By Andi Ridgway, Reporter ArQHA
The Ford American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship Show moved to a new location
for 2008. After being held in Fort Worth, Texas, for the past 16 years, the Ford Youth World Show moved to
State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, August 1-9. The Ford Youth World is the pinnacle event for AQHYA members
and is the largest single-breed youth world championship horse show.
National qualifiers for this year’s Ford Youth World have increased by more than 600. Last year 1,185
youths qualified, and this year 1,827 qualified. Two of the events with the greatest increase in qualifiers were
performance halter and ranch sorting, which both debuted last year at the Ford Youth World. In addition to
qualifying nationally, youths also can qualify for the Ford Youth World through their state or provincial affiliate.
The number of eligible state qualifiers was increased from two to four this year.
The American Quarter Horse Journal will provide online and print coverage of the show as they have done
in the past. The Journal will have AQHYA members who serve as Junior Journalists to cover the show from the
youths’ perspective. In addition to being journalists, AQHYA members will be doing video coverage of the show.
These new Q-Js will produce unique podcasts and fun videos from the show that will be uploaded to YouTube
and other media outlets. Results will be in next month’s article and can also be found online at www.aqha.com.
Kyle Fuller was a member of the 2008 AQHA Youth World Cup Team USA that competed in London, Ontario on
July 6-13, 2008. Teams from 17 other countries competed on horses supplied by the host country, Canada, in
a variety of events. The young people received coaching in their equestrian skills from some of North America’s
top professional horse people.
Don’t forget the REGIONAL EXPERIENCE in Jackson, Mississippi on August 14-17. Entry Deadline is
August 1. More information and the show schedule can be found at: http://www.mqha.org/shows.htm.
Be sure to check out our website at www.arkansasquarterhorse.com. News and information can always be
found here.
See you down the road!