The best Quarter Horses and Quarter Horse riders in the state of Kansas have been announced.
Despite many conflicts and serious concerns due to the coronavirus, six 2020 Kansas Quarter Horse Association events did go on.
Calculated for yearend awards were placings from the Prairie Classic, Oklahoma City, February; Cottonwood Classic, Hutchinson, February; Salt City Circuit, Hutchinson, June; Palomino Pre-World Show, Salina, June; Sunflower Slide, Topeka, September; and Hope in The Heartland, Topeka, October.
Information has been provided by Dotty Kester, points coordinator, Hoyt; Chandry Nelson, amateur, Emporia; and Bobbie Hinds, youth, Lawrence.
Certain winners did not want their hometown listed. Publications will only print limited numbers of photos per writing, so only a few photographs of winners have been submitted. Some other yearend winners asked that their photographs not be used.
No competitors qualified for the all-around performance horse award in the open division. To receive that recognition, the horse must acquire a minimum of 25 points each in two or more categories and must have points in a third category.
Jenna Henkensiefken of Topeka and Chippendales Image were the co-champion all-around 13 and under winner. They also claimed two first place youth Western Pleasure yearend division titles as well as winning the youth walk-trot hunt seat equitation category.
Bayleigh Schneider of Culver showed Two Blazin For You to be co-champion all-around 13 and under rider.
Jessica Mzhickteno of Topeka and Shes My Kinda Girl collected both the 14-18 youth around token and the novice youth all-around award. They were first in two youth Western horsemanship divisions, two youth Western pleasure classes, two youth hunter under saddle divisions and two youth hunt seat equitation classes.
SF Ayden Long of Lebanon and Shining Light won the yearend open and youth highpoint performance halter gelding awards. They were also the youth ranch horse conformation winner in addition to collecting both the youth Versatility Ranch Horse (VRH) working ranch horse and ranch cutting awards.
The youth limited VRH award was presented to Caleigh Iwanski showing SF Jackpot.
Amateur all-around honors went to Mark Hickey, Council Grove, showing Royal Cattilion. The horse and rider pair also was honored with the amateur VRH limited all-around award and won ranch trail.
Marty Bloomquist of Tecumseh owns Roosters Special CD winning the open VRH all-around award for 2020. Trained by Matt Lange of Alta Vista, Roosters Special CD won the VRH ranch cutting, ranch cow work and open reining for the year
Amateur yearend highpoint winner was Janislynn Dorris, Yukon, Oklahoma, showing CP President Cahill. The horse-rider team also received the novice amateur yearend highpoint token in addition to placing first yearend in two trail divisions, horsemanship and hunt seat equitation.
Amateur Select highpoint award for those exhibitors 50 years and older was Debbie Priest and Hot Kay Cee. The pair also won the yearend highpoint amateur performance halter horse award as well as winning two Select trail divisions along with both Select Western pleasure and horsemanship.
Highpoint open halter horse for the year was An Obvious Selection, the yearend champion aged gelding, owned by Haley Waddell. Reese Taylor owned by Demi Amore was the yearend champion mare.
Complete yearend awards for the Kansas Quarter Horse Association can be found at www.kqha.com.