The APHA World Show in Texas and Woodside Slide in California headlined the past weeks’ Western performance horse news, and this week, a brief slowdown in events gives way to heavy hitters including the NCHA Summer Spectacular, NRCHA Hackamore Classic in Tulsa and The Run For A Million in Las Vegas.
But before we get into what’s ahead, let’s see who capitalized at the APHA World Show and Woodside Slide.
Table of contents
What Happened June 29–July
Reining: Woodside Slide
Woodside, California | June 29–July 4 | Horse Park at Woodside
Reining has returned to Woodside. The Woodside Slide brought the discipline back to the Horse Park, and the show delivered a deep, competitive field across its opening week. The marquee events — the Non Pro Derby on Friday and the Open Derby on Saturday — drew top-level talent from across the country.
Open Derby — Saturday, July 4
- Level 4 Open Derby Champion: Cade McCutcheon and Varsity Blu, owned by Bosque Ranch Performance Horses, earned a 224 for $14,908.53. McCutcheon also placed with TR Designer Genes (220.5, $3,279.88, owned by Tamarack Ranch LLC) and Need I Say Mor (219.5, $969.06, owned by 6666 Ranch).
- No. 2: Martin Muehlstaetter and Gunin Addy Tude, owned by Rancho Oso Rio LLC, earned a 223 for $10,137.80.
- No. 3: Luca Fappani (2 horses — Wwwdotgunnawhoaya and Mr Abracadabra), Martin Muehlstaetter (Hosss) and Dany Tremblay (Gee Whiz What A Blue) all earned a 221 for $5,441.61 each.
Non Pro Derby — Friday, July 3
- Level 4 Non Pro Derby Champion: Kristi C. Peplowski and Whizzin At Starbucks (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Starbucks Deja Vu), owned by Oak Mill Ranch LLC, earned a 146 for $7,500.10.
- Reserve (tied): Kim L. Muehlstaetter and TR Reason To Believe and Paige Pastorino and Ziggy Rocks tied at 145.5, each earning $5,183.90.
Ranch Horse: APHA World Show + IRHA + Triple Crown Challenge
Fort Worth, Texas | June 29–July 4 | $118,500 added | Will Rogers Memorial Center
The APHA World Show’s ranch week ran six days at Will Rogers Memorial Center with more than $118,000 on the line across ranch riding, trail, rail pleasure, reining, conformation and cattle classes — plus the IRHA and Triple Crown Challenge slate of classes and futurity running alongside. Find full APHA World Ranch results here.
The week’s standout performance came from Jordan Martin of Princeton, Kentucky, and Magnums Gun, owned by Wendy E May of Holly Springs, Mississippi. On Tuesday, June 30, Martin and Magnums Gun swept the Open ranch riding classes — winning the Senior Ranch Riding Sweepstakes ($1,955), the IRHA Ranch Riding All-Breed class ($1,425.43) and Triple Crown Leg 1 ($4,904.50) in a single afternoon.
Read Horse&Rider’s full story on Jordan Martin and Magnums Gun.
Bud Lyon’s operation out of Whitesboro, Texas was the other dominant force of the week — placing horses in virtually every Open division across the six days:
- IRHA Ranch Horse Futurity Open Champion: Bud Lyon and Lyle Loves It, owned by Kalyn Sanders of Pilot Point, Texas, earned $7,577.06.
- IRHA Triple Crown Ranch Rail Pleasure Champion: Bud Lyon and Sumac Gunnabeflashy, owned by Leslie Vagneur Lange of Greeley, Colorado, earned $3,829.58.
On the Non Pro side, Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida, had a standout week aboard Mann in the Mirror, owned by Shannon Rafacz — winning both the IRHA Non-Pro Futurity ($6,060.94) and the Non-Pro 4&5-Year-Old Sweepstakes ($1,250).
The youth story of the week belonged to first-timer Katie Mae Green of Mocksville, North Carolina, who made her APHA World Show debut with a haul of world titles. Green and Time for a Reckoning won Youth Ranch Trail and Youth Ranch Conformation, while her horses also won Novice Youth Ranch Trail, Novice Youth Ranch Rail Pleasure and Novice Youth Ranch Riding across the week.
