AQHA Youth World Ride The Pattern Trail Recap

By: Cameron Crenwelge

One Trail Pattern for ALL Classes on August 3rd

Professional Horseman Ryan Cottingim dedicated his time to educating exhibitors about how to pick their way through the difficult AQHA Youth World Trail course designed by Tim Kimura (The Man of Trail).

Help! I Don’t Know When to Walk the Course

• The first walk will be from 6:15-7:15. The arena needs to be cleared by 7:30 for judges to walk.
• The second walk will be around 11:15 following draw 56.
• The third walk, the Level 2 walk, will be around 4:30 (following the shootout).
• There will be a drag after every 28 goes.

Pattern Details

• Be ready at cone and only walk into the chute AFTER the judges have given the signal to begin, even though the pattern says to begin in the chute.
• Use the space given in the arena to set your horse up for success.
• In the trot serpentine, choose a path that will enable you and your horse to excel.
• Pay attention to the stride rules!
• Watch out for the “wheel of death” (aka the left lead lopes), and be sure not to go around more than once!
• Remember that the pattern last night is set so that everyone will be able to school. Today’s pattern will be set to show. So, don’t panic if it looks a little different.

Good luck everyone!