2023 National Championships

Year End Rankings Announced

Year End Rankings For National Championships Announced

Sun Circuit will once again hold the wildly popular tournament style competitions in Horsemanship, Equitation and Showmanship. The Final 2022 Ranking List names the 64 exhibitors in each division who are eligible to participate in the tournament at the 2023 Sun Circuit. Rankings are compiled by a nation-wide panel of trainers and judges who have had all year to watch and note the accomplishments of exhibitors.

Followers of the National Championships will recognize quit a few exhibitors who have made it to the Exceptional Eight and The Four in previous years. There are also several exhibitors in each division who have broken into the top 10 after having a great year in 2022.

Horsemanship

On My Level and Shannon Cairone got the gold in Horsemanship at the AQHA Select World in 2022 and now Shannon tops the Select Horsemanship year end rankings list for the tournament at Sun Circuit. 

One doesn’t have to look far down the list to see it’s a deep field of contenders who have made it to the final round over the past few years. 

In the Amateur Horsemanship, Natalia Kay Devencenty edged out 2022 Champion Giorgia Meadows in the rankings, but Giorgia will likely be keen to defend her title. Sitting in number 3 is Kaleena Weakly who is a familiar face in The Four. With the level of talent, it will be quite a battle to get to the finals round in Horsemanship.

Sydney Ann Swallom and Almost Invited won the 2022 AQHYA 14-18 Horsemanship and found themselves at the top of the Rankings List coming into Sun Circuit. Last year’s champion Brooke Jolstad is not far behind, setting up the likely hood of a competitive final round.

Equitation

Laurel Champlin has retained her #1 ranking in Select Equitation for the third year. She and Look N Hott won the L3 Amateur Select Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation at the AQHA Select World Show in November. Nya Kearns is another chart-topping repeater. She ranked #1 in Youth equitation in 2021, moved up to amateur status and came into the 2022 Championships at number one again. After another successful year, Nya has caught the eye of judges all over the country to earn that top spot again. Also in the top 25 are all of last year’s The Four finalists in Amateur Equitation. The new leader in Youth Equitation is Evie Doles whose string of accomplishments in 2022 vaulted her up the list.

Showmanship

Anne Oldfather won the champion buckle in the Farnam National Championship in Amateur Showmanship in 2022. She comes to Sun Circuit in the number one position to see if she can add to her collection of hardware.

Scott Reinartz is ranked #1 in Select Showmanship. He has made it to The Four in previous years and right behind him is Sid Karr who was also a contender in last year’s Four.

Coming in at the top of the Youth Showmanship ranking is Isabella Buckley.

Sun Circuit is proud to have The Equine Chronicle sponsoring the National Championships for Equitation in 2023. Cinch is the sponsor of Horsemanship, while Farnam is sponsoring Showmanship.

The first 3 rounds of the tournament are held concurrently with the respective  AQHA classes at Sun Circuit. Prizes are awarded after each round to the Sensational 16, Exceptional 8 and ultimately the head to head battles of The Four. Exhibitors who make it to The Four in each class and division will receive an embroidered  leather bomber jacket. Champions will be presented a National Championship trophy buckle.

Last year’s Tournaments proved that a high ranking does not guarantee making it to The Four, however. Many exhibitors advanced through the rounds after spectacular Sun Circuit runs to find themselves in the head-to-head matchups.

All exhibitors who made the Final Rankings list are eligible and encouraged to participate. There are no additional fees for the National Championship. However, eligible exhibitors must enter the class in the Sun Circuit Show Office.