The new ranch pleasure class has become one of the most well-liked new classes that AQHA now offers at many shows across the country. Due to the success of the Open Ranch Pleasure class, AQHA has announced that next year there will also be Youth and Amateur Ranch Pleasure classes available for competitors.
“It is becoming a very popular class,” says, Alex Ross, who is the Executive Director of Judges for AQHA. “The purpose of the Ranch Horse Pleasure class is to provide a place for exhibitors to show off the movement, versatility and attitude of a working ranch style horse. Emphasis is placed on movement at the walk, jog, lope as well as the extended jog and extended lope along with the horse’s ability to perform the optional maneuvers.”
Out of the 230 ranch pleasure qualifiers to the 2012 AQHA World Championship Show in Oklahoma City, 66 horses and their riders will square off on November 6 in the class’ preliminary round.
“For the first year, ranch pleasure was solely approved for the open division so that AQHA could gauge the response of exhibitors,” said Tom Persechino, AQHA executive director of competition and breed integrity. “The time came to analyze the class, and the entries, plus requests from competitors, solidified that ranch pleasure needed to be offered in the youth and amateur divisions. The performance horse industry is very much looking forward to seeing those traits in action November 8 in the ranch pleasure finals, and the title of being the very first AQHA ranch pleasure world champion is definitely a coveted one.”
As far as what type of horse that is appropriate for the class, “We have seen horses from the ranches and horses from different disciplines exhibited in the class. The rules do not stipulate what type of horses show in the class but definitely stipulate how the horses are to be shown,” Ross told GoHorseShow.
So who should try the class? “I think people should go for it. Like any class, to be competitive you have to be prepared to perform all parts of the class. But, I think exhibitors will find it entertaining!” says, Ross who is a huge supporter of the class.
GoHorseShow talked to several competitors that have tried the ranch pleasure class, and surprisingly, many people you wouldn’t think would ever try it, decided to jump in and give it a shot.
Jill Voss of Iowa, who is known for owning and raising such great pleasure horses as, One Hot Drama Mama, says that she had a blast the first time she showed in the class.
“I just got done showing my first ranch horse pleasure class ever with my horse, Sterling, and I made it through…. and I love it!” Voss told GoHorseShow. “What made me decide to do this is that I wound up with this phenomenal legged gelding with a very high headset, and rather than forcing him into a job that he would have hated, by way of training aids and boxing him in which would have only ruined his front leg, I decided to give him a different job. He’s a pretty big fan of this new job, too. His ears are up and he tries really hard.”
Voss adds, “He’s easily my favorite horse to ride these days. What I like about the class is that it combines every element and anyone can go in it. Rope horses, cutters, reiners, trail riding horses, flunk out pleasure horses. Any of them, and I showed against them all today. It gave Sterling a spot on my trailer, where he wouldn’t have had one normally. Great class, hope to see more of it!”
Trainer Cheryl Hawkins of Ocala, Florida, shows many of her western riding, and trail horses in the class. “It shows how versatile the American Quarter Horse really is. There are many different maneuvers within the patterns–there are spins, lead changes, extended lopes, extended trots, jogs, lopes and some have trail poles,” Hawkins says. “It is a scored class, but still judged on the horses movement. I think it gives some horses a new class, maybe they can’t go slow enough for the pleasure or they are a little to small for the hunter under saddle, but there are athletic, talented and are good movers. My advice for anyone wanting to try the new class is just go try it, you will really enjoy it.”
Trainer Farley Sliss of Dallas, Texas actually tried it on a whim. Sliss says that she believes the class is becoming popular because it’s a nice change of pace and it opens up the door for someone who might not have a horse that’s “specialized” in one event.
“What I really enjoyed about the class is the elements is possesses, a little reining, trail, horsemanship, and western pleasure rolled into one. The horse I showed is bred to be a top western pleasure horse but he is also very versatile,” Farley states. “He enjoyed the change and it made him think because he didn’t know what was coming next. I know AQHA is emphasizing forward and more of a ranch style horse but I think the western all-arounders and reiners would enjoy it as well. My only advice to someone wanting to try this new class….make sure you know the pattern, your horse’s capabilities and have fun. It was very refreshing and I’ll be competing in this class in the future!”
*The quotes from Tom Persechino were taken from a press release from AQHA.
