American Quarter Horses take center stage Sunday, January 8 on NBC Sports Television at 4 p.m. Eastern/1 p.m. Pacific for the Ford/AQHA Western World Championships presented by Fort Dodge. The one-hour special is based at a portion of the FedEx open competition at the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Oklahoma City and highlights the cutting and reining competitions along with other features.
“We are excited to have the American Quarter Horse and the AQHA World Show brought to the viewing public on NBC,” said Bill Brewer, AQHA Executive Vice President. “NBC Sports has made great strides in expanding its programming to include more equestrian events and this project will show why the American Quarter Horse is known as the most versatile breed in the world.”
Two of the most popular and growing events – cutting and reining – will have a dominant presence in the show. Cutting, the two-and-one-half minute battle of horse versus cow will feature the junior competition for horses aged 5 years and younger. In cutting, horses must keep a single cow away from the herd. Cutting horses must stay one step ahead of the cow, using fast reflexes and quick moves. Top riders Bill Riddle, Faron Hightower, Phil Rapp and Carlos Banuelos will be featured.
Reining, which has been compared to figure skating because of required maneuvers, will highlight the senior competition for horses aged 6 years and older. Reining horses perform sliding stops, fast circles and precise spins, showcasing the American Quarter Horses’ athletic ability. The exciting runs of top competitors Todd Crawford, Shawn Flarida, Todd Bergen and Matt Mills will be featured.
The program includes veteran sports announcer Tim Ryan and former jockey-turned reporter Donna Brothers along with analyst AQHA Professional Horseman Robbie Boyce of Jacksboro, Texas.
