AZQHA

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 [...]

Today was the prelims for the roping.  Shandiin was in the breakaway and got a quick calf and didn't catch so she received a no score.  Then it was on to Heading where Kate Buchanan rode two horses in this event.  The first horse out she started out well in her run but she got a the steers front leg in the loop and that's a illegal head catch in heading so she got a no score.  With her other horse she came out strong and had a good run, her score was enough to get her in finals at that point but the bubble made some changes towards the end and she missed out for the finals.  Kate and her family are headed back to Arizona today so safe travels! Shandiin had two horses in the heeling today and on her first horse she got a score but [...]

Well I hate to say rein or rain with Arizona washing away but it was a full day and then some with our reining class today. The players: Kate Buchanan on two horses, Jessica Liebold, Kaylee Naylor on two horses, Robbi Kay Pederson and Chandler Winard. Out of 117 runs today most of the reiner girls were in the top 23 in the draw. First out of our team in draw 12 was Chandler and she posted a really good score of 214.5 which would hold as a top score for many runs.  Kaylee on her first horse draw # 15 had a few bobbles and had a good score but not enough to keep her in the top numbers for the finals or shoot out, this would be the same for Kate with her horse in draw # 18. Then we had a few horses before the next [...]

Today started out with the finals in trail and Shea Graham and her horse had a good go until the very last maneuver which she stepped out of so it hurt her in the over all score.  Just to make it to the finals is wonderful and know they were hoping for a higher placing's but Shea ended up as a finalist in trail today.  On the bright side I think this has really been the best world show Shea has had in a long time. You looked great out there Shea! Hunter under saddle and hunt seat equitation prelims were today, this like the horsemanship classes of the other day seem to go on all day.  They split the class up into different splits they go, then they take 10 out of the split then they come back and go with the other splits until they get the [...]

Just got in from the show it was a late one, not because of the classes today but we had our fashion show and pin exchange plus a dance.  Morgan Farrell was our model for the jeans that she decorated and Paul Parker was the boots model which he decorated.  They were both great on the cat walk and really wowed the crowd with their moves!   Great job to both of them.  Morgan's birthday was today and I was honored to be asked to have lunch with them- thanks Morgan and Happy Birthday! Our only finals class today was the Ranch Riding and Kate Buchanan who had a great prelims with one of the highest scores, she was one of the last youth to go in the finals.  There were a lot of good runs in the finals and just to make it to the finals out of over [...]

Today started off differently for me, as coach of our Judging Team!  The team of Shandiin Farrell, Paul Parker, and Morgan Farrell all meet at the stalls to go over last minute instructions this morning at 7:00am.  The fourth member of the team who we added just a few days ago, called in sick and could not make it so only having a three person team really put the team at a disadvantage right off.  We decided to press on and go with the team and the three really had a great time. We started at 8:00 am with the horse judging and then went until 4:00 for the team members to give their reason why they placed the horses they did.  It took a long time to get all of that done so I missed a lot of the classes that went on today in the other arena.  [...]