Meet Team USA For AjPHA Youth World Games
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PHJ press release by: Megan Brincks
What better way to start a series on meeting the Youth World Games teams than with defending champions Team USA? After winning the 2013 games—their first victory in the international competition’s 10-year history—they are back again with their eyes on the prize once more.
Each team is comprised of four riders—one for each class—and an alternate. Riders are judged on hunt-seat equitation, trail, western horsemanship and showmanship. To even the playing field, exhibitors show donated horses drawn at random, and they receive limited warm up time. For more information about the Youth World Games, see “Youth World Games: Catching Fire” in the 2014 Youth World Championship Show Program.
This year, coached by Pat Trebesch of Aubrey, Texas, Team USA includes the following riders:
Andrea Nelson
Hailing from North Logan, Utah, Andrea is an 18-year-old who has been deeply involved in AjPHA. She is the current president of the Utah Junior Paint Horse Club and previously served as director for UjPHA and as a national director for AjPHA. With multiple years of Youth World Show experience under her belt, Andrea will be Team USA’s equitation rider for the Youth World Games. After completing her Youth career, she plans to attend college and compete on an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team.
Madison Malsch
The 17-year-old from Castle Rock, Colorado, will ride in the trail class for Team USA. A multiple-time world and reserve world champion in showmanship, horsemanship, trail and equitation, Madison brings experience as a horsewoman and a leader to the team. She served as the treasurer of the Rocky Mountain Junior Paint Horse Club, national secretary of the AjPHA Executive Committee and an AjPHA national director for Colorado. After completing high school in 2015, she hopes to continue showing horses in college.
Kayleigh Azevedo
Kayleigh, an 18-year-old from Grayson, Georgia, will ride in horsemanship for Team USA. With experience riding in 4-H as well as AjPHA, she has years of competition under her belt and recently won an APHA Youth Versatility Award. Also active in the APHA Ride America program, Kayleigh plans to compete in college after finishing high school.
Meredith Milton
Incoming AjPHA President Meredith, a 17-year-old from Aledo, Texas, will represent Team USA in showmanship. She has served as president of the Texas Junior Paint Horse Club for two years and as a national director for AjPHA for two years. She has earned multiple world and reserve world championships as well as many Registers of Merit and Superiors. In addition to the Youth World Games, make sure to watch for Meredith during the Youth Convention, at which she will take the reins as the new president of AjPHA.
Kristina Hermanson
Alternate rider Kristina Hermanson is an 18-year-old from Yorba Linda, California. She competed with her high school’s equestrian team before moving to Fort Worth to attend college at Texas Christian University. Her breadth of knowledge and experience in horse sport will be invaluable for Team USA—if any other exhibitor is unable to compete, Kristina will step up and take their place.
Good luck to everyone on Team USA and all of our Youth World Games participants. Check back every day this week to meet the teams from around the world.
