The University of Wyoming ranch horse team had a division champion and tied for another championship among three divisions at the recent American Stock Horse Association regional championships in Denver.
“We just started the ranch horse team in the spring semester, so this is a big deal to have two out of three division champions,” says Amy McLean, team adviser and UW Extension equine specialist.
Students compete in areas that mimic work done with a horse on a working ranch: ranch pleasure, ranch trail, reining and cow work. There are three divisions at the show based upon the student’s level of experience showing: Nonpro, Limited Nonpro and Novice.
Nonpro is the highest category, McLean says. Brian Moore, from Littleton, Colo., won the Nonpro collegiate championship. Lacey Teigen, Laramie, tied for the Limited NonPro collegiate championship. With the tiebreaker was reserve champion. Novice competitors were Paula Guastello, Springfield, Va.; Michelle Jacobs, Morrill, Neb.; and McKensie Harris, Laramie.
The competition promotes a versatile horse and rider, McLean says.
