One hundred four riders from throughout Kansas competed in the recent state show of the Kansas Western Horseman’s Association (KWHA).
A KWHA Fund Raiser Barrel Race actually kicked off three days of activities, September 2-4, 2022, at Bar K Bar Arena in Lyons.
State show committee was Garett Windholz, Perry Owens, Jeff Henderson, Norleen Knoll, and Diane Kuhn.
Jolene Younger and Diane Kuhn were the office team while Tonya Kohr served as points auditor. KWHA secretary Renee Nichols also assisted with points tabulations and reported the show results.
Friday evening barrel racing winners included Rhonda Beecher, Riata Styker, Gretchen Spitz, Taycie Wikum, Jensen Miner, and Colby Kriss.
Pleasure, horsemanship, and reining events were Saturday morning, Sept. 3, with Beth Hecht serving as the judge.
Event winners included: Kinzie Sharp, lead line; Kelly Owens, walk-trot; Ava Graf, 1-9 horsemanship; Lily Basgall, 10-13 horsemanship; Jensen Miner, 14-17 horsemanship; Morgan Randle, women Western pleasure; Linda Sanders, senior women Western pleasure; Ethan Rundle, men Western pleasure; and Perry Owens, senior men Western pleasure.
Class 16, flag race, 1-9, started speed events for seven age divisions in 10 events plus five team events. Head judge was Norleen Knoll with Guy Forell as the announcer.
Top time in junior and senior divisions in each speed event received $25 cash awards with working awards to top six riders in each age division.
Benton Hrabe on Chyna was highpoint overall rider claiming nine of the 10 speed events while running second in both the key race and reining He had the top senior time in two-barrel flag race with 10.461.
Placing through sixth in the men highpoint competition were Jared Scheck, Brian Kuntz, Kegan Vanover, Jeff Boeger, and Ethan Rundle.
Jeff Griffey rode Stetson to be highpoint in senior men winning six events including reining, and he had the top senior time in the key race with 10.764.
Additional rankings for senior men highpoint: Ross Clouston, Randy Wells, Perry Owens, Frank Buchman, and Matt Park.
KWHA president Kelly Forell riding Emmy claimed seven senior top speed event stipends. Included were speed barrels, 10.558; polo turn, 12.541; figure 8 stake race, 18.046; pole bending, 23.999; straight barrels, 24.792; barrel and stake race, 34.53; and flag race, 10.277.
Forell and Emmy were highpoint riders in the senior women division followed by Pamela Thompson, Roberta Jarvis, Deena Humphrey, Tammy Clouston, and Renee Nichols.
Tally Ann Klitzke rode Presley to win six speed events enroute to collecting her first KWHA state show women highpoint title.
Next in order in that division were Vinita Baker, Heather Vanover, Cheyenne Newberg, Terra Blackwill and Morgan Rundle. Heather Vanover had the top senior Half 8 Race times of 11.11
First runner-up highpoint in her age division, Chloe Purinton claimed top time awards in five 14-17 speed events. Included were: figure 8 stake race, 18,050; key race, 10.68; half 8 race, 10.725; barrel and stake race, 33.805; and flag race, 10.363.
Jensen Miner on BB was the highpoint 14-17 rider claiming four firsts including top junior straight barrels time 25.312 as well as on top time teams for western relay and pair sack race.
Placing third highpoint in 14-17 s events was Alaura Crockett and Hada recording top junior times in two-barrel flag race, 11.883; speed barrels, 10.735; and polo turn, 12.551.
Emma Schmidtberger and Blue had the top junior pole bending time 25.389, and was third runner-up 14-17 highpoint. Fourth runner-up 14-17 was Colby Kriss, with Emily Cheek fifth runner-up while having the top time junior two-barrel flag race 11.883.
Tylia Batson rode Mare to be highpoint 10-13 rider followed by Bailee Hoffman, Stevie Batson, Lily Basgall, Chloe Gillespie and Kim Tucker.
Winning five events, Harper Truan and Fancy were the 1-9 highpoint winner followed by Ava Graf and Mowgli with the top time in graduated barrel and stake 36.009.
Ranking next in order for the 1-9 division were Kyland Vanover, Colton Sharp, Blaze Straight, and Taylen Butler.
Teaming with Jensen Miner in the pair sack race was Jared Scheck to record a time of 10.729. Jeff Boeger and Brian Kuntz won the rescue race with 12.518.
Western relay winning team with Jensen Miner included Renee Nichols, Jared Scheck, and Cameryn Kinderknecht had 56.265. Kegan Vanover and Jarret Riedel won the devils cowhide in 11.55.
In the top time challenger, seniors had the fastest time in seven of the 10 speed events to beat the juniors’ three wins.
It was an inspirational patriotic grand entry with cowboys and cowgirls on parade displaying colors of the nation, state and saddle clubs opening ceremonies Sunday morning.
