AZ Fall Championship Awards Record Money in Cow Horse and Ranch Events

All photos by W&C for AzQHA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2, 2026

With numerous added money events across divisions and disciplines on the schedule, horses and exhibitors from around the country descended on WestWorld in Scottsdale, September 23-27, for another round of great competition at the Arizona Fall Championship. Pleasant early fall weather and Scottsdale’s famous blue skies brought out smiles in everyone. The show made good use of WestWorld’s three climate-controlled arenas plus three indoor warm-up pens, keeping horses, riders, and fans comfortable throughout the busy days. North Hall’s cavernous space was divided to provide a Ranch show arena with its own dedicated warm-up arena, next to a separate All Around arena and its warm-up space, while cutting and Cowhorse occupied the Markel Insurance Arena (Equidome).

With three days of competition, the lucrative and exciting DT Horses Last Stop Cow Horse Futurity returned, offering $50,000 in added money along with a deep prize line. DT Horses teamed up with Cre8ive Event Rental/SJ Ranch, Sami Fine Jewelry, AzRCHA, and AzQHA to sponsor the event. In the Open with 53 horses chasing the total pot of $65,250 purse, Ricky Nicolazzi and Yes Dear, a WR This Cats Smart mare owned by Top Fuel Ranch, found themselves hovering at the top of the scores in both Herd Work and Reining. Another solid go in Cow Horse put them a full 2 points in the composite over second-place finisher, Eddie Rabbit, shown by Shadd Parkinson for owner Bronwyn McCormick. Yes Dear earned $13,050 for her effort, while Eddie Rabbit won $10,440. Rebel De Rosa shown by Lanham Brown for RA Brown Ranch, and Ivory Boon, owned by Zack and Zan Peat and shown by Clayton Edsall, tied for third in the composite. Rebel De Rosa claimed the third-place money of $8,156.25 in the tiebreaker, and Ivory Boon won $6,525. Payouts extended through 13 places, and an impressive prize line included a custom Super Bowl-style ring from Sami Fine Jewelry and an electric scooter to the champion, and a custom buckle and buckle box for reserve. Other prizes included backpack coolers, swag bags, and Sami Fine Jewelry.

Elsewhere across the diverse show, exhibitors swarmed Scottsdale with their Ranch horses, each looking for their piece of nearly $84,000 in total purses. Twenty-four 3-year-olds chased $15,000 added in the Markel Insurance Ranch Horse Sweepstakes that combined Ranch Rail and Ranch Riding. Smooth Criminall, shown by Brook Hokana for owner Dana Hokana, won the buckle and the big check for $5,460. The team also won an additional $1,000 in round money for placing first in both classes. Laurel Walker-Denton and her horse Geee Whiz placed second in each class, winning round monies of $600 for each, on top of the overall check for $3,990. SJR Mists Lucky Star, owned by Leslie Ivanchan and shown by Kendall Woellmer, placed third in both classes, adding an additional $400 to their sweepstakes win of $2,730.

 

The 4 & 5-year-old Kimes Ranch – Ranch Riding Derby also had $15,000 added, sponsored by Kimes Ranch and Debbie Cooper Performance Horses. With 18 to see and judged on Ranch Riding only, it was Caughtup In A Moment, shown by Mike Edwards for Ann Rosato, earning the top score, a champion buckle, and a check for $5,200. Ryan Kail rode Rancho D’ Siete’s Loong Live Gowgirlz to the second-place slot for a pair of spurs and $4,400. Laurel Walker-Denton was back in the center arena winning third-place money of $2,800 on All Ice No Crome.

Senior horses had their shot at a nice payday in the $10,000 Added Marler Sr. Ranch Riding Sweepstakes. Twenty-six competed, but it was Electric N Hollywood, shown by Laurel Walker-Denton at the reins for owner Nancy Gillett, who accumulated the most points and won the buckle and $3,965. Sandy Vargo’s Certified Copy was close behind with Beth Clemons in the saddle, winning $3,355. CC Max A Million and John Briggs were third, winning $2,135 for owner Ashley Erikson.

The Chas Roberts Non Pro 4 & 5 Year Old Ranch Riding Derby had $5,000 added. Brook Hokana notched another big win by placing on top of all three judge’s card riding Dana Hokana’s The Rifelman. They picked up another $2,448 and a buckle. Brook wasn’t done, as she also showed Dana’s Red Dirt Road to second place and $1,944. Debbie Allen rode her horse Gunna Ice Ya to third and $1,440.

