Congratulations to Youth Selected For AQHA Young Horse Development Program
AQHA Publicity
Thirty-six American Quarter Horse Youth Association members will record their progress training a yearling bred by an American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Breeder. At the end of the 2022 AQHA Ranching Heritage Young Horse Development Program, a select number of scholarships and prizes will be awarded.
Created in 2011 with the first class of participants in 2012, the Young Horse Development Program is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. The program was created to give AQHYA members an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of horsemanship. The horses used in the program are bred by AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders, which are working cattle ranches with a remuda of at least five AQHA-registered mares that produce ranch horses. The participating Ranching Heritage Breeders donate weanlings for the program participants to evaluate, raise and train. Young Horse Development participants get to keep their horses.
“The Young Horse Development program was designed to give youth participants an opportunity to get hands on horse experience,” said AQHA Senior Director of Member Programs Karen McCuistion. “The program is an excellent opportunity to connect these young adults with the equine industry and provides a solid foundation for their education and future career path. In turn, their experience in the program turns into a valuable set of skills that will carry them forward as members of our industry.”
The 2022 Young Horse Development program participants are:
Adrian Davis of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Clark Farms of Hustontown, Pennsylvania
Amber Wortham of Wimberly, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Waters Ranch of Utopia, Texas
Ava Blyth of Bend, Oregon
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Weaver Quarter Horses of Big Sandy, Montana
Ava Williams of Kingston, Washington
Ranching Heritage Breeder: K T Ranch of Connell, Washington
Avery Ridgely of Jonesburg, Missouri
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Oleen Brothers of Dwight, Kansas
Brodie Childs of Chico, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Nixon Ranch of Nara Visa, New Mexico
Brooke Hoven of Polk City, Iowa
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Schofield Quarter Horses of Philip, South Dakota
Carson Zacharias of Gill, Colorado
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Open Box Rafter Ranch of Faith, South Dakota
Charylet Lee of McAllen, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: LC Ranch of Crockett, Texas
Colton Boatman of Jennings, Oklahoma
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Harlan House of Goodland, Kansas
Colton Lueck of Gilbert, Arizona
Ranching Heritage Breeder: ORO Ranch of Prescott, Arizona
Connor Lovell of Ault, Colorado
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Dikoff Ranch of Hermosa, South Dakota
Cooper Campbell of Idalou, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: St. Clair Farms of Kahoka, Missouri
David Kendrick of Shallowater, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Harlan House of Goodland, Kansas
Elizabeth Jolley of Victor, Idaho
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Raymond Sutton Ranch of Gettysburg, South Dakota
Estella Cook of Nibley, Utah
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Flat Creek Ranch of Rogerson, Idaho
Faith Gilbreath of Gilmer, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: The Daube Company of Ardmore, Oklahoma
Grace Peterson of Buffalo, Wyoming
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Wetz Stirrup Ranch of Vale, South Dakota
Grace Van Dyke of Sheridan, Wyoming
Ranching Heritage Breeder: West Brothers Inc. of Lusk, Wyoming
Graci Reeder of Mason, Michigan
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Clark Farms of Hustontown, Pennsylvania
Grady Claybrook of Highlandville, Missouri
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Haythorn Land & Cattle Co. of Arthur, Nebraska
Guadalupe Carrasco of Malaga, New Mexico
Ranching Heritage Breeder: KT Cattle Inc. of Amado, Arizona
Kasen Wink of Post, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Bagley Performance Horses of Dimmitt, Texas
Kasey Edmonson of Ozark, Missouri
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Nixon Ranch of Nara Visa, New Mexico
Kennedy Lyson of Baker, Montana
Ranching Heritage Breeder: West Brothers Inc. of Lusk, Wyoming
Kynley McCullough of Loving, New Mexico
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Durrett Cattle Co. of Wildorado, Texas
Lili Drinkall of Milledgeville, Illinois
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Sunup Ranch of Brainerd, Minnesota
Lindsay Beyer of Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Raymond Sutton Ranch of Gettysburg, South Dakota
Madison Meyer of Meyersville, Texas
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Bogle Brothers LLC of Dexter, New Mexico
Madison Moore of Wellington, Colorado
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Open Box Rafter Ranch of Faith, South Dakota
Madison Wachtel of Wells, Nevada
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Open Box Rafter Ranch of Faith, South Dakota
Rylee Erickson of Benson, Minnesota
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Most Quarter Horses of Ogallala, Nebraska
Shelby Aldinger of Ramsey, Minnesota
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Open Box Rafter Ranch of Faith, South Dakota
Shelby Noyce of LeSueur, Minnesota
Ranching Heritage Breeder: XI Ranch of Plains, Kansas
Vivien Felker of Elk Rapids, Michigan
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Clark Farms of Hustontown, Pennsylvania
Weston Hersel of Lewistown, Montana
Ranching Heritage Breeder: Open Box Rafter Ranch of Faith, South Dakota
The Young Horse Development Program participants raise their weanlings-turned-yearlings and document their monthly progress; participate in webinars; complete monthly management assignments; track goals; engage in mentoring sessions with local AQHA Professional Horsemen; and compile videos of themselves with their horses, completing assignments including trailering, an in-hand trail pattern and more. Following project completion, a select number of scholarships and prizes are awarded.
To learn more about the program, visit www.aqha.com/young-horse-development.
AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHA on Twitter and visit www.aqha.com/news.
