Youth World

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.  [...]

t was a very busy day today for sure! Started off with halter with the 3 year old mares. Trent Searles was in the top five placings with a 4th place and a 2nd place in the 13 & under division and Monica was top five with a 5th place in the class.  The Aged Mares class had 18 horses and a lot of really nice mares in the class.  All of them were sent to the wall to wait for the placings.  The finalest were called and then they starting calling the 10 place horse and then we went all the way to top 5, Monica and Kaylee were still on the wall. Fourth place was called and that was Monica. So that left three on the wall these would be the trophy winners, who would it be?  They called out third not Kaylee that left two on [...]

This morning started off with halter, Monica Hamm showed her 2 yr old mare and did a great job just out of the trophies with a 4th place finish.    Trent Searles also was in this class and at his second Youth World show he was in the Top Ten with a 6th place finish and 1st in the 13 and under division. Great job Trent! Trent has another mare so he will get another chance to go for the Gold. Monica had to hurry out of the line up since she was first up in the next class the 3 yr old geldings so of course a jacket change for the new horse and she was at the start cone ready for her class. Kaylee Hamm was also in this class so its always hard to know which will come out on top until the announcer calls them. A [...]

Well our first day showing and thanks to Monica Hamm and her aged gelding, Team Arizona has its first world show trophy!  The aged geldings had 14 in the class and there were a lot of world class contenders this year.  Before Monica could even start the horse ahead of her had to come back around and re jog for the judges.  So Monica skillfully moved her horse away from the start cone so the horse could go past the judges again.  Once that was completed Monica went past the line of judges and went to the line up.  As some of you know who might show halter or even showmanship these older horses that have been shown a lot learn when they are in the show arena and know when they can misbehave.  Monica handled her horse well and remained calm showing her horse.  I know that Monica [...]

Can you believe another year has gone by?  Tomorrow starts off with halter, Monica Hamm with her aged gelding will be the only one showing, but this is one of four horses she will be showing at the world show.  After the halter finals we will have three of our girls riding in Western Riding, Taylor Searles riding two horses, Shea Graham and I'm glad to have back Sydney Frank.  Sydney has two horses she will be showing this year at world and its been a long time coming back but she is ready with two healthy horses ready to take on the WORLD. Today we put up the stall curtains, well the start of them anyway.  With the help of Jim Searles and his man Cruz they put up the wood and we got the base of the stall curtains up and we are ready to work on [...]