Select World Champions:
- Amateur Ranch Riding World Champion: Kimberly Colvin Lyon and Chillinlikeavillain, owned by Kim and Bud Lyon, Whitesboro, Texas.
- Masters Amateur Ranch Riding World Champion: Tamra L Kyle and KR Emma Kayt, owned by Pete or Tamra Kyle, Amarillo, Texas.
- Amateur Ranch Trail World Champion: Isabella Doan and Trashin Tinseltown, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- Masters Amateur Ranch Trail World Champion: Karen Dean and One More Whizkey, Whitesboro, Texas.
- Senior Ranch Rail Pleasure World Champion: Clayton Jerrell and Saddle Up Lil Gun, owned by Kimberly McDonald, Jeffersonville, Georgia.
- Amateur Ranch Rail Pleasure World Champion: Angela M Carrier and Proof Im A Spook, Dallas, Texas.
- Masters Amateur Ranch Rail Pleasure World Champion: Jenny Honey and Katie Chex Your Gun, owned by Jeff and Jenny Honey, Greenbrier, Arkansas.
- Amateur Ranch Reining World Champion: Payton Porterfield and Hickorys Stylish Cee, Brighton, Colorado.
- Open Ranch Cutting Champion: Tom Neel and HR Stylish Talker, owned by Claire M Armstrong, Weatherford, Texas.
- Amateur Ranch Cutting World Champion: Matt Spahn and Whodat Smooth Reycat, owned by Spahn Land and Cattle Co LLC, Weatherford, Texas.
- Youth Ranch Cutting World Champion: Siena R Link and Color Time Pepto, owned by Henry R Link, Tennessee Colony, Texas.
- Open Ranch Conformation Champion: Matt Gouthro and Neonlites Ngunfights, owned by Erika C Sterling, Mustang, Oklahoma.
- Youth Ranch Trail World Champion: Katie Mae Green and Time for a Reckoning, Mocksville, North Carolina.
- Youth Ranch Conformation World Champion: Katie Mae Green and Time for a Reckoning, Mocksville, North Carolina.
This Week July 6–12
Reining: Calgary Stampede
Calgary, Alberta | July 7 | Nutrien Western Event Centre
The Calgary Stampede is welcoming reining to Stampede Park in Alberta, Canada, for an open invitational showdown, Canadian open and youth reining showcase on Tuesday, July 7, starting at 7 P.M. MST.
The six open invitees are riding for $50,000 in added money (CAD), and riding unfamiliar horses provided. Read more about the event here.
Reining: Wickham Tractor RMRHA Summer Slide
Loveland, Colorado | July 6–11 | The Ranch
The first Rocky Mountain Reining Horse Assication’s Summer Slide began Monday at The Ranch in Loveland. This event is one of the first opportunities to see the 2026 futurity horse class.
New for 2026: the Non Pro Futurity runs as a one-go format — one run, one score. Show info and entries at rmrhasummerslide.com.
Cutting: NCHA Summer Spectacular
Fort Worth, Texas | July 10–August 2 | Will Rogers Memorial Center
The final leg of the NCHA triple crown begins Friday, July 10, and spans nearly a month at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. Both derby and classic/challenge horses will duke it out for the largest shares of the prize money while the race for the NCHA Horse Of The Year continues.
Looking Ahead
Working Cow Horse: NRCHA Hackamore Classic
Tulsa, Oklahoma | July 12–18
The 4- and 5-year-old working cow horse derby heads to Tulsa with the full three-event slate — herd work, reining and cow work.
The Hackamore Classic serves as the third and final Run for a Million qualifier — the last chance for riders to earn their spot in Las Vegas in August.
Reining: 100X Brazos Slide
Waco, Texas | July 17–26 | Extraco Events Center
Three weeks out. The 100X Shows circuit moves to Waco for a 10-day run.
Cutting, Cow Horse, Reining: Run for a Million
Las Vegas, Nevada | August 11–15 | South Point Arena
A little more than one month away. The Run for a Million returns to South Point Arena with the Cutting Horse Challenge ($200,000 purse), a new $125,000 Non Pro Cutting Challenge, the Cow Horse Challenge, and a $50,000 Breakaway Roping Showcase.
The weekly Performance Report publishes at the beginning of each week on HorseandRider.com.