Ranch Horse Team Wins National Intercollegiate and American Stock Horse Titles

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U of A's ranch horse team, made up of students in animal science, includes Max King, Caitlyn Ferguson, Brianna Keeling and Britnee Lynch, and is coached by assistant Sidney Dunkel and Jordan Shore, head coach and instructor.

The U of A ranch horse team, made up of students in animal science, won two championships in April at ranch and stock horse shows in Texas.

The team won the National Intercollegiate Ranch and Stock Horse Alliance Collegiate Championships Division 2 title in Amarillo, Texas, and the American Stock Horse Association Collegiate National Show Division 2 championship in Sweetwater, Texas.

All four competitors for Arkansas won at least one individual championship.

At the NIRSHA event, Max King was the reserve novice division all-around champion for divisions one and two.

At the ASHA event, King was recipient of the Brian Sumrall Sportsmanship Award, Caitlyn Ferguson the limited non-pro division individual champion and winner of a Bob's Custom Saddle, Brianna Keeling was the reserve limited non-pro division champion and Britnee Lynch the reserve novice division all-around individual champion.

"In our program, we explain to the students that they can be average or above average students," said head coach Jordan Shore. "To be average, you show up and do what you are supposed to. To be above average, you go above and beyond what you are supposed to do. You show up early and you stay late. You do the things people don't want to do in order to gain every advantage you possibly can. You get the job done, no matter what. These students did that and earned what they received."

Sidney Dunkel assists Shore in coaching the team, which is housed in the Department of Animal Science in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

In winning the NIRSHA championship, Shore's team also won the use of a new Hughes Stock Combo Trailer for a year. In Sweetwater, the team was presented the Dr. Don Henneke Memorial Trophy, which goes to the winner of the ASHA collegiate competition.

At the NIRSHA contest, the top three Division 2 teams were Arkansas, Middle Tennessee State University and Clarendon College. At the ASHA championships, the top three were Arkansas, Missouri State University and New Mexico State University.

In the fall, Arkansas won the reserve Division 2 championship at the Stock Horse of Texas World Show.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.