Show History
History of the AQHA VRH World
The first AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships was held in 2008 in Denver during the National Western Stock Show. The event then relocated in 2011 to Houston during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. From 2012 to 2017, the VRH World was held together with the AQHA Cowboy Mounted Shooting World Championships.
During Fall 2017, AQHA solicited host-site bids for the VRH World in 2018. After reviewing exhibitor survey results, carefully evaluating submitted bids and much discussion, the AQHA Executive Committee has made the decision to move the location and dates of the show.
The 2018 VRH World was held June 13-17 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, in conjunction with the AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge Finals, AQHA Cattle Level 1 Championships and the inaugural National Ranch and Stock Horse Alliance National Championships.
The 2019 events were held again at the Lazy E Arena, June 18-23, featuring 2,310 entries, 411 exhibitors and 399 horses competing for a total purse including awards of nearly $210,000. Entries for each show are as follows:
- VRH World – 1,341
- RHC Finals – 123
- Cattle Level 1 – 243
- NRSHA Championships – 603
The 2020 AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships and concurrent events – originally slated for June 23-27 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma – were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.