The Arizona Sun Circuit has always been a show that I followed on social media with the hope to one day attend. When I started making my schedule for this year those two weeks at the beginning of March were circled immediately. This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the show and it did not disappoint. Not only was this my first time at the Sun Circuit, but my first time in Arizona as well. I was in awe of the landscape which was the perfect backdrop to the Equine Chronicle arena. Watching the sun set over the show pen each night was truly something to behold.
The Sun Circuit is home to some amazing awards, and I was fortunate to take part in their presentations. One of the highlights of the show was after the golf carts for the High Point Ranch Exhibitor and High Point Cow Horse Exhibitor were awarded the exhibitors decided to have a race in their brand-new golf carts! Another highlight includes after the 13 and under horsemanship a boot race was organized to win an electric scooter. The race ended in a tie and the tied exhibitors answered equine trivia to break the tie.
Another highlight of the show was the leadline class. I am not sure of the exact amount but there were close to or more than 30 little ones in the class. Not only were they cute but they were excellent little riders. The future of our industry is certainly bright!
The National Championship is another unique feature of the Sun Circuit. Available in the youth, amateur, and select events for showmanship, horsemanship and equitation, the event features the top 64 exhibitors in each event as rated by a panel of trainers and judges. With each round of the class in the normal schedule of the show the total of 64 gets whittled down to just four who compete head-to-head until there is one winner. The energy in the arena while the final two went head-to-head was always electric and the skill of both horse and rider on display was awe inspiring. What was also great to see was that it was not always the top four ranked exhibitors who made it through to the final four demonstrating how close the field of 64 was, which made the competition even more exciting.
I hadn’t been to a show since the World Show, so it felt good be back at a show and to catch up with people who I have met along my travels so far. I also had the opportunity to meet some new people including another queen, Miss California Rodeo Salinas Emily Cullins. It was so nice to catch up with a queen in a similar role and talk about our shared experiences.
When my time at the Sun Circuit came to an end, I definitely was not ready to leave, even less so as there was a snowstorm brewing at home. I can’t thank the Arizona Quarter Horse Association enough for welcoming me. I had a great time! I still can’t believe I have the opportunity to attend these high prestigious equine events and I am so grateful to have the opportunity. Hopefully I will get an opportunity to be back at the Sun Circuit someday soon!
