It’s Finally Here! Classes Underway at 2015 AQHYA World Show
The first class of the 2015 AQHA Youth World is underway! Youth Performance Halter Mares.
By: Brittany Bevis
It’s finally here! The 2015 AQHA Youth World Championship Show has officially begun at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City and will continue through August 8th. Classes kick off this morning with Performance Halter Mares, Performance Halter Geldings, and Aged Geldings. Then, later on this afternoon, the Preliminaries of Western Riding will take place in the Jim Norick Arena while the Preliminaries of Hunter Hack will begin at 1 pm in the Performance Arena.
Don’t forget there are two Ride The Pattern clinics scheduled for this evening. AQHA Professional Horseman Kelly McDowall will review the finer points of Horsemanship at 7 pm in Barn 8. Then, AQHA Professional Horsemen Jenny and Robin Frid will conduct a Showmanship clinic at 8 pm, also in Barn 8.
This year, more than 2,150 entries will compete for 35 World Champion titles and other awards to be presented over the next week here at the Youth World. Competitors hail from the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. There are 709 exhibitors and 1,024 horses entered for a grand total of 2,165 entries. Of that number, 194 are 13 and Under entries.
What are the most popular disciplines here at the Youth World? If entry totals are any indication, Western classes still reign supreme with 1,363 entries. English classes show 443 entries and Halter classes show 359 entries. The largest class of the Youth World will be Horsemanship with 172, followed closely by Showmanship with 162. Hunt Seat Equitation has 137 entries and Trail has 130. Finally, Reining rounds out the top five classes with 122 entries.
For those competitors coming from the United States, Texas brings the largest youth group with 110 participants. Oklahoma comes in second with 48, followed by Ohio with 46, Colorado with 31, and Arkansas with 31.
Another fun fact… the youngest competitor here at the Youth World is only eight years old!
Stay tuned to EquineChronicle.com and The Equine Chronicle on Facebook to keep up with timely results, photo galleries, and interviews with the winners.
Good luck everyone!
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