2014 AQHA Youth World Cup Competition Begins!
A few members of Team USA pose for a photo op. Photo Credit: Broke Girls Equine Event Management
EC Blog by: Lindsay Brush
One week into our adventure here down in College Station, TX, and the all around competition begins! The day had an early start with breakfast at 5 am and the buses leaving at six. Today, the riders will compete in showmanship, horsemanship, equitation, hunter under saddle, and trail. Our schedule suggests that competition will conclude by this evening, but the large class sizes may suggest otherwise.
It’s hard to believe that we have already been here a full week, and the majority of the competition just started. However, the activities here have definitely kept us busy. On the first day of the Youth World Cup on June 4th, every team drew a group of horses that they would work with until the conclusion of the show. Not only are we going to show the horses, we are responsible for riding, bathing, and picking their stalls.
The beginning few days consisted of clinics where the riders got to practice patterns with well-known trainers such as Robin Frid and Adam Wainscott. Then, kids from all over the United States came to the annual AQHYA Youth Excellence Seminar, which, for the first time ever, was held in conjunction with the Youth World Cup. The YES participants were able to watch some of the clinics and meet the international competitors.
Even though I can’t pick a favorite moment, because every day is just so amazing, I can say one of the highlights so far was the ranch sorting night. On Sunday, every team got to select one member to learn ranch sorting, and I was fortunate enough to be USA’s pick. Granted, I have never done ranch sorting or even sat on a cow horse before. It was quite a learning experience!
I was paired with a young man named Will and, after some quick pointers, we headed into the pen. I got one correct cow across in the allotted time. Even though that may not sound impressive, I was pretty darn proud. I had no idea what to expect!
The crowds were roaring and they were all laughing at me because I was riding one-handed like I was doing horsemanship, but that’s all I’ve done all my life! The experience was unforgettable, and I’m extremely grateful for the experiences AQHA has been able to provide this week. I cannot wait to see what else is in store! Go Team USA!
-Team USA Member Lindsay Brush
