Q11 World Show Downunder: 12 - 23 April

After dipping their toe in the water for Q10, the AQHA has decided, once again to showcase the Quarter Horse, by running with the same format for Q11. With a Rodeo, Cutting, Campdrafting, Reining and a full Quarter Horse programme, plus AmQHA full show, it will be one show not to miss!

Quadruple points for all the AQHA classes add icing on the cake of what is going to be a most outstanding event in every way. To be held, once again, at AELEC in Tamworth, a most superb venue for a fantastic show from 12 - 23 April.

What is offered is an excitement packed programme that incorporates almost every event at which Quarter Horses excel, as well as offering unprecedented money rewards for AQHA classes and Horsezone are very proud to be one of the sponsors of this prestigious event!

Commencing on Tuesday 12 April will be the Super Cow Horse Challenge. In 2010 this event brought in 122 entries and entries are expected to increase this year. 

The challenge is made up of three phases being cutting, draft and cow work. Only 10 horse rider combinations will contest the final on Friday evening 15 April along with the Koolparoo Classic Invitational Cutting where 10 of the top cutting riders from around Australia have been invited to ride in this event.

The winner will take home a Matt Gaines Signature Cutting Saddle from Martins Saddlery USA.

Also on the Friday evening program is the QH v ASH Indoor Draft Challenge. Will the Stock Horses reign supreme, as they did in 2010, or will the 10 members of the Quarter Horse Team rise to the occasion when they take on the Australian Stock Horse Team in this Indoor Draft Challenge? 

Entry for the night will be a gold coin donation to the Westpac Helicopter Service. Campdraft and Cutting events will be held from Wednesday 13 to Friday 15 April.

These cattle events gave no end of enjoyment to those spectators who came to see the Quarter Horse at it's best in 2010.

Extreme Rodeo action on Saturday 16 March commencing at 7pm with the only professional rodeo to be seen in Tamworth in 2011.

The Australian Professional Rodeo Associations National Finals will be held early April in Queensland, so the newly crowned Pro Rodeo Champions will hit AELEC wearing their new title buckles along with the 2011 Bucking Bull of the Year "Destination Unknown" and his stable mate "Hard Yards", the 2010 Champion Bucking Bull, this will be the only time these pair will be seen in Tamworth this year.  

The 2010 Bareback Horse of the Year "Rambling Angel" will also feature in the line up of World Class bucking stock presented at the Q11 Pro Rodeo.

Tickets available through Tamworth Tourism 02 6767 5300

From the 17 - 23 April a full Quarter Horse program is on offer in the indoor arena. Reining, Halter, Dressage and Western Performance events. Trophy buckles on all events and the prize money purse has increased since last year.

The programme offers $100 for each Open AQHA Halter class winner, and the Champion of each sex and $50 for Reserve Champion. The Select Amateurs can look forward to $500 in prize money for most of their performance classes, while the Amateurs will be riding for either $500 or $1,000 in the majority of their performance events.

The Open AQHA Performance classes boast prize money of $1,500 on the Pleasures, Hunter Under Saddle and Trail classes. With the entry fees kept to a minimum, these classes are sure to be hotly contested for the National Champion title in each event, and the purse.

The traditional classes of Dressage and Hacking also have prize money of $500 in each division.

Reining Australia will be running a full Reining programme on Sunday 17 and Monday 18 April, and included in this will be the AQHA reining classes.

The Australian Quarter Horse Association offers a complete Youth and Amateur program at Q11. Places on the Trans Tasman Youth and Amateur teams are up for grabs at Q11 with the successful team members travelling to New Zealand in October 2011 to compete against the New Zealand Teams in a variety of equine disciplines.

This Trans Tasman Challenge between NZ and Australia is a bi annual event. All enquiries 02 6762 6444.

Judges for Q11 include:

• Cutting – Pamela Scott USA, Brian Cadden AUS
• All Age Working Cow Horse and Reining – Pamela Scott USA
• 2 Handed Cutting - Brian Cadden AUS,
• Indoor Draft - TBA and
• Down the Fence Cow Work - Pam Scott USA
• National Events – Pamela Scott USA and Mario Boisjoli USA

CLICK HERE for the Q11 Programme and HERE to visit the AQHA website for more information.

Photos: courtesy of Glen Mandl & AQHA