The Versatility Ranch Horse competition promotes the athletic ability and versatility of the American Quarter Horse as demonstrated in six classes – ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch reining, ranch cow work, ranch cutting and ranch conformation. There are divisions for open, amateur, cowboy and youth. For complete rules and regulations, refer to the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations.
Needing a little more clarity? Refer to the common questions FAQ.
The Classes
- Ranch Riding – For ranch riding classes, horses show individually, and the class can be conducted inside or outside an arena. In this class, judges are looking for relaxed, responsive horses with soft and cadenced gaits. The horse should make timely transitions in a smooth and correct manner, plus the horse should be soft in the bridle and yield to contact.
- Ranch Trail – Obstacles found in a ranch trail pattern are approximate to those found during the course of everyday work. Judges are looking for a well-trained, responsive and well-mannered horse that can correctly navigate and negotiate the course, and to do so in a correct and efficient manner. Rule SHW561 outlines the class, including prohibited and mandatory obstacles.
- Ranch Reining – Ranch reining measures the ability of the stock horse to perform basic handling maneuvers. This class can be held with or separate from the ranch cow work class; if the two are held together, they are still scored and placed as individual classes. This what the judges are looking for in ranch reining: “To rein a horse is not only to guide him but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely.”
- Ranch Cow Work – When it comes to the ranch cow work class, riders have the choice between ranch cow work or limited ranch cow work for youth and amateur exhibitors, where riders are allotted one minute and thirty seconds to complete the work. There are four parts to the limited ranch cow work: boxing the cow; setting up the cow and driving it down the fence to the opposite end of the arena; boxing it at the opposite end of the arena; and drive the cow back down the fence past the middle marker. For ranch cow work, there are three parts to the class: boxing, fence work and roping or circling. The horse and rider must accomplish all three parts in three minutes.
- Ranch Cutting – This class is judged on the ability of the horse to work a cow by separating it from the herd and holding it to demonstrate the horse’s ability to work the cow. A single cow is cut from the herd and the horse must demonstrate its ability to work the cow. The ideal VRH Ranch cutting horse should have a natural ranch horse appearance from head to tail in each maneuver. Exhibitors have a two-minute limit.
- Ranch Conformation – To be eligible to compete in the ranch conformation class, the horse must be shown in at least two classes of the other categories the day of the show. Judges are looking for balanced, structurally correct horses with adequate muscling. You’ll need to show your horse in a good working halter – rope, braided, nylon or plain leather – exhibit your horse at a walk and trot, then line up for inspection by the judge.
The Divisions
- Open – Anyone with a current AQHA or AQHYA membership is eligible to show an American Quarter Horse in open competition. Open competition is usually for the most experienced exhibitors, trainers and professional horsemen but many amateur and youth members can be tough competitors as well. Open division classes may be offered for junior and senior horses. If you are an amateur member, you must still follow those ownership guidelines.
- Cowboy – The cowboy division is for working ranch cowboys who are full-time employees of a working ranch. The horse must be owned by a family member or the full-time employee of the ranch. Employees must have been employed for a minimum of 90 days prior to competing in the Ranching Heritage Challenge.
- Amateur – American Quarter Horse owners who do not join the professional ranks may enjoy a full spectrum of competition in the amateur division.
- Limited Amateur - Eligibility for the limited amateur division is not restricted, except that exhibitors must meet amateur membership requirements. There is no cap on points or money earned by either horse or exhibitor.
- Rookie Amateur - The exhibitor must have earned no more than ten (10) lifetime points in any breed association (including but not limited to AQHA, APHA, AQHA VRH All Around); or $500 in a national organization (including but not limited to NCHA, NRCHA, NRHA, RHAA, NRSHA, NSBA) in any western performance discipline (western pleasure, working cow horse and boxing, western riding, reining, cutting, trail, ranch riding, ranch trail, western horsemanship, VRH ranch riding, VRH ranch trail, VRH ranch reining, VRH ranch cow work, and VRH ranch cutting.) Accuracy of eligibility is the responsibility of the exhibitor, eligibility is from January 1 - December 31 of the show year.
- Youth – Exhibitors 18 years of age or younger (age as of January 1) may show in this division.
- Limited Youth- Eligibility for the limited youth division is not restricted, except that exhibitors must meet youth membership requirements. There is no cap on points or money earned by either horse or exhibitor.
- Rookie Youth - The exhibitor must have earned no more than ten (10) lifetime points in any breed association (including but not limited to AQHA, APHA, AQHA VRH All Around); or $500 in a national organization (including but not limited to NCHA, NRCHA, NRHA, RHAA, NRSHA, NSBA) in any western performance discipline (western pleasure, working cow horse and boxing, western riding, reining, cutting, trail, ranch riding, ranch trail, western horsemanship, VRH ranch riding, VRH ranch trail, VRH ranch reining, VRH ranch cow work, and VRH ranch cutting.) Accuracy of eligibility is the responsibility of the exhibitor, eligibility is from January 1 - December 31 of the show year.
Points, Awards and VRH World Qualifying
Points earned in individual classes count toward qualifying for the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships. For AQHA year-end high-point awards, all-around versatility ranch horse titles are tracked. (In other words, high-points will not be awarded on the class-by-class basis).
All-around versatility ranch horse titles are awarded at every VRH show to the high-placing horse-and-rider team in the open, cowboy, amateur and youth divisions. To be eligible, the duo must enter and show in a minimum of three categories – at least one cattle class (ranch cow work), conformation, plus at least one of the additional classes (ranch riding, ranch trail or ranch reining). See Rule SHW555 for more details.