Sun Circuit’s Jubilee Celebrates with Fantastic Awards and Cash
When the 50th Anniversary Scottsdale Arizona Sun Circuit takes over West World in Scottsdale March 4 through 12, exhibitors will have a lot to celebrate with an unprecedented line up of added money classes and awards. Twelve Sun Circuit Anniversary logo’d golf carts, 36 saddles and over $100,000 in added money will be distributed across disciplines including Trail, Ranch, Western Riding, Cow Horse, Roping and more.One of the highlights will be $10,000 added to the Snippity Snap 4 & 5 Year Old NSBA Open Trail Futurity sponsored by Kent Ray Taylor. The champion exhibitor of the Futurity will also win a Sun Circuit Golf Cart. Machine Made is sponsoring a Limited Rider 4 & 5 Year Old NSBA Trail Futurity as well, with $2,000 added. Plus, the champion of that event will take home a Blue Ribbon Saddle.
Western Riding competition for young horses will surely heat up with $7,500 added to the Nothing But Nett 5 & Under Western Riding Maiden Stakes. Horses must not have shown in Western Riding prior to the 2023 Sun Circuit and the class will run concurrently with L1 Jr. Western Riding.
Ranch exhibitors know Sun Circuit is the place to be for fun, great competition and plenty of added money. In 2023, their expectations will be exceeded. Farnam is once again sponsoring the L1 Open Ranch Horse Stakes with $5,000 added, combining scores from L1 Ranch Trail, L1 Ranch Riding, L1 Ranch on Rail plus halter. The Champion will receive $2,500 and a buckle, reserve wins $1,500 along with a saddle pad and 3rd place receives $1,000 and bronc halter. Ranch exhibitors also have a shot at one of two Golf Cart Awards for their division. There is a Non Pro High Point cart and a Ranch Exhibitor cart. Sweet awards keep coming in Ranch with Two High Point exhibitors set to win a prize package that includes a pair of Woods’ chinks, a CR Ranchwear Shirt and a pair of Rod Patrick Tall Top Boots worth a total value of $2,500. More money can be won in the Ranch Riding 2D jackpots with $1,000 added. The jackpot classes will run concurrent with the regular AQHA Junior and Senior Ranch Riding classes on Wednesday and the L1 Amateur Ranch Riding, Select Ranch Riding and Amateur Ranch Riding on Thursday. Exhibitors are reminded you must enter these to be eligible to win the cash.
Cattle Classes are a huge part of the Sun Circuit scene and offer even more lucrative award opportunities. Ropers can battle it out in the ARHFA Sun Circuit Futurity classes with a total of $35,000 added. There are two golf cart awards specifically for Cow Horse exhibitors. One will be awarded to the Non Pro High Point Reined Cow Horse, Cutting and Cow Horse Exhibitor. Youth and Amateur exhibitors are eligible for that award. The Working Cow Horse Exhibitor Golf Cart Award will go to the individual who accumulates the most points in Jr, Sr, Amateur and/or Youth Working Cow Horse. The Arizona Golden Cowboy is back, challenging all cowboys and cowgirls to test their skills in herd work, Muley steer stopping and Cow Horse. Cushing Performance Horses is sponsoring the popular event with $2,500 added. In addition to cash, the champion will receive a buckle, Reserve wins a saddle pad and third gets a bronc halter.Scores from cutting and cow horse are combined in a quartet of jackpotted Spectaculars. Rogers Heaven Sent Ranch is adding $2,500 to both the Junior and the Senior Spectaculars in 2023. Bob and Becky Grant of Anchor Cross Ranch are throwing $1,000 into the pot for the Amateur Boxing Spectacular and Shadd Parkinson is sponsoring the Amateur with $1,000 added. Champions in both Amateur classes also win a buckle, while reserve takes home a pair of Sun Circuit Spurs.
As if that was not enough incentive for Cow Horse enthusiasts to play at Sun Circuit, saddle awards are on the line for Circuit Champions.
Bob’s Custom Saddles will be awarded in Junior, Senior and Amateur. Jim Taylor Saddles will be awarded in Youth Cow Horse and Amateur Boxing.
There are multiple NSBA Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle futurities too. Gil Galyean Quarter Horses is sponsoring a suite of Western Pleasure futurities. The $2,500 Novice Horse 3 Year Old Pleasure has $1,000 added and the 3 Year Old Western Pleasure also has $1,000 added. There will be a 3 and 4 Year Old Non Pro Pleasure with $500 added as well as a 3 and 4 Year Old Int. Non Pro Western Pleasure with $500 added.
Change gears and check out the 3 and 4 Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle with $1,000 added along with a 3 and 4 Year Old Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle, also with $1000 added. Both are sponsored by Good Better Best and Nancy-Sue Ryan – Show Stop Farm.
Super Sires is back in Scottsdale with a slate of $2,500 added futurities. Horses must be by an eligible Super Sires Stallion and nominated to the Super Sires program. Their offerings include
L1 Jr Western Riding, L1 Sr Western Riding, L1 Jr Trail, L1 Sr Trail and L1 Open Western Pleasure. Super Sires Futurities run concurrent with the respective L1 AQHA class.
The fun and cash is spread around all the arenas. There is $2,000 added to 2D reining jackpots for Junior, Senior and Amateur, along with $1,000 in the Select.The jackpot classes run concurrent with the AQHA classes. Trail Stakes add $2,000 each to 2D jackpots in Junior and Senior and $1,000 to Amateur and Select. Plus there are more golf cart awards in Pleasure, Hunter Under Saddle, Reining and Trail, with a total of 6 carts specifically for Non Pro exhibitors.
Visit SunCircuit.com for all the awards, added money and criteria. You can also find complete class schedules, links to hotel deals and all the latest information.
