The November 3, 2026 Weekly Performance Report includes recaps from the first week of the AQHA World Show, Stock Horse of Texas World Show, Southern Cutting, World Appaloosa Show, and more.
Looking ahead, the NCHA Futurity is coming into focus alongside the Cinch RSNC’s All Star Super Sort in Las Vegas.
Read this week’s news from the Western performance horse industry below with the Performance Report by Horse&Rider.
What Happened October 26–November 1
Ranch Events and Reining: AQHA World Show
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | October 29–November 18 | OKC Fair Park
The 2026 Markel AQHA World Championship Show and Adequan Select World Championship Show opened October 29 with more than 8,600 entries competing for 106 Markel AQHA World Championships, Select World Championships, Level 2 and 1 Championships.
AQHA World Show Cutting
Senior: The Level 3 cutting finals were Saturday, October 31. Josh King and Metabra (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra), owned by Stella M Swanson, won the Senior Cutting with a 221 and first-place scores from all five judges, good for $10,139.
Junior: Andrew Sherrerd and Gar Steel (Metallic Cat x C Spot Betty), owned by Mark R and Eva M Gardiner, won the Junior Cutting with a 223 and $8,690, working last in the finals. Sherrerd won the 2021 Level 3 Senior Cutting on the gelding’s dam, C Spot Betty.
Read about Josh King and Metabra Sweep’s Level 3 Senior Cutting Championship here.
Read about Andrew Sherrerd and Gar Steel’s Level 3 Junior Cutting Championship here.
AQHA World Show Working Cow Horse
Senior: The Level 3 working cow horse finals ran Sunday, November 1 (Junior and Senior). Kyle Trahern and A Starlights Magnum (Magnum With A Dream x Shiny Starlight) won the Senior with a 440.5 composite and $9,053 of a $36,210 class pot, Trahern’s first AQHA World Show in 10 years or more.
Junior: Russell Dilday and RBS Sugar Rush (Kit Kat Sugar x Isabellena), a 2021 gelding owned by William McElligott Sr, won the Junior with a 439.5 and $8,690 on the strength of a big fence run, ahead of Sterling T Slemp and SPF Last Call (438.5) and Clinton R Anderson and Takin No Prisoners (438.5). Dilday also placed fourth on Razor Scooter (436).
Read about Kyle Trahern and A Starlight Magnum’s Level 3 Senior Cow Horse World Championship here.
Reaad about Russell Dilday and RBS Sugar Rush’s Level 3 Junior Cow Horse World Championship here.
Level 3 Cutting and Working Cow Horse Winners
| Class | Horse | Rider | Owner | Score | Won (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Cutting | Gar Steel | Andrew P Sherrerd | Mark R &/ Eva M Gardiner | 223 | $8,690 |
| Senior Cutting | Metabra | Josh King | Stella M Swanson | 221 | $10,139 |
| Amateur Cutting | Mazel Tov | Rieta Dufurrena | Shona Lyn Dufurrena | 221 | $5,794 |
| Select Cutting | Gar Pink Floyd | Eva M Gardiner | Mark R &/ Eva M Gardiner | 219 | $7,966 |
| Junior Working Cow Horse | RBS Sugar Rush | Russell Dilday | William McElligott Sr | 439.5 | $8,690 |
| Senior Working Cow Horse | A Starlights Magnum | Kyle Trahern | Kyle Trahern | 440.5 | $9,053 |
| Amateur Working Cow Horse | Boonshinen | Megan R Waddell | Megan R Waddell | 438.5 | $2,057 |
| Select Working Cow Horse | Seven S Johnny Reb | Christy Morgan | Christy Morgan | 430 | $823 |
Ranch Events, Reined Cow Horse: Stock Horse of Texas World Show
Abilene, Texas | October 27–November 1 | Taylor County Expo Center
The Western Horseman Stock Horse World Championship, Stock Horse of Texas’s marquee year-end event, wrapped up Sunday, November 1.
It combined reining, cow work, trail and rail patterns in one stock horse format, with two complete shows (Go 1 and Go 2) and points from both added together to determine the world champions in each division.