For those horses just getting settled in Ranch classes, the $5,000 Added Kristin Brock Show Horses L1 Ranch Horse Stakes combined Ranch Trail, Ranch Rail, and Ranch Riding. Wimpys All In Again and John Briggs put the scores together winning a $1,700 check for owner Lori Allen. Caughtup In A Moment and Mike Edwards were back in the money for second and $1,350. HR Shootin Blanks, owned by Cheryl Meyer and shown by Gary Roberts, landed in third with $1,000.

 

Wimpys All In Again and John Briggs did it again, winning $2,352 in the $5,000 Added L1 Ranch Riding Derby Sponsored by K Bar W Performance Horses. All Ice No Chrome and Laurel Walker-Denton claimed another check for $1,848, and HR Shootin Blanks was another repeat winner, picking up $1,428 in third.

Bar U Bar sponsored the $2,000 Added Select Ranch Riding Sweepstakes in which Always Do and Dana Avila won $680. Whimsy’s All In Again placed again with Lori Allen, winning $540 for second, and Shiney Jersey carried Ann Shriver to third for $400.

The Amateur Ranch Riding Sweepstakes Sponsored by OO7/Vargo Ranch saw $2,000 added for combined scores in Ranch Riding & Working Western Rail and Ranch Trail.  SS Pity Tha Fool with Clara Tracy picked up $680 of it. Jennifer Dawson and Dreaming In Hollywood notched the scores to land in second for $540, and Dun It For Voodoo and Hayley Brock won $400 in third.

Caleb Cushing and Talkin Scat topped the scores in the K Bar W Performance Horses.

Youth Ranch Riding Sweepstakes with $2,000 Added. The pair won $680 and a buckle. Second place money of $540 went to Olivia McNall and Nobody’s Pepto Cat. Kendall Dawson and Dunit With A Scholar won third and $400.

AZ Fall Championship had money to reward Trail and All Around exhibitors as well. Bonus cash and prizes for both age divisions were offered in the NSBA 3 & 4 Year Old Trail Futurity. VS Dressed Lika Lady and Gary Roberts navigated the course the best to win the futurity, the additional $500 and a Just Peachy show pad for being the top-placing 4-year-old. The Champagne Code and Mike Massey were 3rd overall in the futurity, but picked up another $500 and a Just Peachy pad for being the high-scoring 3-year-old.

Kelly McDowall and Urr Fired won the NSBA 3-year-old Open Pleasure Futurity and The Champagne Code added to their winnings by securing 2nd place. Brenda Ogden’s Speakeasyy with Kristin Brock in the irons won the NSBA3/4 Year Old Hunter Under Saddle. On the Non-Pro side, it was Daisy Mendez-Pompei and Hubbout The Blue claiming the trophy.

A number of Trail, Pleasure, and Western Riding classes had $1,000 in bonus money. Katherine McArthur picked up a piece of it and a show pad from Just Peachy when Kelly Penrod and The Best Machine won the composite in Saturday’s L1 Open Western Riding.

The Candy Shoppe and Kelly McDowall won $500 in the L1 Open Pleasure, fresh off owner Cassie Riggert’s win on Candy Shoppe in the NSBA 3/4 Year Old Non-Pro Pleasure Futurity.

Blessed With Thebest and McDowall won the day money and show pad in Senior Trail, then McDowall had another money earner in CR Hershey Bar, winning the Senior Western Riding 1st place bonus money and Just Peachy pad.

Daisy Mendez-Pompei’s horse Hubbout The Blue was another double-dipper, winning the NSBA 3/4 Year Old Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle and coming back to win $500 in bonus cash in L1 Open HUS.

On the final day, the show awarded three Non-Pro Hi Point saddles from Sterling Custom Saddles. The Level 1 Non-Pro saddle, sponsored by Roberts Ranch, went to Michelle Hustad. Kristi Pavola Perea won the Amateur High Point saddle, sponsored by Beth Clemons Performance Horses. Sharon Conway took home the Select Amateur High Point saddle, sponsored by Kathy’s Show Equipment and Sterling Saddles.

With a fun atmosphere, great facilities, and an exhibitor-friendly schedule, AzQHA once again proved that “The Show For Everyone” is a great destination on anyone’s Fall calendar. A complete list of High Point and Best of Show winners can be found at AzFallChampionship.com

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Az Fall Championship awarded over $135,000 at this year’s show. See who took home what on the Awards Page: https://azfallchampionship.com/awards/