Ranch classes have been proving to have ever-increasing participation and popularity in recent years and NSBA has grown with this phenomenon. The NSBA World Championship Show hosted its first Ranch class in 2013, with additional offerings added in the following years.

A Three Year Old Ranch Riding Futurity class was added in 2023, and this year, the NSBA Show Your Colors provided the show’s first Ranch Horsemanship class to exhibitors.

“I was excited to see our inaugural Ranch Horsemanship class,” noted NSBA Past President Leslie Lange. “It was a test class, and we had 14 entries in it.

"Everyone was super excited about it and everyone that did it had fun. We have a vision for it. The emphasis was more on how you get your horse to do something than what they do. It’s going to be another class for someone to do in the Ranch division.”

Carly Estriech-Lueck was named the champion of the inaugural Non-Pro Ranch Horsemanship class. “I showed Smooth Cat Man, and we call him Little Red,” Carly said. “My trainer, Leslie Lange, told me about the class about a month ago and encouraged me to show in it. It wasn’t even on my radar and it sounded interesting to me. In the beginning we weren’t sure how it would be judged and so I had suggested that we have an exhibitors’ meeting at the NSBA World Show to talk through it.
 
The pattern included an extended trot, 360 spin, back, a 90 degree turn, half circle trot, trot logs, loping a square pattern with a walk transition to a lead change to an extended lope that transitioned to a collected lope with another turn and sidepass.
 
“It was very similar to a Ranch Riding pattern, but judged more on your position somewhat, but more of how you were going to be effectively riding your horse through the maneuvers,” Carly explained. “For example, if your horse makes a mistake and you fix it, that could be credit earning. You’re showing that as a horseman that you realize what is happening and you know how to fix it.

“Everyone I have talked to that showed in the class was very excited for the class and can’t wait to see where it goes. It will give the Non-Pros another class to show in, but something different.”

Carly came from a traditional All Around background. “I grew up doing Horsemanship, Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle and Trail,” she said. “I’ve been doing the Ranch classes for about seven years now. I love the Ranch community and the environment. Everyone is so friendly, everyone is cheering everyone on and it’s a much more relaxed environment, but yet the competitiveness is still there.”

New Ranch Breeders Championship Futurity

A huge addition to the NSBA World Show and Breeders Championship Futurity for the Ranch division is already underway with the addition of the Ranch Breeders Championship Futurity program. The Ranch BCF division will host its first classes at next year’s NSBA World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity with a Breeders Championship Futurity Three Year Old Open Ranch Riding Futurity.
 
The initial year of the program will have a projected $10,400 purse. In 2027, Four Year Old Open Ranch Riding, Four Year Old Open Ranch Rail, Four Year Old Non-Pro Ranch Riding and Four Year Old Non-Pro Ranch Rail will be added. During the 2028 NSBA World Championship Show, Five Year Old Open Ranch Riding, Ranch Rail and Ranch Trail as well as Five Year Old Non-Pro Ranch Riding, Non-Pro Ranch Rail and Non-Pro Ranch Trail will be added, and in 2029, the Five Year Old classes will become Five and Six Year Old events to complete the division. When the division is complete, a projected purse of nearly $50,000 would be available to the Ranch BCF division.

A total of 17 classes will be offered during the Ranch Breeders Championship Futurity once established in 2029.

How To Enroll

To participate in the Ranch Breeders Championship Futurity program, a horse must be sired by a stallion nominated to the Ranch BCF program for the offspring’s yearling year. Stallion owners have the opportunity to nominate their stallions into the new division this year for an introductory nomination fee of $500, which will make their 2023 and 2024 foal crops eligible for the new Ranch Breeders Championship Futurity division.
 
Breeders and foal owners can begin enrolling their 2023 and 2024 foals this year for an introductory enrollment fee. Following the introductory year, stallion nomination and foal enrollment will follow an annual schedule. Nominated BCF Ranch stallions will be listed on the NSBA website and will specify each year of participation.

Ranch Rider Reaction

“With the growing popularity of the Ranch discipline, there is more of a need to break down the ages into more classes, and we’re starting to develop young horses specifically for this discipline,” noted Steve Meadows.
 
“In the beginning we were buying horses from the Reining or Reined Cow Horse disciplines, and now developing these young horses specifically for Ranch has become a big thing. Most of the major shows that we go to now are having three year old futurities and four and five year old derbies for Open and Non-Pro. It’s the progression of the discipline, and I welcome that. NSBA is doing a great thing by starting a breeders incentive program for the Ranch horses. I feel like it’s going to take right off.”

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for NSBA when it comes to it’s ability to be inclusive of all disciplines,” commented Bud Lyon. “That’s especially true for our discipline in Ranch. It’s really no secret that it’s probably become the fastest growing Western discipline, and it has evolved exponentially over the past few years.
 
“We’re very appreciative of the efforts NSBA has taken to help grow this segment of the industry. We want to see it continue to grow and provide opportunities for the young horses and the young stallions that we’re showing, and for our Non-Pro exhibitors too.”

Butch Campbell has watched the growth of Ranch events. “We’re starting to see a lot of futurities for the Ranch horses and it’s going to be a full-scale program,” he noted. “I can see us bringing so many people and horses into the futurities. I think there is going to be a lot of places for horses and riders to do well. And our Youth with the new Horsemanship class, I think that is a great thing too. I think it’s all going down the right avenue.”

Exhibitors are looking forward to the new events.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to be able to show in more Ranch classes, and the opportunity to earn more money for our owners and breeders too,” added Elizabeth Yoder.
“The new classes are a reflection of the growth of the Ranch division,” added Cody Crow. “We’re always excited to have additional events to show in, for ourselves and for our clients.”

Jimmy Daurio views the developments as both an exhibitor and a stallion owner. He added “It’s very exciting to see the growth in the Ranch division. This is such a growing discipline and the new classes, especially once we start to have all the added money, are going to make it that much more appealing.

“We’re also excited to be able to bring yearlings to the NSBA Markel Insurance Breeders Championship Futurity Yearling Sale in the future. It’s going to help us not only make horses eligible for even more money, but help us and other stallion owners like us be able to showcase our stallions.”

Melvin and Elizabeth Yoder compete and coach both Ranch and All Around horses and clients. "I love how forward-thinking NSBA is and the fact that they are always taking new ideas and always trying to expand," Elizabeth said. "For some of our customers that are breeders, it's a great incentive for them to enroll their stallions and also to have foals enrolled, and be able to go through the sale and go for the sale graduate money. I think it's great for the value of our ranch horses."

"We also appreciate having the separate three year old Ranch classes. It's hard to show a three year old against the four and five year olds in the Junior classes because you're more cautious with the younger horses until they have more experience," added Melvin. "It's very important for our young horses to have their own class to shine." 

Learn more about the Ranch Breeders Championship Futurity program at nsba.com/ranch-bcf..

About NSBA

Established in 1983, National Snaffle Bit Association has expanded from its roots in the Western Pleasure discipline to recognize various disciplines and eight breed associations in competition. NSBA’s mission is to grow the show horse community through various equine programs and events where every activity benefits horses, breeders, owners and exhibitors alike.

National Snaffle Bit Association has more than 20,000 active members and more than 44,000 registered horses across its eight alliance breed organizations. NSBA members earn more than $13.5 million in monetary awards at NSBA-sanctioned horse shows annually, and the association sanctions nearly 600 horse show events and close to 200,000 horse show entries each year.

To learn more about NSBA, please visit nsba.com.
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