Local rider and horse all-around winners

Justin Lawrence of Alzada, Montana, captured the All-Around Open National Championship at the inaugural National Ranch and Stock Horse Alliance National Championship Show held in conjunction with the Zoetis AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show on June 16 at the Lazy E in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Lawrence showed Mia Lil Pink and the duo also came in third in the American Quarter Horse Association Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships All-Around Horse. On their way to the NRSHA world championship, the duo won the Open Ranch Cutting and was reserve in the Open Ranch Riding.

Mia Lil Pink is a 7 year old mare owned by Long Pines Land and Livestock of Buffalo, South Dakota. This exceptionally talented mare is frequently in the winner's circle. She was the 2018 Black Hills Stock Show Supreme Horse. In unprecedented fashion, she won the AQHA Open All-Around Versatility Ranch Horse for both 2017 and 2018 at the BHSS.

At the age of six, she had already earned her AQHA Register of Merit. "These ranch versatility competitions test a horse's skills in cow work, reining, cutting, ranch riding and trail. Conformation also plays a role in the AQHA events," says Deb Brown of Long Pines. Deb and her husband, Larry Licking, have developed a successful horse program, combining cow horse with speed bloodlines.

Long Pines purchased Pink as a young prospect from Bill and Janiejill Tointon of Colorado. "We wanted a daughter of reined cow horse stallion Shining Lil Nic to add to our broodmares," says Brown. "In fact, she's coming home from Guthrie and going into the band with Bettin Yer Smart, our [National Reined Cow Horse Association] national champion stallion."

Nearly 725 entries competed in ranch trail, ranch reining, ranch riding, ranch cutting, ranch boxing and ranch cow work. In total, more than $62,000 in cash and prizes were awarded at the event. Lawrence, as the All-Around Open champion, received a prize package that included a sterling silver buckle by Awards Recognition Concepts and specially designed logoed jacket sponsored by Plan 4 Progress by Carter Ranch Horses.

NRSHA classes were held concurrently with the Zoetis AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show classes. More information about NRSHA can be found at http://www.ranchhorse.net. Full results can be found at http://www.aqha.com/versatility.

Long Pines Land & Livestock, based in northwestern South Dakota and southeastern Montana, is a family ranch where horses earn their way every day on the rangeland and in the arena. The ranch is also home to a prominent herd of registered Irish Black and Irish Red cattle. For more information, visit the ranch's website at http://www.longpineslivestock.com.