Champion
L to R: Kelly Adkins, Ken Adkins, Jody Simper, Oak Simper, Stuart Thompson, Stihl Semper, Marty Simper, John Sheppard, Dan Fox. Courtesy photo.
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Reining
Super Select Reining Champion
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Stuart Thompson wins Super Select Championship in Reining at the 2022 AQHA Championship
by Pinedale Online!
December 13, 2022
Stuart Thompson, of Pinedale, Wyoming, competed in the 2022 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Championship in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma November 1-17, 2022. Much to his surprise, he won a Super Select Championship in Reining and Super Select Reserve Championships in both Western Riding and Western Horsemanship.
He rode Custom Melody Jac in the Super Select Championship and A Glow In the Pines in Western Riding and Western Horsemanship. His horse A Glow In the Pines was also a Level Two Select Finalist in Western Pleasure.
Competing at age 75, this was Stuart’s first AQHA World Championship Show. There were over 7500 other competitors from all over the world at the event. He was competing at the Amateur Super Select level, for ages 70 and older. He turned 76 right after the last day of the 2022 AQHA World Championship Show on November 20th. One of his horses was 22 years old.
To qualify for the World Show, Thompson spent a year successfully competing in AQHA affiliated shows in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah during the qualifying period. Thompson would like to acknowledge Professional Horsemen Marty and Jody Simper of Simper Performance Horses from Elwood, Utah, a long-time helper of Sublette County 4H equine programs. Dan Fox of Fox Creek Ranches, from Chino, California, John Sheppard Professional Horseman from Delaware, and Ken and Kelly Adkins of K & A Quarter Horses from Scarbro, West Virginia for their support, encouragement and help as he trained for the events.
Stuart has been a sponsor of an open show with the Wind River Riders 4H Club for over 20 years. He also has been a sponsor of the Wyoming Quarter Horse Association’s Cowboy Summer Classic in Douglas, Wyoming, and the Sweetwater Classic in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
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