Here it is the last day Saturday at the 2016 Youth World and my last blog as Youth Advisor.
Today we had the reining finals and it was a really good one. They had 27 going into the finals since we had so many ties for the final cut off they took 22 in the finals instead of the normal 15, they added the 5 from the shoot out and that gives you 27 for finals. It was a great finals too, everyone was on their “A” game.
Kaylee Naylor on her horse had a few bobbles in her run but finished the pattern out strong and placed as a finalist in the reining. Chandler Winard was up and you almost had to be perfect if you wanted to get into the top ten and after the all the runs were finished Chandler came out with a top ten finish placing 7th. Chandler also won in the prelims a 2nd in the team FEI reining contest that they had. Both these girls did a great job in the reining. Robbi-Kay Pederson made it to the shoot out but just missed to come back to the finals, BUT she did come out with a first place win. Remember she and Paul Parker teamed up to win the B & W hitch contest during the exhibitor party and a $500.00 prize for our AzQHYA team for next years youth world. Also I forgot to add in Fridays blog at the exhibitors party during the dog race, there were these really cute border collie puppies I’m happy to say the Naylor family have two new dogs! Sure come to the horseshow come back with two new dogs that sounds right. I was so glad that they took both dogs since they were brothers and you knew they just needed to be together, thanks Brandy and Brent for giving these puppies a great home. Kaylee I do like your thought to your Mom that the two puppies were a lot cheaper than the horse you were going to buy.
I think overall Team Arizona did an amazing job, not only with scoring a lot of trophies but everyone was very helpful towards other team members and I think everyone had a good time this year.
Recap of the Awards and contests:
3- Gold, 1- Silver, 1- Bronze, 5- 4th, 1- 5th, 1- 6th, 1-7th, 1- 9th, and 2- finalist, 1st place and 2nd place in the 13 and Under. 1st place in the B & W Hitch contest, 3rd place in the Dog Race, 2nd place in the FEI, The youth partisipated in the Fashion Show, State pin exchange, Dance, Judging team, and Parade of Teams.
Thanks to Paul Parker and Shandiin Farrell for your help in the Region 7 & 8 get together and for handing out popsicles and water. Paul Parker for contacting the other states to be apart of the 22 for 22 walk for the vetran’s that you will be doing in November. Those of you AzQHA members that would like more information on this walk or would like to walk or give donations to support our vetran’s contact me. To the parents that walked in the Parade of Teams for us as our “Roots” Bryan & Ann Buchanan, Cathy Frank and Sunny Parker. Jim Searles,Cruz,Cathy Frank, Sunny Parker at the show helping with putting up the stall decorations. Jim Searles and Debbie Farrell for letting me use your trucks to pick up and return the stall curtains from the storage unit. Doug and Lisa Hamm that helped with construction of the stall decorations. To all the youth that helped put up the decorations and to Kaylee Hamm for coming up with the decoration ideas. Thank you to Sunny Parker for sending out the tweets, snapchats, hashtags, facebook, and all the social medial and pictures. Sammy Roberts back in Arizona for putting our pictures on AzQHA facebook. A special thank you and great job to all of the trainers, parents, family, friends, AzQHA and to all of the AzQHA members who have helped cheer on the youth at the youth world it has been a great ride!
To all of my Youth present and past I love you all and thank you for letting me tag along with you as your youth advisor these past 5 years. You will always be my flying monkeys, so many of you I have watched you grow up and for some of you this too will be your last youth world show, good luck in school and in life. AzQHYA still has a lot of youth that will be coming back next year to take on the world, I wish all of you the best!
Thanks for the memories!
Connie Hay