Al Dunning - Almosta Ranch

Arizona horseman, Al Dunning, has owned and operated his “Almosta Ranch” since 1970. The Quarter Horse training facility is in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Born in Chicago in 1950, Al’s family moved to Arizona when he was 8 years old. He began riding horses with his sisters and went on to further his talents with mentors such as Jim Paul, John Hoyt and Don Dodge. Over the years, Al developed his multi-faceted business with a focus on the development of champion horses and riders.

Al married his wife Becky in 1971. Becky is a well-known horse show announcer, and co-founded America’s Horse Cares, a division of the AQHA foundation which focuses on therapeutic riding charities. The Dunnings have two children, Grady and McKenzie Parkinson, and one granddaughter, Gracie.

Accomplishments:

Al and his students have won 35 World and Reserve World titles.
AQHA World Championships in Reining, Cutting, Working Cow Horse and Western Riding.
His youth and amateur riders have won 12 World Championships.
National Reined Cow Horse Association Open Bridle Champion.
Finalist at the NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman Contest.
Two NCHA World Championships, Champion at Tropicana Cutting Futurity, PCCHA Derby, NCHA Western Nationals, and Las Vegas Classic/Challenge.
Finalist or semi-finalist at every NCHA major event

Awards:

Trained and showed the great buckskin performance horse “ Expensive Hobby”, who was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2007.
AQHA Professional Horseman of the Year in 1996.
Monte Roberts Equitarian award in 2004.
NCHA Zane Schulte Trainer of the Year award in 2003.
In 2005, received the “Spirit of Community Award” from the Scottsdale Charros for his contribution to an innovative horse program for children called “Horsense”.
In 2007, received first place from American Horse Publications Annual Awards in the category of Instructional Single Article for the article “Sitting Pretty” published in the Cutting Horse Chatter.

Service:

Founding member and Charter President of the Arizona Quarter Horse Youth Association
Arizona Quarter Horse Breeder’s Association
     Past President
     Served as Drug Committee Chairman
     Past National Director
     Past Sun Country Circuit Chairman
     Youth Advisor for 10 years
American Quarter Horse Association
     Approved judge for 27 years
     Currently serving on the Judges Committee as Vice Chairman
     Director at Large
     Served on Hall of Fame, Nominations, and Credentials Committees
     Show Committee member for 17 years and past Chairman
     Judged the AQHA World Show 3 times
     Member of the AQHA Team Wrangler
Arizona Cutting Horse Association
Past President
American Horse Show Association
Stock Seat Committee for 5 years
National Reined Cow Horse Association
Currently on Judges Committee
Approved judge
National Cutting Horse Association
Past National Director
Served on Rules, Limited Aged Events, and Nominations Committee

Other:

Owner of A.D. Tack- A full line of top quality saddles, DVD’s, books, bits, and equipment for the horseman.
Author of “The Ultimate Level of Horsemanship” in 2008 about inspirational thoughts from his training career.
Author of “Reining” and “Reining, Completely Revised”, best selling book with Western Horseman Magazine.
Articles featured in: Quarter Horse Journal, Western Horseman, Performance Horse, Horseman, ~Western Outfitter, Eastern/Western Journal, and many more.
Horse and Rider Magazine Pro-Team member.
Taught clinics in 15 states, including Equine Affair, Kansas Equifest, John Lyons Eques America, All-American Quarter Horse Congress, Craig Cameron’s Top Gun Clinic, Equitana USA, and Equitana Germany. Al has also given clinics in countries such as Australia, Germany, Canada and Argentina.
Owner of Dunning Consulting, LLC., a service that helps equine business start-ups and general consulting.
Owner and Co-developer of Team AD International, an online professional development program and trade-school for western horsemen