WT Ranch Horse Team Wins Reserve Championship, Two Individual World Titles

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s Ranch Horse team took home a reserve championship and two individual championships at a recent statewide competition.

A second squad also ranked third at the 2024 Stock Horse of Texas World Championship Show, at which 14 teams from 12 colleges and universities competed.

WT’s Maroon squad finished second and first in the two rounds; its White squad ranked third in both rounds. WT competes as a Division I team alongside teams from Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University. Tech won by only 2.5 points.

“Finishing so highly speaks to the depth and quality of every team member,” said Lance Baker, coach of the WT Ranch Horse Team and professor of animal science. “The numerous individual awards are evidence of their hard work and sacrifice this fall. Assistant Coach Sidney Dunkel and I are proud to be associated with such high-quality individuals, and we look forward to the spring season starting at the Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in February.”

Team members competed in novice, limited non-professional and non-professional divisions in two rounds of four classes of competition: ranch reining, stock horse pleasure, ranch trail and cow work.

Bella Bridges, a freshman agricultural media and communication major from Brownsboro, won the overall world champion collegiate novice title, won first in cow work and reining, and third in pleasure.

Lela Chisholm, a freshman agribusiness and economics major from Graham, finished third in the novice division, second in pleasure and third in cow work. Cora Onorato, a senior equine industry major from Cotati, California, finished seventh in the novice division.

Cutter McLaughlin, a junior agribusiness major from Amarillo, finished as the world champion collegiate non-pro rider, finishing first in reining, cow work and ranch trail, and second in pleasure.

Ashley Wortham, a sophomore agribusiness and economics major from Wimberley, was reserve world champion collegiate non-pro rider, finishing second in reining and ranch trail, and third in cow work.

Also ranking in the non-pro division were Thomas Binig, a senior applied arts and sciences major from Houston, who placed fifth overall; Parker Ralston, a freshman animal science major from Grand Mesa, Colorado, who placed seventh overall and second in cow work; and Chloe Rourke, a sophomore agricultural media and communications major from Northfield, Massachusetts, who finished ninth overall and third in ranch trail.

Ranking in the limited non-pro division were Haylee Triplitt, a junior agribusiness and economics major from Gouldbusk, who ranked fourth overall and third in pleasure; Alex Johnson, a senior equine industry major from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who ranked seventh overall and tied for second in ranch trail; Camry Mangum, a senior animal science major from Jourvanton, who finished eighth overall and third in cow work; and Layten Graham, a senior agriculture major from Midway, who finished ninth overall and tied for second in ranch trail.

Other team members include Tess Lewis, a sophomore animal science major from Colfax, Washington; Joslyn Topolnicki, a freshman agribusiness and economics major from Castle Rock, Colorado; Grace Hyde, a sophomore agribusiness and economics major from Sherman; Arielle Wortham, a senior animal science major from Wimberley; Tucker Huseman, a junior animal science major from Elsworth, Kansas; and Payton Porterfield, a freshman agribusiness and economics major from Brighton, Colorado.

The contest was held Oct. 24 to 27 in Abilene.

Such team competition is one way in which WT creates in its students a commitment to being self-reliant, courageous, resourceful and part of something larger than one’s self, as laid out in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: The West Texas A&M University Ranch Horse team was named reserve champion at the 2024 Stock Horse of Texas World Championship Show. Pictured are, front from left, Layten Graham, Audrey Hart, Haylee Triplitt, Camry Mangum, Arielle Wortham, Tess Lewis, Lela Chisholm, Ashley Wortham, Payton Porterfield, Bella Bridges and Coach Sidney Dunkel, and, back from left, Coach Lance Baker, Joslyn Topolnicki, Chloe Rourke, Grace Hyde, Cutter McLaughlin, Tucker Huseman, Thomas Binig, Cora Onorato, Alex Johnson, Parker Ralston and Cutter Hodges.

—WT—