Article & photos by Nancy Brannon
The Volunteer Ranch Horse Association hosted its first show of the 2021 season at the Show Place Arena in Cordova, TN on March 13-14, 2021. The show attracted approximately 95 horse/rider combinations to compete. The show utilized both the large indoor arena and the covered outdoor arena, where the trail classes were held. Judges were Kim Pope Brown and Mark Russell.
“This was more than expected. We’re glad to see the numbers,” said the show secretary Katie Hutton. The show totaled 525 entries.
Show manager Tammy Bledsoe said,” This is a big show for us this year; there are lots of new faces.” She said competitors came from all over the southeast, from Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama and from Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.
Bledsoe explained the new format for the 2021 show season. All the classes are running by the rules of NRCHA and AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse affiliated classes. The VolRHA classes mimic the NRCHA and AQHA formats, so that green horses or green riders can get the NRCHA or AQHA experiences without joining a major association. “It’s good experience for green horses,” said Tammy. Competitors could choose among classes in Herd Work, Cutting, Ranch Riding, Trail, Working Cow Horse, Ranch Cow Work, Boxing, Fence Work, Ranch Reining, Hackamore, Bridle, Showmanship, and Conformation.
Bledsoe said they added church service on Sunday morning and a Leadline class on Sunday.
The association awarded High Point awards for the weekend in Open, Amateur, Youth, Amateur Select, Walk/Trot 18 & Under, and Walk/Trot 19 & Over. Barry Bolton nabbed the top two spots in VolRHA Open High Point on Peaches and Dreams (17 points) and Reserve on Lil Bear Cat (13 points). Lauren Wells took the top spot in Amateur High Point on FS Rein N To Win (34 points), with Kyle Sanders Reserve on Heza MG Kinda Guy (27.50 points), followed by Christina Frost on FS Montana Jac A Nic (27 points). Sanders and Heza MG Kinda Guy took the High Point award in Amateur Select (16 points). Youth High Point winner was Jordan Martin on Miss Catnic (33 points), followed by Julia Whitehead on Uno Miss Hollywood (30 points) in Reserve. High Point in Walk/Trot 18 & Under was Scarlett Rhodes on Smart Smokin Duchess; in Walk/Trot 19 & Over, High Point winner was Anita Perry on Rapped With Chocolate. Class results are available on the VolRHA website under “Show Score Sheets.”
The Volunteer Ranch Horse Association is back at the Show Place Arena for their Spring Fling show on April 10-11 with the same show format. This is the second of five shows this year, with two at the Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro and one more in Memphis in September.
Find show bills and more information about the Volunteer Ranch Horse Association at: http://www.volrha.com/
The Volunteer Ranch Horse Association hosted its first show of the 2021 season at the Show Place Arena in Cordova, TN on March 13-14, 2021. The show attracted approximately 95 horse/rider combinations to compete. The show utilized both the large indoor arena and the covered outdoor arena, where the trail classes were held. Judges were Kim Pope Brown and Mark Russell.
“This was more than expected. We’re glad to see the numbers,” said the show secretary Katie Hutton. The show totaled 525 entries.
Show manager Tammy Bledsoe said,” This is a big show for us this year; there are lots of new faces.” She said competitors came from all over the southeast, from Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama and from Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.
Bledsoe explained the new format for the 2021 show season. All the classes are running by the rules of NRCHA and AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse affiliated classes. The VolRHA classes mimic the NRCHA and AQHA formats, so that green horses or green riders can get the NRCHA or AQHA experiences without joining a major association. “It’s good experience for green horses,” said Tammy. Competitors could choose among classes in Herd Work, Cutting, Ranch Riding, Trail, Working Cow Horse, Ranch Cow Work, Boxing, Fence Work, Ranch Reining, Hackamore, Bridle, Showmanship, and Conformation.
Bledsoe said they added church service on Sunday morning and a Leadline class on Sunday.
The association awarded High Point awards for the weekend in Open, Amateur, Youth, Amateur Select, Walk/Trot 18 & Under, and Walk/Trot 19 & Over. Barry Bolton nabbed the top two spots in VolRHA Open High Point on Peaches and Dreams (17 points) and Reserve on Lil Bear Cat (13 points). Lauren Wells took the top spot in Amateur High Point on FS Rein N To Win (34 points), with Kyle Sanders Reserve on Heza MG Kinda Guy (27.50 points), followed by Christina Frost on FS Montana Jac A Nic (27 points). Sanders and Heza MG Kinda Guy took the High Point award in Amateur Select (16 points). Youth High Point winner was Jordan Martin on Miss Catnic (33 points), followed by Julia Whitehead on Uno Miss Hollywood (30 points) in Reserve. High Point in Walk/Trot 18 & Under was Scarlett Rhodes on Smart Smokin Duchess; in Walk/Trot 19 & Over, High Point winner was Anita Perry on Rapped With Chocolate. Class results are available on the VolRHA website under “Show Score Sheets.”
The Volunteer Ranch Horse Association is back at the Show Place Arena for their Spring Fling show on April 10-11 with the same show format. This is the second of five shows this year, with two at the Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro and one more in Memphis in September.
Find show bills and more information about the Volunteer Ranch Horse Association at: http://www.volrha.com/
