COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — It is known that the equine athletes in the sport of rodeo play a vital role in helping every competitor achieve his or her goals.
The Purina Horse of the Year presented by the American Quarter Horse Association awards honor the outstanding registered American Quarter Horse in each of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s timed-event categories and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s barrel racing at the annual PRCA Awards Banquet in Las Vegas before the start of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
This year’s banquet is at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on December 4.
The owner of the PRCA/AQHA/WPRA Horses of the Year in each category will be awarded $5,000 and an AQHA bronze trophy. Second place will receive $3,000 and third place will receive $2,000.
The final voting process concluded October 4. The following are the top 3 in each event.
Barrel Racing:
1. High Valor (“Valor”), Valiant Hero x Rare High x Rare Form; owned and ridden by Dona Kay Rule; bred by Lana G Merrick-Bailey
2. KN Fabs Gift Of Fame (“J-Lo”), Frenchmans Fabulous x Mistys Dash Of Fame x Dash Ta Fame; ridden by Ivy (Conrado) Saebens; owned by Kenny Nichols and Dale Barron; bred by Kenny Nichols
3. (Tie) Freckles Ta Fame (“Can Man”), Dash Ta Fame x Frenchmans Freckles x Frenchmans Guy; ridden by Shali Lord; owned and bred by Joe and Carla Spitz
3. (Tie) An Oakie With Cash (“Louie”), Biebers Oakie x Lady Kaweah Cash x Judge Cash; ridden by Lisa Lockhart; owned by Lisa and Grady Lockhart; bred by Tim and Kelly Bagnell
Heading:
1. Jewels Smoke Screen (“Smoke”); ridden by Tate Kirchenschlager; owned by Brad Lands
2. Cee How Nifty (“Johnson”); owned and ridden by Clay Tryan
3. RK Tuff Trinket (“Bob”); owned and ridden by Riley Minor
Heeling:
1. DT Sugar Chex Whiz (“Sugar”); ridden by Billie Jack Saebens; owned by Dixon Flowers QH
2. Leos Highbrow (“Sug”); owned and ridden by Brady Minor
3. Smart Little Cab (“Casino”); owned and ridden by Paul Eaves
Tie-down Roping:
1. Little Smart Leo (“Big Time”); owned and ridden by Tyler Milligan
2. Barshoe Brute (“Rock”); ridden by Lane Livingston; owned by JR Livingston
3. Pocketful of Light (“Pockets”); owned and ridden by Caleb Smidt
Steer Roping:
1. Mr. Blackburn Chex 113 (“Dunny”); ridden by Cole Patterson; owned by Rocky Patterson
2. Coopers Little Toy (“Cooper”); owned and ridden by Chris Glover
3. At War Leo (“Punchy”); owned and ridden by Cody Lee
Steer Wrestling:
1. Do Get Famous (“Rattle”); ridden by Matt Reeves; owned by Matt & Savanah Reeves
2. Canted Plan (“Scooter”); owned and ridden by Tyler Pearson & Kyle Irwin
3. Patrionic Dish (“Mable”); ridden by Stetson Jorgensen; owned by Garret Henry
Article provided courtesy PRCA.