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The American Quarter Horse Journal December 21, 2011
Starting in 2012, Trail Challenges will become a new competition for recreational riders.
Next year, the American Quarter Horse Association is proud to host new Trail Challenges for all equine breeds. A Trail Challenge is a judged course that tests a horse and rider’s ability to work as a team and navigate through natural obstacles they might experience on a trail. The purpose of a Trail Challenge is to enhance the horsemanship skills riders need while encouraging education, safety and fun on the trail.
There are generally six to 16 obstacles in any given Trail Challenge, depending on the land and terrain of the host location. A judge or judges (determined by the amount of obstacles) are located throughout the course evaluating a rider’s skills to maneuver his horse through the obstacle. Each horse and rider team starts out with a value of 70 and then gains or loses points, depending on their ability to navigate the course. The partnership with the highest overall value is declared the Trail Challenge winner in each division.
AQHA will recognize an all breed division as well as an American Quarter Horse division at each trail challenge. Every division will include a youth and adult category. Within each division there are three levels:
Riders will compete for a 1st-10th placing and must be an AQHA or AQHYA member in order to participate. Those aboard American Quarter Horses will have the chance to earn Trail Challenge Merits to be put on the horse’s permanent AQHA record. Ride in a Trail Challenge and discover a new partnership with your horse.
For more information, go to www.aqha.com/riding.
AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal or America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.