National Championship Qualified Individuals Announced
View the Rankings Now:
December 2018 Equitation Rankings List
December 2018 Horsemanship Rankings List
December 2018 Showmanship Rankings List
The Arizona Quarter Horse Association is excited to announce the final end of year rankings for Showmanship, Horsemanship and Equitation exhibitors in the lead up to the National Championship Tournament being held at Sun Circuit 2019. The final list names the 64 exhibitors in each division who are eligible to participate in the Tournament. The top 25 are ranked while the rest are listed in alphabetical order.
How Does Ranking Work?
Exhibitors who placed in the top 5 circuit standings at Top 20 AQHA participating shows, NSBA World Show, AQHA World Shows, and Color Breed World Shows were listed for members of the Ranking Committee to rank.
The overall rankings were formulated by compiling individual rankings from each Committee Member. This anonymous group is comprised of judges and trainers who are actively involved in these industries throughout the United States. They were regionally selected to give fair and balanced coverage across the country to rank Youth, Amateur and Select exhibitors in each of the three classes. Committee members could also choose to add any other exhibitor who they believed excelled in the event.
Tournament Format
All qualified individuals who are on the Final Ranking List are eligible to compete in that class and division of the Tournament held at Sun Circuit. Exhibitors who aged out of a division are automatically eligible for their new division: Youth qualifiers may enter as Amateurs, and Amateurs can show in the Select division. Exhibitors will show concurrently with the corresponding regularly scheduled Sun Circuit classes to the first set of judges. Eligible Paints and colored horses will run in a separate draw immediately following the AQHA class. AQHA, APHA and NSBA ownership rules must be followed to exhibit in the classes. After the class, the high scoring 16 will be recognized and promoted via media as having achieved the Sensational 16 Award.
For the second round of the tournament,The Sensational 16 as well as all other exhibitors will show to the second set of Judges as a part of the regular draw at Sun Circuit. After the class, the high scoring Exceptional 8 will be specially recognized and promoted both in the arena and via Sun Circuit’s media channels and partners.
Round three of the tournament welcomes The Exceptional 8 back to the arena along with all the regular class entries showing to the third set of Judges at Sun Circuit.
The conclusion of those classes will recognize the highest scoring exhibitors as The Four and they will be awarded embroidered bomber jackets at center arena and promoted through all of Sun Circuit’s media channels.
Youth show only twice to 4 judges in the classes at Sun Circuit The first time they show we will name the Sensational 16. The Second time they show we will recognize the Exceptional 8. Immediately following that presentation, The Four Youth in each class will be announced.
All eyes will be on the National Championship rounds where The Four in each class and division will compete in a head to head format with the highest ranked remaining exhibitor competing against the lowest ranked remaining exhibitor and the second highest ranked remaining exhibitor against the third highest ranked remaining exhibitor. Then the winner of those two battles will come back to compete against each other to be named National Champion.
The Tournament will be an event that no serious exhibitor will want to miss. With the building excitement of each round, the abundant recognition, and the ultimate goal of claiming the Championship, the Tournament injects a good deal of fun and fame to the horse show experience.
Please Note: National Championship qualified exhibitors who aged out of their division in 2019 are automatically eligible for for their new division.
