The West Texas A&M University Ranch Horse Team won its second consecutive championship at the National Intercollegiate Ranch & Stock Horse Association competition, held April 13 to 15 at the Amarillo National Center on the Tri-State Fairgrounds.
WT said in an April 24 news release that riders competed in two go-rounds in four classes — ranch reining, stock horse pleasure, ranch trail and cow work — in three divisions: novice, limited nonprofessional and nonprofessional. With the victory, the WT team earned the use of an award trailer from Hughes Trailers in Canyon for one year.
WT also won the championship in 2025, following three reserve championships since the show launched in 2021.
“There are few things more gratifying than a group of student athletes with total buy-in, who share the vision and the dream, who trust the process, who sacrifice and dedicate themselves to a worthwhile goal for themselves and their team,” said coach Dr. Lance Baker, professor of animal science in the Department of Agricultural Sciences in the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. “This team has done what no other team has done before at Nationals — winning the Division 1 team title and sweeping all the individual categories along with the outstanding rider and freshman awards.”
The team also is coached by Sidney Dunkel, instructor of animal science.
The university said 19 WT students competed in Division I, going up against teams from Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, North Central Texas College and New Mexico State University.
Three WT students were named national champion riders in individual categories, among other top honors:
Also placing in the nonprofessional division: Cutter McLaughlin, a senior agribusiness major from Amarillo, in third place; Ashley Wortham, a junior agricultural business and economics major from Wimberley, in fifth place; and Bayleigh Leathers, a freshman agricultural media and communication major from Gruver, in ninth place. Also competing was Chloe Rourke, a senior agricultural media and communication major from Northfield, Massachusetts.
Also placing in the limited nonprofessional division: Kailey Robers, a freshman from Austin, in fourth place; Lela Chisholm, a sophomore from Graham, in fifth place; and Haylee Triplett, a senior from Gouldbusk, in sixth place.
Also competing were Bella Bridges, a sophomore from Brownsboro; Grace Hyde, a junior from Sherman; Kennedy Hill, a freshman from Aledo; Payton Porterfield, a sophomore from Brighton, Colorado; and Kaylea Marionneaux, a freshman from Zachary, Louisiana.
Also placing in the novice division: Bella Ayers, a senior from Canyon, in third place; Elizabeth Iandoli, a freshman from Carmel, California, in sixth place; and Tess Lewis, a senior from Colfax, Washington, in eighth place. Also competing was Sydnee Wilson, a freshman from Trout Creek, Montana.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: WTAMU Ranch Horse Team wins 2nd national title
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