Stock Horse of Texas World Show Champions
| Division | Horse | Exhibitor |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Justwatchmeonetime | Matthew Turner |
| Non Pro | Royal Metalz | Stefani Wagley |
| Limited Non Pro | Cocktails N Style | Kate Elaine Stavinoha |
| Intermediate | Wine Makes Her Dance | Jennifer Marie Rose |
| Junior Horse | CR Catty Lights | Shannon Pigott |
| Novice | EFR BanjoNic NJuice | Carol Weikman Farnsworth |
| Youth | Color Time Pepto | Gunner Link |
| Novice Youth | Dual Smarts Smooth | Suleha Dorothy Meldrum |
| Non Pro Boxing | Roses Are Blind | Kathryn Rachelle Smelley |
| Level 1 Open | SCCCowgirlsOneChance | Louden Cole Hamill |
| Level 1 Novice | Shaded Rooster | Brooke Schubert |
| Collegiate Non Pro | Seven S Tuff Boots | Parker Joseph Ralston (WT Maroon 1) |
| Collegiate Limited Non Pro | Seven S Raindance | Makenzie Cowan (OSU2) |
| Collegiate Novice | Call Me Risky | Aaron J Kendrick (Maroon) |
Cutting: Southern Cutting Futurity
Jackson, Mississippi | October 22–31 | Equestrian Center
The Southern Non Pro finals, including the 5/6-year-old, 5/6-year-old Intermediate and 4-year-old divisions, were decided October 28 and 29.
5/6-Year-Old Non Pro. Chad Bushaw and Butterflies (Crown Ranch LP) won with a 219 and $9,809, and Bushaw also placed third on Gamestop (216) and sixth and eighth on Bitterly Armed and The Beard. Kimberly Joerger and Stevie Likes It Hott were second at 216.5 for $7,701.
5/6-Year-Old Intermediate Non Pro. Cameron Maben Thompson and Hardtags (Maben Thompson) won with a 218 and $3,027.
4-Year-Old Non Pro. Nadine Payne and Mite Be Magic won with a 219 and $8,713, ahead of Mccall Callahan and Rebel T Spoon (Bar C Land & Cattle LLC) at 217 for $6,882.
Find more Southern Cutting results here.
This Week November 2–8
Ranch Events and Reining: AQHA World Show
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Through November 18 | OKC Fair Park
The ranch classes begin this week:
- Wednesday, November 4: Select Ranch Riding Level 1 Champion of Champions (8 a.m. session, 21 entries) and the Headley Non-Pro Working Western Rail Stakes (33 entries)
- Friday, November 6: Amateur Ranch Riding Level 1 Champion of Champions (8 a.m. session, 16 entries) and the Ranch Horse Classic (4 p.m., 20 entries)
- Tuesday, November 10: Headley Open Working Western Rail Stakes (6 p.m., 30 entries)
The third annual AQHA Ranch Horse Classic carries an estimated $75,000 purse, with minimum payouts of $33,000 for first, $23,000 for second and $13,000 for third.
Each horse completes Ranch Riding and Ranch Trail back-to-back before returning for Ranch Cow Work. Defending champion Corey Cushing and Tuff Tobe Woody (owner Katie Fox) swept all three phases in 2025.
The reining classes are all finals and fall later in the show (see Looking Ahead).
Find more information about the AQHA World Show here.
Reined Cow Horse, Reining, Ranch Events: World Appaloosa Show
Fort Worth, Texas | October 30–November 6 | Will Rogers Equestrian Center
The 2026 World Appaloosa Show, hosted by the Appaloosa Horse Club, is under way at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center. Webcast, show program and class results are linked from the ApHC page.
Find more information about the World Appaloosa Show here.
Looking Ahead
Ranch Events and Reining: AQHA World Show
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | October 29 – November 17 | OKC Fair Park
Reining. The reining classes are straight finals late in the show, with the Level 3 world championship classes run together with the Level 2 championship classes:
- Tuesday, November 17: Junior Reining Level 3 and Level 2 Finals (15 to run) and Senior Reining Level 3 and Level 2 Finals (30 to run)
- Wednesday, November 18: Amateur Reining Level 3 and Level 2 Finals (26 to run) and Select Reining Finals (24 to run)
Ranch.
- Sunday, November 15: Level 1 Ranch Trail Stakes (70 entries, 8 a.m. session)
- Monday, November 16: Level 1 Ranch Riding Stakes (75 entries, 8 a.m. session)
- Tuesday, November 17: Level 1 Working Western Rail Stakes (41 entries, 8 a.m. session)
Cutting: NCHA Futurity
Fort Worth, Texas | November 16–December 12 | Will Rogers Memorial Center
The Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity for 3-year-olds; the companion Futurity Sale falls during the final week, November 29–December 5.
Ranch Sorting: Cinch RSNC All-Star Super Sort
Las Vegas, Nevada | November 20–22 | South Point Casino and Hotel
Join the CINCH RSNC family for the All Star Super Sort at the South Point Casino and Hotel. Streaming on Ride TV.
The Weekly Performance Report is published at the beginning of each week on HorseandRider.com.