Pleasure Versatility Challenge

The seventh annual Pleasure Versatility Challenge, presented by Super Sires, is slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 16, during the 2024 Nutrena and Adequan® Select AQHA World Championship Show at the OKC Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. Spectators won’t want to miss this much-anticipated event that features some of the most talented 3-year-old American Quarter Horses demonstrating their versatility.

The Concept

The American Quarter Horse receives wide acclamation as the most versatile breed in the world. Undeniably, two of the most important disciplines of the American Quarter Horse are conformation and western pleasure. Two highly sought-after talents of an all-around horse are the ability to change leads and navigate trail poles. Blend these four components into an event and you have the Pleasure Versatility Challenge. The event will highlight a well-conformed, athletic western pleasure horse, with a solid base of proper training, that has the potential to transition and become world-caliber in several classes – eventually reaching the level of the highest performing AQHA all-around horses.

The Event

Open to 3-year-olds. The order of “go” will be determined by draw the evening before the Pleasure Versatility Challenge.

Horses are shown, sequentially, in three classes: 1) versatility pattern to count 40 percent, followed by 2) western pleasure to count 40 percent, and finishing with 3) conformation to count 20 percent. Prior to exiting the arena after completion of the versatility pattern, exhibitors will be required to dismount. All exhibitors will be able to mount after the final horse has completed the versatility pattern. Horses remain in the make-up ring, or show pen, for the duration of the event. Horse must show in all classes to receive final placings. The same exhibitor must show the same horse in all classes.

These classes will highlight conformation, form to function, trainability, quality of movement and performance using traditional AQHA class rules. A unique set of four (4) judges will determine placings in each class, with no overlap in judges. All judges will be sequestered until completion of their judging responsibilities. The low judge’s score of each exhibitor will be dropped in all three classes, thereby rewarding excellence. Placings will NOT be announced, or made known to any judge, until the event has been completed.

Objectives

1. Promote superior American Quarter Horses that demonstrate form to function, quality forward movement and trainability.

2. Promote two fundamental AQHA classes, conformation and western pleasure, that serve as the foundation of the American Quarter Horse breed, as well as a pattern class that demonstrates desirable characteristics of the AQHA all-around horse.

3. Promote an AQHA World Championship Show entertainment value event for spectators.

4. Promote a showcase for potential private-treaty sale opportunities as an AQHA all-around horse.

5. Promote an event that is beneficial to the horse industry.