark AQHA All English show (the first ever AQHA All English show in California) included a full slate of over fence classes – along with halter, over fence, hunt seat equitation, hunter under saddle and English versatility. The show was held in conjunction with the Paso Robles Horse Park’s B-rated Rose’ in May show May 21-24, 2026. AQHA exhibitors crossed over to show in the Rose’ in May show (which was an USHJA show and open to all breeds) and enjoyed the incredible facility and wine country amenities of Paso Robles, California.
Amanda Diefenderfer of Paso Robles Horse Park and Cece Campbell PCQHA Director.
“You see,” said Eric Smith, “the Paso Robles Horse Park is in the center of the state making it accessible to both northern and southern California competitors. Secondly, Paso Robles is an end destination with a vibrant culinary and viticulture industry. Finally, the Paso Robles Horse Park is a premier, award-winning 67-acre equestrian facility on the California Central Coast, renowned for its stunning, oak-filled landscape, top-tier GGT synthetic footing, and family-friendly atmosphere. The facility includes five competition arenas, five warm-up rings, 224 permanent stalls, and 52 onsite RV spots with full hookups.”
English Versatility Clinician Aubree Scobie Jennings and student Natalie Werlhof.
Since AQHA members who compete in English classes, and over fences classes in particular, have struggled to find AQHA approved competitions that offered classes that would enable them to qualify for the AQHA World Show, this over fence show was also an opportunity for AQHA WORLD SHOW QUALIFYING in one day if enough points were earned or via PCQHA state qualifying points.
As Pam Moeck stated after the event, “People said no one would come, but we as a group knew people would!! An amazing show was had by all who attended. In addition to over fence horses qualified for the AQHA World Show, points were garnered in the Level 1 Amateur and Amateur/Select Hunt Seat Equitation and Hunter Under Saddle. We also offered Rookie classes, which were a success as well. So proud to have been a small part of making the first All English AQHA PCQHA horse show happen. What a huge success!!! Here’s to the next one!!!”
The show ended with many positive outcomes and stories. In the open jumping, Eric Smith (who has been trying to qualify for the AQHA world show for 15 years in California) won the Open Jumpers (jumping at 3′ – higher than he and his mare had ever jumped!).
From Eric: “I am big believer in not making the jumping easier. I had never jumped a 3 ft course, so I had to gut it out in the open jumper class!”. Eric and his mare, “Roxie Dasher,” earned a 1/2 point in Open Jumpers and are now AQHA World Show qualified.
Eric Smith and Roxie Dasher winning the Open Jumping.
Open exhibitor/trainer, Veronica Savery, and “No Telling Im Hot” for owner Jill Reichman travelled from San Diego and won and earned points in the Progressive Working Hunters, Sr Working Hunters and Sr Hunter Hack. Since they are PCQHA members as well, they are now PCQHA State Affiliate Qualified for the AQHA world show – PCQHA membership does matter!
From Veronica Savery, “The biggest thing for me was being able to take my jumper to the same show, since I really only have one or 2 quarter horses right now and she’s the only one I would be trying to qualify; as well as showing No Telling Im Hot/ Sonora earlier in the week as preparation. I like the one day format for the Quarter Horse show…It was totally worth the drive from San Diego as my horses got great experience, AQHA points and AQHA World Show Qualified in a beautiful well run venue.”
Rookie classes, which are not normally offered at CA regional shows, also boasted good numbers.
More AQHA points were earned in the L1 Amateur and Amateur/Select classes. Even the Rookie classes (not usually offered in California regional shows) had good numbers! The most popular class was the new English Versatility Stakes class with 6 entries. Since this was the first time the English Versatility class was offered in California, we held a clinic with Aubree Scobie Jennings to demo the event the day before. Exhibitors loved the demo and showing in the English Versatility class and are hoping it is added at more regional AQHA shows. This show encouraged exhibitors to attend the next AQHA show and ride English!
We could not have been successful without the huge support and infrastructure of the Paso Robles Horse Park and the efforts of Amanda Diefenderfer, who stepped in as our AQHA show manager. The class fees were reasonable, the stalls only $200 for four days and free digital photo albums from GrandPix of every competitor and horse. As the Paso Park slogan states, “If Its Not Fun, We’re Not Doing it – and FUN it was!!!
Veronica Savery and No Telling Im Hot in the working hunter class.
Special thanks to our esteemed judge, Jim Edwards, talented show secretary, Jessica Lawrence and amazing gate/announcer, Carly Ray and of course our brilliant show manager, Amanda Diefenderfer. We are forever grateful to the sponsors who believed in this inaugural show, Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Assn, Marshall+Sterling Equine Insurance (Chris Hocutt), Adeptus Nutrition and Pyranha (Christina Lee) and the Equine Chronicle. Thank you for your generous sponsorships.
Winning the L1 Am Hunt Seat Eq: Ingrid Low and Rolling In Hot.
The PCQHA English committee’s intent is to offer more AQHA PCQHA All English Over Fence & Flat shows. “We made a 3 year commitment with PCQHA and Paso Robles Horse Park to offer AQHA over fence and flat shows so this show is just a start. We want to grow this grass roots effort to build the AQHA over fence numbers in California. Starting with Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle and moving on to English Versatility – and then offering small open all breed cross-rails to full over fence courses, we want to give exhibitors, trainers and horses a pathway forward beyond flat classes,” said Cece Campbell.
Cece explained, “I started jumping my Quarter Horse at age 70 and wanted to share my path from learning to jump and show AQHA over fences with other California exhibitors. Learning to jump has been the best horse journey ever! I am fortunate to train and show with Ryan Painter Show Stables in Florida – but not everyone has the time, resources and the right horse to compete, so my hope is that these California all English shows encourage AQHA horses to jump in an AQHA venue. We know there are many Quarter Horses who jump at USHJA shows, (or want to jump) and the AQHA Over Fence and Flat shows are the way to encourage jumping and showing AQHA”.
Go to http://www.grandpixphoto.com to view some amazing photos from Grand Pix from our show (AQHA ROSE IN MAY ALBUM) and check out our website: https://www.pcqha.com/
Beautiful riding with Teresa Smith.
Results: http://www.horsespot.net
Scoresheets: https://www.pcqha.com/all-english-show
See the fabulous Paso Robles Horse Park: http://www.PasoRoblesHorsePark.com
Watch for the next AQHA PCQHA All English show date to be announced soon on our website (PCQHA.com) or on the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Assn social media page. We plan adding a second judge, new classes, such as an open all-breed class using cross-rails, walk trot classes for hunt seat equitation, hunter under saddle and more.
What are your thoughts? Email us at QH@PasoRoblesHorsePark.com. We want to hear from you!
