Plains Quarter Horse Association celebrates 48 years

By Tammy Wellnitz

The Plains Quarter Horse Association or PQHA was formed in 1963 when a group of horsemen and women got together to promote their horses. The main goals, at that time, were to market their horses at a fair price and get the word out that there were top quality horses in the area. Another goal was to put on race meets and horse shows in the area.

PQHA started out in the Panhandle of Nebraska, Southwestern Wyoming and Northeastern Colorado with the central location being Scottsbluff, Nebraska. At that time, the area was divided up into five areas with three board members from each area for a total of 15 board members. In the early nineties that was dropped to nine board members and then in the late nineties was dropped to a seven-member board, where it is today.

The Board of Directors in 1963 included President Bob Johnston, Vice President Keith Cross, Secretary-Treasurer George Van Pelt, Rex Hagemeister, Pat Thompson, Bill Archie, Gene Feighny, Bill Coffee and Earl Martin.

Today, the group has moved a little north but still includes the Panhandle of Nebraska with the central location being the Chadron and Gordon areas. There are members from west central Nebraska, and western South Dakota. A few people from eastern Wyoming still attend shows and other events.

The club has seven board members with meetings being held during the year. The 2011 board members are President Celeste Schuhmacher, Chadron; Vice President Rosie Elmore, Hot Springs, SD; Treasurer Glenna Smith, Gordon; Secretary Tammy Wellnitz, Chadron; board members Deb Powell, Hot Springs; Tom Braggs, Gordon; and Janet Landreth, Gordon.

Our goals have changed from horse sales and race meets to putting on area events, which include open horse shows, ranch horse competitions, and the three-day run AQHA show held in Rapid City, South Dakota. We also have had team sortings and competitive trail rides.

The AQHA show was started in the southern Panhandle, and then moved north to the Fort Robinson-Harrison-Crawford area, then only Fort Robinson. It was moved to Torrington, Wyoming for two years, then back to the Fort and has been in Rapid City for the last several years. Volunteers from the club do most of the work at the 3-day run. Classes at the Quarter Horse Show include halter, English and Western classes in novice, amateur and open in both youth and adult. Speed classes and cattle classes have also been held in the past. People from all over the central states area come to these shows.

Every year the PQHA club puts on 3 to 5 open horse shows in the area. These shows are open to all breeds of horses, and all ages of contestants. Over the years in the open shows, we have gone from a more traditional horse show to more of the western classes and classes for ranch horses, since this is a big ranching area and most of the horses are just brought to town for play days.

Members can earn year-end awards by attending at least two shows and accumulating five or more points on the same horse. The top three in each class usually wins awards. Anyone can become a member, with membership dues each year.

Awards are given out at our annual banquet. At the banquet we hold our annual meeting, recognize Member of the Year, Horse of the Year, hold an auction to raise money for the club, and have a really good time with food and friends.

This year we will hold three Open Horse Shows. Our first show was May 30, in Chadron, Nebraska. Our 2nd show was July 31 in Gordon. On September 5, we will travel to Oelrichs, South Dakota. This is starting to be a super show with lots of competitors from western South Dakota. Our classes cost $5.00/each if pre-entered, and $8.00/class the day of the show. We also give out High Point awards at each show. We have a free lead-line class for 3 & 4 year olds, and free Pee Wee Class age 5-7 year olds. Our other age divisions are Junior division age 8-13; Senior division age 14-19; and Adult division 20 and up. Our classes include Halter, Showmanship, English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, Ranch Horse Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Reining, Ranch Horse Reining, In Hand Trail, Trail, Ranch Horse Trail, Junior Horse Showmanship, Pleasure, Trail and Reining, Barrels and Poles.

We follow AQHA rules. The open shows are fun and very relaxed. Fancy clothing is not necessary, with most wearing blue jeans, nice shirt, hat and boots. All breeds of horses are welcome; we even have miniatures do the In-Hand Trail class.

We would like to invite you to bring your horse or horses and come join us for some summer fun. All of our information can be found on our Web site, plainsqha.com or please feel free to contact Celeste Schuhmacher 308-432-3830; Tammy Wellnitz 308-432-3947; Rosie Elmore 605-890-1186 or our show secretary Bob Powell 605-745-7859.

