The first section of the NRHA Open L3, 2, 1 Futurity Semifinals saw NRHA Professional Bobby Avila, Jr. riding Pale Face Chex (Pale Face Dunnit x Lena Sugar Chex), owned by 6-K LLC, walk away with a 219. The duo had scored a 216.5 in the first go-round, which brought them the highest composite score today (435.5) to lead the L3 and L2 divisions. “My horse was really good and very calm today,” said Avila, Jr. “I actually got ready early as I thought there could be a few scratches before me. Since there weren’t, we took it easy, and it paid off. I showed him a little different than the way I did the first day; I sat back and loosened my reins so that we would get more credit for our maneuvers, and it worked. I feel really confident now and look forward to the Finals on Saturday.”

The Rocky Mountain Paint Horse Association Youth Development Foundation Endowment and the Lynn Titlow Memorial Endowment have reached the $25,000 minimum and will be available for issue for the 2018-2019 academic year. Academic scholarship endowments generate one $1,000 scholarship each year and are renewable for a total of four years.

Taking place January 8-10, 2018 in the Denver Coliseum, the National Western Horseman’s Challenge will offer schooling time followed by competition phases including individual timed practice rounds, a team competition and a 100% payback individual speed challenge. Obstacles and tasks will vary to accommodate all levels and ages of riders and horses.

The arena, which remains an officially-to-be-named venue, will be approximately 140,000 square feet and include over 600,000 square feet of pavers, as well as serve as a hub for equine events, community events and movie nights. Other details are as follows:

The highest selling item, a breeding to Allocate Your Assets donated by Searles Ranch and Katherine K. Tobin, sold for $1,750. Nearly 80 items were submitted to the auction, ranging from tack and apparel, jewelry, lessons and educational material, to breedings to top stallions and more.

AQHA is currently seeking input on they Leveling Program. Is it working how it was designed? Is it having the desired effect? What changes could be made to make this program more successful?

Natalia DeVencenty from Pueblo, Colo., will join the Horned Frogs after graduating from Laurel Springs High School in May. In 2013, she started showing all-around horses in the AQHA. DeVencenty is AQHYA World and Reserve World Champion, a three-time AQHYA Bronze Champion, three-time NSBA World Champion, three-time NSBA Reserve World Champion, two-time Congress Champion, and two-time Reserve Congress Champion. She showed in Hunter Jumper on the USEF “A” circuit for 11 years, earning herself several state and zone championships. Outside of the show ring, she works for her family business and is a student pilot.

Since January, American Quarter Horse Youth Association members have recorded their progress training a yearling bred by an American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Breeder. Recently, four AQHYA members were named scholarship winners for the 2016-17 AQHA Ranching Heritage Young Horse Development Program.