PRORODEO Sports News - August 23, 2024

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T he American Quarter Horse is America’s Original Horsepower. Cowboys reap rewards as rodeo fans vote for their favorite American Quarter Horses Original Horsepower Ryan Jae photo Paul Eaves’ heeling horse Apolo was the AQHA Fan Favorite Horse of the NFR Open, earning Eaves $1,000 and a commemorative plaque. That’s why 35 years ago, AQHA and PRCA set out to recognize the best

All this recognition spotlights the genetics of equine athletes, creating demand for bloodlines. Using horses’ AQHA registered names enables the QData database to track horse earnings, which is valuable for marketing that horse, its dam, sire and offspring. Recognition also becomes possible for horse breeders. “When a rodeo athlete goes out there and wins and is riding an American Quarter Horse, there was a breeder who helped make that happen,” Hunt said. “That breeder should get publicity for their genetics – that the horses they bred and raised are successful. When you look at the sacrifices that breeders make just to get the good ones on the ground, we need to help breeders add value to their horses.” ENGAGING RODEO FANS Four rodeos this year – NFR Open (Colorado Springs) in July, Cinch Playoffs (Puyallup) in September, Cinch Playoffs (Sioux Falls) in September, and NFR (Las Vegas) in December – will offer AQHA Fan Favorite Horse voting and awards. The award is open to timed-event horses registered with AQHA and competing in the event’s finals and fans can cast their votes using a QR code available at events where Fan Favorite voting occurs. Heeler Paul Eaves’ Apolo Oak (“Apolo”) was voted in as the AQHA Fan Favorite Horse at the NFR Open, a title good for $1,000 and a commemorative plaque from PRCA.

Apolo Oak is a 14-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding sired by CD Olena and out of the mare Shiners Little Oak, a daughter of the great Shining Spark. “Apolo” was bred by San Juan Ranch of Weatherford, Texas. Next up are Horse of the Year nominations, where PRCA and WPRA contestants nominate their horsepower September 15-22. Final voting is October 2-6 with the eligible voters being the top 25 contestants in the PRCA/WPRA world standings in their respective categories. Each winner receives $5,000, with honorees in steer wrestling, tie-down roping, barrel racing, steer roping, breakaway roping, team roping header, team roping heeler, and pick-up horse. YOUR HORSE’S ELIGIBILITY To have your horse eligible for Horse of the Year and AQHA Fan Favorite Horse awards, make sure your horse’s registration is up to date with a call to AQHA Member Services at 806-376-4811 or by creating an account and logging into www.myAQHA.com. When you purchase a Quarter Horse, make sure you have the papers to prove it by getting the horse’s original certificate of registration, a transfer report signed by the seller listing your name on the buyer line and the date of sale, which is the date you took possession of the horse. There is no deadline as to when a transfer report should be submitted. Download a transfer form at www.aqha.com/transfers.

American Quarter Horses in rodeo with the AQHA-PRCA Horse of the Year program. This year, we expand that recognition to add AQHA Fan Favorite Horse awards at select rodeos. Distinguishing equine rodeo athletes is a major goal for AQHA President Jim Hunt of Faith, S.D., a rancher whose seven children all participated in rodeo. “Any time a roper or a barrel racer has success at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, they talk about their horse, their partner, and how important that partner is to them,” said Hunt. “Without horses, there are no cowboys.”

SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF RODEO AQHA’s care for the rodeo community and their American Quarter Horses starts from the ground up. With the National Little Britches Rodeo Association, AQHA Horses of the Year are named for little wranglers, junior and seniors. Through the National High School Rodeo Association, AQHA awards Horse of the Year awards at the state, provincial and national level, crowning all-around and event high-point awards at the National Junior High and National High School Finals Rodeos. At the College National Finals Rodeo, AQHA expanded its Horse of the Year awards this year to include all-around and event-high point awards.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/23/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 8/23/2024

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

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