FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amarillo, Texas, January 4, 2006 – American Quarter Horses excel in more than just American Quarter Horse Association competition. They also compete and win in many AQHA alliance events, including reining, cutting, barrel racing and more.

The National Reining Horse Association Futurity is a million-dollar event for 3-year-old horses held in Oklahoma City. This year’s open futurity winner was American Quarter Horse KR Lil Conquistador, owned by Cheree Kirkbride of Ocala, Florida, and shown by Shawn Flarida of Springfield, Ohio. The top nine horses in the open futurity were all American Quarter Horses.

The National Cutting Horse Association Futurity champion also was an American Quarter Horse. Highbrow Supercat took home top honors with Tommy Marvin aboard. The sorrel mare by High Brow Cat is owned by Paul W. Dean of Claremore, Oklahoma. Twenty-six of the 27 horses in the finals held in Fort Worth, Texas, in December were American Quarter Horses.

Nu Circle Of Light won the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity in October in Reno, Nevada. Owned by Paula Hunsicker of Santa Ynez, California, and Ted Robinson of Oak View, California, and ridden by Robinson, the sorrel stallion by Nu Circle N Cash proved to be the top 3-year-old in cow work. Only one of the top 25 horses in the futurity was not an American Quarter Horse.

The National Barrel Horse Association World Championship open winner in 2005 was GC Highly Motivated ridden by Sarah McDonald from Brunswick, Georgia. The 1997 brown stallion by Highly Disciplined ran the clover-leaf pattern in 14.051 seconds to take home top honors. Eight of the 10 top finalists are registered with AQHA.

“To be the best in any sport requires having the best teammates,” said Bill Brewer, AQHA Executive Vice President. “We are so proud of these American Quarter Horses who give their very best to their human counterparts and excel in their respective disciplines.”
In United States Equestrian Team competition, American Quarter Horses are making their mark. Team USA won the gold in reining at the FEI CRIO held in conjunction with the NRHA Futurity. The team members were: Dell Hendricks riding Hollywood Vintage, owned by Rhodes River Ranch; Scott McCutcheon riding Inwhizable, owned by McCutcheon/Jones Partnership; Tom McCutcheon riding Ruf Hearted Jac, owned by Sarah Willeman and Turnabout Farm; and Tim McQuay riding Mister Montana Nic, owned by Montana Nic Syndicate.

Team USA qualified for the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, by competing at this CRIO, which is an FEI-recognized reining competition for teams from different countries.

For more information on AQHA alliance events, visit www.aqha.com or call (806) 376-4811.

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