Nebraska 4-H Profile

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Twelve years can bring about a lot of change, growth, and experience for a 4-H member in the horse industry. For Katelyn Sughroue of Bartley, Neb., it has brought her a very long way from showing horses to her Rodeo Queen title in Furnas County.

Katelyn Sughroue / Photo by Peter Hammer

Sughroue is currently a senior at Southwest Public High School. There at Southwest, she participates in speech, track, golf, cross country, and FFA. Her plans include attending college at Colby, Kans., or Curtis, Neb., majoring in Agribusiness. She is also interested in becoming an Animal Geneticist. In the distant future, she plans on returning to the general Bartley area and having a farm, where she’d like to raise cattle and a few horses. Another goal and dream of hers is to ride in the NFR in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Katelyn Sughroue / Photo by Peter Hammer

Sughroue participates in 4-H Barrel Racing, Poles, Trail, Western Pleasure, Halter, and Showmanship. She owns three of her own horses: Bunny, who is a Quarter Horse/Persian; Fancy who is a Quarter Horse; and Coon, who is a Quarter Horse/Morgan. She has never had a trainer ride her horses, but she is very grateful for the help she has had while training her horses from many people, including Jeanie Mueller, Joe Teter, and Darla Ruppert.

Most of the shows Sughroue attends are about 45 minutes away in McCook, Neb. She has been quite successful in her work with horses, earning her quite a few wins. In 2009 she placed 2nd at the NBHA Nebraska State Youth 4D and qualified for the World Championships in Georgia. The next year, she was the NBHA Nebraska State Youth 4D Champion, qualified for World Championships, won Youth 2D District 06 NBHA, and won Open 4D district 06 NBHA. She has also been nominated for 2010 4-H’er of the year and has been treasurer of Rocketeers 4-H club for the past 4 years.

Katelyn Sughroue / Photo by Peter Hammer

Sughroue loves the fact that while teaching horses you can also learn from them. “The way that they know so much and can truly sense your feelings, really amazes me,” she said. “I also love how they have as many different personalities as people do.” When she first started asking her parents to allow her to have a horse, they replied, “We’ve got a four wheeler, ain’t that enough fun for you?”

It all started the summer of her eighth grade year, when she and a friend, Skyler McConville, went out for a ride. It was her first time horse riding. They took a six mile ride that day which was “a lot for a first timer.” Her hard work and dedication have brought her a long way. With the horses at her side, and the friends and family that support her, many more great wins and fun times are yet to come.

When my husband and I first started to show our horse Duns Of Impact we were clueless. When showing AQHA we had to learn fast, and learned don’t be afraid to ask questions. So if you are either showing but have a few questions, or are wanting to get into showing don’t be afraid to ask questions.

First and foremost for your horse to look and do its best it must have the proper nutrition and proper conditioning for the event. No matter the event it takes practice, practice, practice. The saying around here is “If your not practicing your competition is.”

I am that person that has two or three of everything. I have everything in the trailer that I have here at home, as well as a tote that I can take wherever I go. But here is a quick tip… To get that pretty glossy look on your horse’s face I use VO5 for silver hair. It’s cheap, works great, and washes away easily.

What are some tips that you have learned while showing? 

Since the last time I blogged I realized I never really introduced myself. Sorry about that. My name is Jasmine, I’m the mother of two beautiful daughters, and horses have been a part of my life since I can remember. I grew up on a farm with cattle, pigs, and Missouri Fox Trotters. My grandparents took my sister and I on trail rides, while riding at home was a family affair. It wasn’t until my teen years that I got to ride my first quarter horse, Doll was a beautiful bay mare, and I was amazed at her athleticism. Needless to say since then I have been reading, listening, learning, and striving to be a better horseman.

Fast-forward to today most of my time is spent going with my husband to ropings, and raising my daughters. Bailey & Brandi have started to learn how to rope, the oldest had her first open horse show this year, both want to be team ropers and run barrels, but most of all they have learned dedication and responsibility. Yet, at the end of my day I’m still reading, listening, learning, striving to be a better horseman, and teaching my girls along the way.

This is Bailey, my oldest only 4 yrs old, riding Smoke at her first horse show.

As I said before feel free to post about how you became interested in horses, and what you are doing to become a better horseman.