Competition Underway at 2014 AQHYA World Cup!

EC Blog by: Team USA member- Ali Fratessa

ALMOST SHOW DAY! WEDNESDAY, JULY 9th

Wednesday, July 9th was a busy day because it was the day before the 1st go round of horse show events at the AQHA Youth World Cup. Our day started at 5 am, and we headed to the Expo for a trail clinic given by Sharon Wellmann, Michelle Tidwell, Becky George, Mark Dunham, and Vicky Holt that was followed by a hunter under saddle clinic with trainers Vicky Holt and Mark Dunham.

The most interesting thing to me about these clinics is that because we are all riding unfamiliar horses – even some that have really never done trail before- it is an amazing opportunity to really increase your horsemanship skills and learn how to best communicate and train a new horse. The World Cup is truly an opportunity to hone your ability to learn new skills, because what works for one horse may be the exact opposite of how to ride another horse. While we were in the clinics, the Youth World Cup parents went on a shopping trip to downtown Bryan. I heard it was a lot of fun for them and gave everyone a chance to pick up some souvenirs from Texas to bring back to their home countries.

After lunch, we had a free ride session where we were able to work on whatever we needed to with our horses for the show the next day. We bathed and banded or braided our horses and polished and cleaned our tack. Then, we headed off to get ready for the YES awards dinner, officer election results, and a dance! Team USA’s Kalee McCann was named President of the AQHYA. Mary Claire Cornett was elected Vice President. Graysen Stroud was named Director for Region 1, and I was elected Director for Region 8. I am so excited to begin my role as a board member for AQHYA!

SHOW DAY – THURSDAY, JULY, 10th

We arrived at the barn around 6 am and our horses had been fed at 4 am, so they were ready for us! We longed and groomed our horses, but we did not put on any hoof black because we were told the other countries did not do this. The first class was showmanship, and I was showing Tejon Tejon, aka “JoJo,”  (who had never done showmanship before). Graysen was showing Ben Round and Round, and Kalee was showing KC Fanfair. There was a heightened sense of excitement in the air as we began the first round!

We were so excited to hear Graysen placed 4th for the USA with Ben! Kalee and I did not place with our horses, but I was so proud of JoJo. He did a very respectable pattern and even stopped almost square and set up perfectly for me! He is a very kind horse, and I have enjoyed working with him.

While I was doing showmanship, Team USA’s Bailey Cook longed Ben Round and Round and tacked him up for the hunter under saddle class. I showed Ben, and Carli Pitts showed Oh Whatta Promise. There were two heats for this class and then the finals. Carli and I BOTH made the finals (YAY!) and placed 6th and 8th respectively. We were so excited to medal in this class, because there were some really nice horses.

Next up was the hunt seat equitation class for me with Ben, Kalee with KC, and Graysen with JoJo. We each had a nice go and were called back for the rail work finals and waited to hear the results. When they got to the top three places, our names had not been called yet and I almost could not breathe. They pulled the cover off the third place flag and called Alessandra Fratessa for the bronze medal for the United States. It was the best moment of my life! Then, they pulled the cover off the second flag, and it was also the USA flag. Graysen Stroud had won the silver medal! I think Kalee was having a heart attack as they slowly, slowly pulled the cover off the last flag. Then, we saw it was also the United States flag, and Kalee McCann had won the GOLD! The USA equitation riders had made a clean sweep and won the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals! I don’t know if that has ever happened before. The crowd (USA fans anyway) went wild screaming and cheering and waving flags. We were all so proud! We stood in the arena as they handed us each a United States flag to hold as they played our national anthem. It was a moment that each of us will remember for the rest of our lives!

We had to hustle back to the stalls to change tack and clothes for horsemanship. Our leadership team of Lindsay Brush, Bailey Cook, Colby Ringer, Mary Claire Cornett, and Chloe Bening were awesome and helped get us and our horses ready quickly. We were changing mounts for this class. Carli Pitts was riding KC, I rode JoJo, and Graysen rode Ben. It was a tough class and we all made the finals. Graysen placed 6th, I was a finalist, and Team USA rider Carli Pitts won the GOLD! We watched again as they pulled the cover off the U.S. flag and played our national anthem. Our fans cheered again and chanted USA USA USA! We all were so happy for Carli and our team! What an amazing day it had been!

After lunch was western pleasure and Team USA’s Jack Medows expertly piloted his green 3-year-old filly, Hot To Molly, around the arena. She has been getting some great experience here this week and is going to make someone a very nice horse! Trail was next with myself and Ben (not a trail horse), and Carli and KC. I was very happy with Ben, because it was a pretty tough course and he gave it a good try! The day finished up with western riding. Graysen and KC placed 6th!

I have to mention that I was very proud to have my personal horse, Batton Down the Star, (that I loaned to the Youth World Cup) ridden by Team New Zealand win the silver! (and he placed 4th in pleasure) What a good boy! My horse even had fans in the audience, and we cheered and waved the USA flag for him since he is a local horse!

Tomorrow, our all around horses get the day off, and the reining clinic with two rounds of reining competition will begin.

GOOD LUCK TO TEAM USA!