Not even a week after attending the SCQHA Southern Gold Classic, it was time to pack and fly out to Phoenix for the Arizona Sun Circuit. This trip marked my first time attending the Sun Circuit, as well as my first visit to the Southwest. Packing felt a little easier this time; I started to learn some tricks after packing the queen's wardrobe a time or two. I even left a little room in my suitcase since I knew I would likely come home with souvenirs. My trip started with a later flight, leaving Wilmington, NC around 3pm. I connected through Chicago IL, where I met with my mom who also had a layover. We met up in the airport and ate dinner at an Italian restaurant before continuing to Phoenix. After more than eight hours of travel, we finally arrived - but the journey was not over yet. Unfortunately, we were met with a two-hour wait for a rental car and didn’t get to the hotel till after 1am. I am thankful that this ended up being the only hiccup of the trip and everything that followed was absolutely worth it.
The next morning, we headed to WestWorld after a quick fuel up at Starbucks. The facility is massive, and it took us a minute to find the showgrounds since they also had a rodeo going on at the same time. While exploring, I even had the chance to meet a few of the local rodeo queens. Rodeo and western culture are definitely popular in the Southwest! I started the day by walking around and checking out the vendors. It was great to see so many familiar booths, including several Congress Queen contest sponsors. I was soon found by my friend Penny King, who I got to know while working awards at the Congress. Penny gave us a tour of the grounds and tracked down a golf cart for us, which happened to be a six-seater which we termed ‘the limo’.
Penny let me take the reins for the awards presentations, and I got started with western versatility, a new class for the Sun Circuit and one that I’ve enjoyed watching grow the past year. Following this class, they also introduced a youth versatility challenge, where youth took part in a framework of classes similar to the versatility challenge at the world show. The class began with western pleasure, transitioned to a versatility pattern, and then wrapped up with halter. The awards were unlike any I have presented before, including a TV, a Blackstone grill, and Yeti coolers. In another pen, I had the privilege of presenting awards for the NSBA 3/4-Year-Old Non-Pro Pleasure, the NSBA 3-Year-Old Novice Horse Pleasure, and the NSBA 3/4-Year-Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle.
That evening, I also had the chance to watch the NSBA Non Pro Ranch Horsemanship, a new class aimed to focus on the exhibitor’s ability to ride through practical ranch maneuvers. It was especially cool to watch against the backdrop of a stunning Arizona sunset. After a full day, my mom and I opted for a casual dinner nearby and enjoyed a relaxed evening.
The next morning was an early one, because it was time to get ready for arguably one of the most important classes of the horse show: the leadline. This class was huge with over 20 kiddos participating. I brought along some Congress souvenirs to hand out as they were warming up and had the joy of presenting each kid with a giant stuffed pony after their class.
Later in the day, I presented awards for the West Coast Breeders classes and had the honor of awarding buckles to the National Champion Horsemanship and Equitation winners across Youth, Amateur, and Select divisions. This unique event features a tournament-style format, putting top riders head-to-head in an exciting matchup. That evening, we visited Old Town Scottsdale, where we enjoyed dinner while overlooking the area. One of the most fascinating parts of the experience was seeing driverless cars operating like Ubers. There were so many of them!
On the final day of Sun Circuit, I spent the morning presenting awards, doing some last-minute shopping, and helping in the awards office. It was so rewarding to see the excitement on exhibitors’ faces as they picked up their circuit awards. From the beginning of the trip, I knew I wanted to explore more of Arizona’s natural beauty. On a recommendation, we took a drive out to Cave Creek to see some of the surrounding desert landscapes. The scenery was breathtaking and filled with towering saguaro cacti, mountain ranges, and distinctive desert homes. We stopped at a nearby park to take in the views and see the local wildlife. It is surreal just how different their landscape is, and it makes you appreciate all the greenery we have on the east coast. We ate an old local restaurant called Harold’s Cave Creek Corral. All the food we ate over the weekend was so delicious!
The next morning, we had an early flight where I again flew to Chicago and then back to Wilmington. On the way back, I got some beautiful views of the city line of Chicago and then of the coast of Wrightsville beach. When I got home, I felt a little remorseful after being at such a wonderful show. With a few weeks to recharge, I am looking forward to the spring show season as it quickly approaches.
Ashlyn Gonzalves
2025 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen
