AQHA World Show History

The AQHA World Championship Show debuted in 1974, 34 years after the Association's inception in 1940. The inaugural AQHA World Show was hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, offering classes for open and amateur exhibitors. Interestingly enough, the American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship Show (or American Junior Quarter Horse Association as it was named back then) was first held in 1972. 

Two years later, in 1976, the AQHA World Show moved to the OKC Fairgrounds (formerly known as State Fair Park) in Oklahoma City, its home ever since. 

In 1978, Vickie Lee Pine was named as the first AQHA Superhorse. Jim Brinkman showed the bay mare in aged mares, heading and heeling for owner Howard Pitzer of Ericson, Nebraska. The AQHA Superhorse is the ironman, or ironhorse, title of the show. The title is presented to the horse who earns the most points in three or more events. 

Since Vickie Lee Pine's initial Superhorse win, only a handful of horses have gone on to win the award multiple times. Those special individuals include Rugged Lark (1985, 1987), Itchin Easy (1992, 1993), Snap Krackle Pop (2015, 2016) and Blue Kahlua (2018, 2019). Acadamosby Award holds the record for the most Superhorse titles: 1998, 2000 and 2001. View the full history of AQHA Superhorses.

AQHA added the All-Around Amateur title in 1983, presented to the exhibitor-and-horse team that earns the most points in three or more amateur events during the show. Lu Ann Paul and Melody Zipper hold the place in AQHA history as the first All-Around Amateur champions.

Just a handful of amateurs have won the All-Around Amateur title more than once: Nancy Murfin riding Wells Sport Model (1988, 1989), Nancy Alto Renfro riding Conclusives Bar Cody (1996, 1997), Nicole Barnes riding Zippos Ace Of Spades (2006, 2008) and Julie Cole riding Size Matters (2015, 2016). Itchin Easy was the only horse to earn both Superhorse and All-Around Amateur titles, the latter of which he won in 1993 with Robyn Kaplow. Karen Evans Mundy holds the record for the most titles, eight, and is the only exhibitor to win riding multiple horses: Hes A Honky Tonk Man in 1992, All In Silver in 1994 and 1995, Play My Song in 1999 and 2000, Gifted Circle in 2002, and Ask Me For Details in 2003 and 2004.

In 2015, AQHA added the Level 2 Championships (amateur and open), sponsored by Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan). The Adequan® Level 2 Championships are hosted concurrently with the AQHA World Show.

In addition to special events, such as the:

• Pleasure Versatility Challenge, presented by Terry Bradshaw Quarter Horses

• Western Pleasure Challenge

• Zimeta 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes

• Working western rail classes, sponsored by Headley Quarter Horses

• Nutrena Level 1 western pleasure, western riding, trail, hunter under saddle and ranch riding stakes classes for Level 1-eligible horses

New for 2023, Nutrena will be the new title sponsor for the Nutrena AQHA World Championship Show. The Nutrena AQHA World Championship Show, the industry’s premier event, is the world’s largest and richest championship horse show with more than $2.3 million in prize money and awards. The event honors 99 world championships, 44 Adequan® Select World championships, 85 Adequan® Level 2 championships, 22 AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge Finals championships and 40 Nutrena Level 1 championships.

Learn more about the AQHA World Show. 

AQHA World Show History Timeline

1972
The American Junior Quarter Horse Association hosted the first Youth National Finals in Amarillo. Coupled with the third AJQHA National Convention, this groundbreaking event allowed more than 450 youth entries and a collection of awards valued at more than $25,000.

1974 
The first AQHA World Championship Show was hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, financed by Jerry Office, president and chairman of the board of the Ponderosa Steakhouse restaurant chain. 

During that same year, the Youth National Finals moved to Tulsa, due to outgrowing the facility in Amarillo.

1976 
AQHA opened the bidding process for the World Show and began investigating location options. Oklahoma City Visitors Bureau, the state of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association united to offer a bid AQHA couldn’t refuse. They sold box seats and tickets, and the show boomed with success.

1991
The Youth National Finals moved to Fort Worth, Texas.

2008
The Youth World Show moved to Oklahoma City.

To this day, both shows remain in Oklahoma City, continuing to crown the best American Quarter Horses in the world year after year in the Jim Norick arena.