New this year, the 2017 Arizona Sun Circuit is offering a group of Novice Select Classes: Showmanship, Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Trail, and Western Riding.

December 1-4, 2016, Carolyn Dobbins will be hosting The Goldmine Circuit at the beautiful Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Center in Queen Creek, AZ. Then, just a few short weeks later, The Goldmine Circuit heads to The LA Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA, January 11-15, 2017.

The challenges are team events pairing amateur and pro riders, often from across barns, in a fun, supportive environment. They are judged following AQHA rules and standards, but have a structure that takes incentive and payback elements from Team Roping and Barrel Racing. There is 100% payback, along with added money, and a guarantee of $1,000 to the winning team.

Thomas and Mimsi Roe Coon of Pilot Point, Texas, were named the 2016 Oklahoma City Convention &Visitors Bureau Leading Owner. The Coons’ American Quarter Horses earned a total of 117 points by competing in 17 classes. Their top honors include the world championship titles in weanling fillies and amateur 3-year-old geldings, and the reserve championship titles in amateur weanling stallions, amateur 2-year-old mares and amateur weanling fillies.