Our Own Team USA! 2018 AQHA Youth World Cup Team

By: Brittany Bevis

With the 2018 PeyongChang Winter Olympics well underway, people are feeling especially patriotic, particularly here in the United States. The pride of competing, not only for ones self, but for your country, is a thrill not many athletes have the opportunity to experience.

Especially for equestrians, who compete alongside their horses as a single unit, the chance to be part of a team is an entirely unique experience. It’s one that ten AQHA youth members will be able to take advantage of this summer in College Station, Texas.

Congratulations to the 2018 American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup Team!

• Natalia DeVencenty
• Mattie Dukes
• Mallory Vroegh
• Teri Dawn Haws
• Caleb Sturgeon
• Jessica McAllister
• Kamiah McGrath
• Luke Guynn
• Alan Hinds
• Lily Atkinson

The AQHA Youth World Cup takes place once every two years and is hosted by different countries. The 2012 YWC was held in Kreuth, Germany. The 2014 YWC was held in College Station, Texas. The last YWC in 2016 was held in Tamworth, New South Wales. In 2018, the YWC is returning to the United States and will take place June 28-July 8 in College Station, Texas.

During the competition, each team will ride for medals in events like Horsemanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, Showmanship, Trail, Ranch Riding, Cutting, and Reining.

An important distinction to note from typical equestrian competition is that team members will not show their own horses. Instead, they will compete with horses that have been provided by the host country. Competitors may not ride a horse in the competition that they have previously ridden.

Each YWC team consists of between two to five riders as well as once coach and one manager. Also, an additional five competitors are invited to attend in order to cheer on their teammates and be involved in the education and leadership sessions and clinics.

Procedure:

• Horses are grouped according to ability to ensure that each team has a group of horses of the same caliber.
• Each team will draw a group of horses prior to practice. Each team has a minimum of three days to practice prior to the first competition.
• No adults or professional trainers may ride the horses during the practice period or event schedule.
• 3 members from each team may compete in Showmanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, and Horsemanship.
• 2 members may compete in Trail, Ranch Riding, Reining, and Cutting.
• One judge will be used per show (two shows), and the two judges’ combined scores will determine overall placings. Combined scores from the two shows will then determine the overall YWC standings.

Tentative Schedule:

• June 28th- Teams arrive
• June 29th- Opening Ceremony
• June 30th- Clinics
• July 1st- Clinics, Ranch Sorting
• July 2nd- Cutting
• July 3rd- Clinics
• July 4th- Clinics, Trail, Reining
• July 5th- Day 1 of the Horse Show
• July 6th- Second set of Reining, Trail
• July 7th- Second set of Horsemanship, Showmanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, and Ranch Riding
• July 8th- Awards Brunch

Team Spotlight:

Natalia DeVencenty– With her past as an AQHA Youth World and Congress Champion in several events, Natalia brings star power to a number of disciplines. The Equine Chronicle chatted with Natalia when she won her first Congress Championship in Equitation with Chex Is The Choice in 2015. With her Hunter/Jumper background on the USEF and A circuit, she’s an obvious choice for an event like Equitation.

In addition, Natalia is a wise choice for events like Horsemanship and Trail. At the 2017 Quarter Horse Congress, The Equine Chronicle talked to Natalia after she won 15-18 Horsemanship. At the 2017 AQHA Youth World Show, Natalia rode Chex Is The Choice to win her first AQHYA World Show Championship in Trail. 

Mallory Vroegh– It goes without saying that Mallory Vroegh is definitely a lock for Showmanship. The Equine Chronicle followed her meteoric rise in 2017 as she won the triple crown in the event- at the AQHA Youth World, NSBA World, and Quarter Horse Congress. We spoke with Mallory when she won her first World title with Krymsun Belle at the 2017 AQHA Youth World. Then, we spoke with Mallory when she was named the 2017 Quarter Horse Congress Champion. With her eye for detail and precision maneuvering, Mallory is also an obvious choice for Horsemanship. 

Kamiah McGrath– The Equine Chronicle talked with Kamiah McGrath when she won her first AQHA Youth World Championship in Western Riding at the 2017 AQHA Youth World with her horse, They Call Me Jake. Kamiah is a leader for the team this year!

Good luck to all the members of Team USA that will compete this June at the 2018 AQHA YWC!

For more information about the 2018 AQHA YWC, visit http://ywc2018.com.