Honored for sportsmanship were Colby Kriss, junior, and Greg Tucker, senior. Caught You Being Good Awards were presented to Gina Reidel, Will Tucker, Jeff Schlyer, Emma Schmidtberger, Alaura Crockett, Jared Reidel, and Tylie Batson.
Wyatt Schmidtberger was recipient of the President’s Above and Beyond Award. Patriotic Awards went to Nicole Dreiling, junior, and Camisha Stevenson, senior.
Stall decorating awards were presented to Blaize Straight, one to nine; Temprence Straight, 10-13; Nicole Dreiling, 14-17; Camisha Stevenson, women; and Jordan Hoesli, men.
Winners in the foot race were first, The Country Folk, Ava Graf, Kim Tucker, Emily Cheek, and Triston Boxum-Charles; and second, The Accelerators: We’ve Got the Runs, Harper Truan, Chloe Gillespie, Jarret Riedel, and Jared Scheck.
Linda Jurgensen won the horse show survival kit drawing. Early Bird Sponsor Sales Incentive awards went to juniors, Kelly, Mesa, and Mercy Owens, and senior, Brian Kuntz.
Additional special events during the state show were balloon toss, silent auction, dance, and spaghetti supper.
Yearend KWHA awards banquet is at the Hilton Garden Inn, Salina, on October 29. Information can be found at www.kwhaonline.com.
CUTLINES
Big winner at the Kansas Western Horseman’s Association state show in Lyons was Benton Hrabe on Chyna. Highpoint men rider, he was highpoint overall contestant claiming nine of his 10 speed events while placing second in both the key race and reining. (KWHA photo)
KWHA president Kelly Forell riding Emmy claimed seven senior top speed event stipends enroute to being the highpoint women contestant. (KWHA photo)
It was an inspirational patriotic grand entry with cowboys and cowgirls on parade displaying colors of the nation, state and saddle clubs opening ceremonies Sunday morning at the Kansas Western Horseman’s Association (KWHA) state show in Lyons. (KWHA photo)
Many A Boobie Prize Takes Wannabe Cowboy
Long Ride To Be Oldest State Show Participant
From riding a red wooden rocking horse to the divan armrest to grocery store broomsticks. All the wannabe cowboy ever wanted was a real horse.
Mom and Dad insisted there must be a place to keep one and some way to pay for it.
Finally, two acres in the city limits were purchased with two bred Hampshire gilts to hopefully cover costs. Lifetime story revealed when one sow came up empty and the other had twins.
Then, Dad bought Spot at a farm sale in 1962, and Frankie had a horse. The gentle old mare was ridden around and around the block every day.
When the Santa Fe Trail Riders Saddle Club announced there would be a Kansas Western Horseman’s Association (KWHA) show, Spot just had to be entered.
Wooden bushel baskets were set up in the north one-acre pasture and Spot was “trained” the barrel race.
It cost a dollar to enter the barrel race, and last entry of four on the sheet was Spot.
Contestants were called and, “oh my gosh,” three barrels were set up in a straight line for the barrel race.
That wasn’t the barrel race Spot had been practicing every night for weeks.
She kind of knew the “cloverleaf,” where barrels were set in a cloverleaf pattern. That’s the only barrel race her wannabe cowboy owner-rider had ever seen or heard about.
Entries were closed so no getting out of it at that point. Spot was the final runner and got last place receiving a white rosette ribbon still hanging on the bedroom wall. First of a lifetime of horseshow booby prizes.
Never deterred, never very successful, wannabe cowboy kept trying year after year, decade after decade.
Several average, or even possibly better, horses were owned over time collecting a few tokens. Still mostly out of the money, often last place, due to jockey error; wannabe cowboy wasn’t ever a very good pilot.
Riding hundreds of customer horses, raising two dozen colts annually, judging horseshows nationwide, claiming an occasional ribbon, wannabe cowboy kept trying. Never talented, but energetic and determined in those olden days.
Participating in two horse shows a week throughout this summer in a half-dozen associations, wannabe cowboy went the full circle.
Upon coaxing from a previous riding customer, now longtime friends, wannabe cowboy started riding in Kansas Western Horseman’s Association (KWHA) shows this year.
Qualified in every running event, the wannabe cowboy didn’t think it was worth the effort and cost to get more booby prizes at the state KWHA show.
Those persuasive friends insisted: “You just have to go. You’ll have a good time.”
So, wannabe cowboy loaded up his talented homebred 22-year-old palomino gelding Cody and headed to Lyons.
First event out, wow, second place in the flag race against all of those “toughies.” But experience verifies starting with a respectable run is sign things can go south quickly.
Cody did his part, but the now old fat pot gut humpback wannabe just wasn’t cowboy enough.
Ending up placing in six of ten events, the wannabe cowboy got the most attention for being the oldest rider there.
No plans for quitting now, just keep getting on and trying not to embarrass good horses too much.
CUTLINE
Kelly Forell, president of the Kansas Western Horseman’s Association (KWHA), presented Frank Buchman, Alta Vista, with a gift card for being the oldest participant in the KWHA state show at Lyons.
