Deep Competition In Congress Ranch Classes
The Stakes Were High In Congress Ranch Riding: Monday recap from NSBA
The NSBA members who competed in Ranch Riding classes on Monday at the Congress earned more than NSBA bronze trophies – in some cases, they were earning big checks in the Stakes and Futurity classes.
Noel Meadows Wins First Congress Title In Limited Open Ranch Riding Futurity
Noel Meadows earned her first Congress championship in a big way on Monday, winning the Limited division of the Three Year Old Open Ranch Riding Futurity, and placing fourth in the Open division of the class with Lil Vintage Grace.
“I have been training for five years now,” she said. “I tied to win at the Congress in the Youth Working Hunter, but I had never won a class here. It’s a little emotional.
“This is Lil Vintage Grace, we call her Grace. We got her in March and she came from Brian Bell’s program. Valerie bought her and she has just exceeded every expectation. She’s so much fun, she loves to show, and I think she wants to win as just much as I do. She’s been a blast to show.
“She is probably way smarter than I am. In our pattern today, I really liked our lead change, and that was probably what I was most nervous about. We showed her at the Three Year Old Futurity at the APHA World Show and at the NSBA World Show, and we hadn’t done a lead change all year. My dad (Steve Meadows) has changed leads on her but I hadn’t. I love her extended trot – that’s something that draws everyone to her. She has a big fancy Hunter trot, and I’m a Hunter person, so I love that. I felt like we finally got all the pieces together at this show. I’m honored to be in the top ten of the Open division as well.
Bud Lyon and ‘Chevy’ Win Open Ranch Riding Futurity
Mis America Pie and Bud Lyon bested the competition in the Open Ranch Riding Futurity, earning a check for $5,402.64. “She is by In Like Flinn and out of a Gunnatrashya named Gunna Moonya Shine,” Bud said. “Josh and Kelsey Crawley at Cedar Ridge bred and raised her – they own both the mare and stand the stallion. This truly is a home-grown mare.
“Josh and Kelsey had told me that they thought they had a nice horse, and I have a lot of respect for them. This is the first time they have been involved in the Ranch events at this level. We were fortunate enough to win the IRHA Futurity at the APHA World Show, and she was second in the NSBA Futurity and won the Green Ranch Riding at the NSBA World Show, and she’s done well here too. I hope that Josh and Kelsey are proud of her accomplishments.
“She has great quality of movement, she’s usually very expressive with her ears, and has a really elegant look. Everywhere we’ve shown her, the judges seem to gravitate to her. She’s got that it factor, a sense of presence in the show pen, and she’s very refined. She has a very bright future.”
Lane Kail and Rory Win Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes
Lane Kail and SS Walk The Line have only been working together since the start of 2026, but they quickly became a force to be reckoned with, and they proved it again on Thursday in the Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes. They won the class along with a check for $7,698.
“We bought him last year here at the Congress from Jordan Martin,” Lane explained. “Jordan showed him at the AQHA World Show and then he came home with us from there. We went to our first show in January and won the Ranch Riding the first time we did it. We kind of knew he was going to be on point. We call him Rory.
“I like how much expression he has. He goes around with his ears up and you can tell he likes his job and has fun doing it. He’s very consistent and there’s not a lot you have to worry about with him. He really doesn’t have any weak spots.
“On our pattern today, when I knew he would be really good was when we extend trotted, and he went right off with his head down and ears forward and doing our turn – we were able to go for it. There were so many great riders and horses in the class that we kind of had to go for it. The cut of was a 241 to make the top 15, that’s something. He does all the Ranch events and he shows in Halter too.”
To view the complete show results from the Quarter Horse Congress, visit the Horse Show Tracker app or go to quarterhorsecongress.com.
The Stakes Were High In Congress Ranch Riding – National Snaffle Bit Association
Deep Competition In Congress Ranch Classes – Tuesday recap from NSBA
The competition was deep and the payouts were big in Ranch classes held on Tuesday at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.
It was definitely time for a reckoning for Steve Meadows, who started the day with a win in the NSBA/AQHA Level 1 Senior Ranch Riding aboard Time For A Reckoning, riding for Katie Mae Green. He became the second member of the Meadows family to earn a 2026 Congress championship after his daughter Noel won the Limited division of the Three Year Old Ranch Riding Futurity on Monday. In the NSBA/AQHA Level 1 Amateur Select Ranch Riding, Valerie Sturgeon took Whizkeys Shining Gun to the top of the class for a Congress NSBA and AQHA championship. Lane Kail added another Congress win with SS Walk The Line, this time winning the NSBA/AQHA championship in Amateur Western Working Rail.
Bud Lyon and ‘Romeo’ Are On A Roll
The featured Congress Stakes class on Tuesday was the Open Ranch Riding Stakes. This class saw a deep and competitive group of 64 entries vying for the Open and Limited champion titles.
Perennial champion Bud Lyon took NSBA’s 2023 Horse Of The Year Sumac Gunnabeflashy to the Open win for owner Leslie Vagneur Lange, earning a $4,776.72 payout. Known as ‘Romeo,’ the 2017 sorrel gelding had already won Senior Ranch NSBA/AQHA Senior Ranch Riding and the NSBA/AQHA Open Senior Working Western Rail at this year’s Quarter Horse Congress. They came into the Congress hot, fresh off wins at the Fall Championship Show in Ocala, Florida, in NSBA Senior Ranch Rail and NSBA Senior Ranch Riding earlier in the month.
Jimmy Daurio and ‘Blue’ Capture Steep Limited Open Ranch Riding Stakes Title
Jimmy Daurio piloted another perennial champion, Cowpuncher Cadillac, to win the Limited division of the class and was also named the reserve champion in the Open division. In total the duo earned $6,623.72 for the two portions of the class.
Jimmy and his partner David Renier bought the striking bay stallion when he was four years old. “We bought him sight unseen,” Jimmy explained. “I saw a video and a picture of him, and I knew he was beautiful, but I had no idea what we were getting. He has far exceeded any expectations we had and has been amazing. He’s been a blessing to us.
“He’s nine years old now, and because he’s been shown so much, sometimes he thinks he knows what he’s doing and might get a step ahead of you if you’re not paying attention, but today he was right with me. He always shows great, and has great expression and great movement.
“He’s been so good to us, and very consistent. David and I ride totally different and that says a lot about him too that he shows so well for both of us.”
Jimmy and David also stand the stallion and are excited about the next generation. “We have probably 40 foals on the ground, and the ones we’ve seen are all beautiful and great minded. The oldest ones are three years old this year,” Jimmy said.
Having a Limited division to compete in meant a lot to Jimmy. “I think it’s great to give everybody an opportunity to get in there and win some money and be recognized, even if they aren’t on the top Open horse. It’s great to be able to be recognized,” he said.
Deep Competition In Congress Ranch Classes – National Snaffle Bit Association
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through October 25. To view complete show results, please visit quarterhorsecongress.com or view the Horse Show Tracker app.
