CANYON, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — West Texas A&M University announced that its ranch horse team just won their first world championship at the 2023 Stock Horse of Texas World Championship show in Abilene.

Officials detailed that the team won the Division 1 collegiate team title at the show that took place from Oct. 25-28, coming out victorious over 12 competitors including Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, and Tarleton State University.

“Since we moved up to Division 1 in 2020, we have had numerous individual champion and reserve champion riders at multiple events, as well as two reserve national collegiate titles and a reserve world collegiate championship title,” said team coach Dr. Lance Baker, professor of animal science in the Department of Agricultural Sciences in the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. “These students’ great attitudes, hard work and willingness to sacrifice and dedicate themselves resulted in this first-ever championship. I am honored to coach them.”

The competition saw collegiate ranch horse team members compete in riding and working classes on their own horses, officials described. In the Division 1 team competition, each team included two riders who competed in each of three different divisions: nonprofessional, limited nonprofessional and novice.

In the novice division, the following WT riders earned the following:

• Camry Mangum, a junior animal science major from Jourdanton, was named overall world champion collegiate novice rider, and a reserve champion in the ranch pleasure class;
• Lily Redden, a senior agribusiness major from Gunnison, Colo., finished third overall after her fourth-place finish in the first round and third in the second round; and
• Garrett Miller, a senior animal science major from Amarillo, was the reserve champion in cow work, winning the second round.

In the top nonprofessional division, WT riders earned the following:

• Cutter McLaughlin, a sophomore agribusiness major from Amarillo, finished third overall and finished as the collegiate nonprofessional in ranch reining and cow work;
• Chloe Rourke, a freshman agriculture media and communication major from Northfield, Mass. finished sixth overall;
• Ashley Wortham, a freshman agribusiness major from Wimberley, finished seventh overall; and
• Ilda Corrales, a senior animal science/pre-vet major from Dimmitt, finished 10th.

In the limited nonprofessional division, WT riders earned the following:

• Tucker Huseman, a sophomore animal science major from Ellsworth, Kansas finished fourth overall and won ranch reining in the first round;
• Haylee Triplitt, a freshman agribusiness major from Gouldbusk, finished fifth overall;
• Layten Graham, a junior agribusiness major from Midway, finished fifth in the second round; and
• Alex Johnson, a senior equine industry major from Ardmore, Okla., won cow work in the second round.

Officials noted that the WT ranch team also included Thomas Binig, a senior animal science major from Houston; Diana Webster, a senior equine industry and business major from Longmont, Colo.; Grace Hyde, a freshman agricultural business and economics major from Sherman; Paige Finegan, a senior equine industry and business major from Orchard, Colo.; Tess Lewis, a freshman animal science major from Colfax, Wash.; and Paige Brandon, a senior agriculture media and communication major from Edgewood, N.M.