The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) has had another successful Arabian Horse Youth Judging Contest. Twenty-nine teams and over 115 individuals, from all over the country competed on October 30, 2015 for their chance at a National title.
The youth were asked to judge six performance classes, four halter classes, including half-Arabians and purebreds, and present four sets of oral reasons. The classes judged included classes specific to the Arabian breed, such as ladies side saddle, country English pleasure, and saddle seat equitation.
Following are the results from each division:
4/H/FFA Division
High Individual Halter: Silja Alexander, Wyoming 4-H
High Team Halter: Virginia 4-H Horse Program B
High Individual Performance: Silja Alexander, Wyoming 4-H
High Team Performance: Wyoming 4-H
High Individual Reasons: Silja Alexander, Wyoming 4-H
High Team Reasons: Illinois 4-H
High Individual Overall: Silja Alexander, Wyoming 4-H
High Team Overall: Wyoming 4-H
Jr AHA Division
High Individual Halter: Teaghan Weir, Jr Colorado AHC
High Team Halter: Jr Colorado AHC
High Individual Performance: Madison McKenzie, Jr Colorado AHC
High Team Performance: Jr Colorado AHC
High Individual Reasons: Kelsey Dawson, Jr Colorado AHC
High Team Reasons: Jr Colorado AHC
High Individual Overall: Madison McKenzie, Jr Colorado AHC
High Team Overall: Jr Colorado AHC
Senior Division
High Individual Halter: Amy Petry, Texas Tech University
High Team Halter: William Woods University Team B
High Individual Performance: Karley Van Wormer, Michigan State University Green
High Team Performance: Michigan State University Green
High Individual Reasons: Rachel Wertheimer, Colorado State University Team 1
High Team Reasons: Colorado State University Team 1
High Individual Overall: Amanda Solie, University of Wisconsin – River Falls
High Team Overall: William Woods University Team B
And a special congratulations goes to our High Individual Overall, Silja Alexander from Wyoming 4-H, at the age of thirteen. Silja was awarded a GoPro camera, a scholarship to our Judges and Stewards school, and the Faulkner Memorial Award. She also had the opportunity to judge the Arabian Western Pleasure Junior Horse Championship from center ring and placed the Champion and Reserve Champion horses in agreeance with the official judges.
AHA and the Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) would also like to thank all of U.S. National exhibitors who provided horses for the contest. Without the them and their beautiful horses, this contest would cease to exist.
Congratulations to all of teams and participants. Complete results can be found at http://www.arabianhorses.org/youth/contests/judgingcontest.asp.