Press Release: For Immediate Release
Contact: Amber Dixson
Phone: 505-356-8541 or 800-635-8036

NM Ag Expo Hosts First Ranch Horse Competition of Season

The 10th annual New Mexico Ag Expo, sponsored by Plateau Wireless and New Mexico Bank & Trust, Feb. 26 - 27, will be hosting the first Working Ranch Horse Competition of the season on Wednesday, Feb. 27 beginning at 10 a.m. in the Special Events Arena at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds in Portales, N.M.

This is the fourth Ranch Horse Association of America (RHAA) sanctioned competition for the Ag Expo and is being sponsored by PNM, Cattle Baron and Bill Johnston Auctioneers. Casey Peacock, chairman of the Working Ranch Horse Committee, is expecting to have a full show and will close the entries at 50 horses.

According to Peacock, entries will be taken the day of the show as long as the horse has proper paper work and the classes have not reached capacity. Membership dues for the Ranch Horse Association of America are $35 and can be paid upon entry.

“RHAA sanctioning allows those entered in this contest that qualify to compete in the RHAA finals," said Peacock.

There will be three classes in the competition, a Junior Class, Senior Class and a cowboy class. According to Peacock, the cowboy class is for competitors who are not members of the Ranch Horse Association of America and has not earned more than $500 in competition.

The Junior and Senior classes are for RHAA members only. However, RHAA rules apply to all classes of competition.

Buckles will be awarded in the Junior and Senior classes to the entrants with the highest number of points.

"A horse that is less than five years old, as of the competition date, is in the Junior Division," said Peacock. "Senior Division horses are five years old and older. Both winners will receive payback as well as added purse," she said. “Payback will be made according to RHAA rules.”

There are no buckle awards in the cowboy class, however payback and tack will be awarded..

The riders may be male or female, recommended 18 years old and above. The entry fee is $75 per horse for the Junior and Senior classes and $50 per horse for the Cowboy class, plus a one time $20 Ranch Horse fee. Riders may enter more than one horse.

Horses must meet certain qualification to enter the competition. They may be either gelding, mare or stallion. The owner must have owned the horse for one year prior to the competition for the Junior and Senior classes. There are no length of time ownership requirements for the Cowboy class.

Horses must have a negative coggins conducted in the last 12 months prior to the competition, along with current health papers or passports. The horse may be any breed registered or non-registered.

Each horse will have six minutes to perform. Time will start when the contestant enters
the arena. The announcer will let the exhibitor know when two minutes remain and when one minute remains.

Specific performance requirements are given for the three categories of work:
Reining/Horsemanship: The horse’s ability to stop and roll back, change leads, and spin in each direction. There will be a designated pattern that will be posted and given to contestants prior to the performance. Contestants can earn up to 30 points in this category.
Cow Work: This category consists of two segments, boxing and holding a cow at the end of the arena, and turning the cow down the fence in both directions. Each segment is worth 15
points.

Roping: A cow will be roped, stopped, and then led far enough to demonstrate horse's ability to pull. Only two loops are permitted. Another 30 points are possible for this category.
Two judges will be scoring the riders and horses for a total of 180 points possible. Peacock said the judges come highly qualified with cutting and reining experience.

"This competition continues to grow and is active throughout many states,” Peacock added. “We’re proud to host the first show and to kick off the RHAA season.”

For more information about the competition or the New Mexico Ag Expo, call the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce at 505-356-8541 or 800-635-8036, by e-mail at chamber@portales.com. or log onto the Expo web site at www.portales.com/expo. For more information about the Working Ranch Horse Competition, contact Casey Peacock by phone at the Chamber of Commerce.