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Arabian Horse Youth Newsletter                                                                      May, 2016
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May is Arabian Horse Month - What Are You Doing to Celebrate?
The month of the Arabian horse is here! What are you planning on doing to promote the Arabian horse breed? The Arabian Horse Association is CHALLENGING YOU to get involved in an outreach event that showcases and brings awareness to the Arabian horse breed. If you, your club, or you and a group of Arabian horse enthusiasts need outreach ideas, take a look at our Marketing Toolkit. Find this information and more here. Make sure to use #ArabianHorseMonth so we can see what you are up to for the Arabian horse month!

Need more inspiration? AHA staff members are jumping on board to educate the public about the Arabian horse during the month of May by participating in some creative events.
  • Volunteering at a local children's hospital and introducing the Arabian horse through fun activities to the kids and their parents. There will also be a real life Arabian horse jockey for the kids to take pictures with!

 

On of the activities AHA did for Arabian Horse Month was to help bring awareness to homeless horses in the Denver area. The Arabian Horse Association Team raised over $900 for the Furry Scurry Fundraiser & Walk. All proceeds were donated to help homeless equines at the Equine Harmony Center.

Join Us at AHYA Convention
Are you coming to Youth Nationals?
Don't forget  to attend the AHYA Convention and get your voice heard! Remeber you only need to be an AHYA member by June 1st to join us at convention in Oklahoma City, OK. At Convention you will have a chance to see the inner working of AHYA, vote for the next Executive Committee, contribute your thoughts and ideas to the association, and meet youth from every region! 

Ready to get involved? Contact your Regional Director today!
The AHYA Raffle is Back
This year, AHYA will be selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a Dever Golf Car, donated in part by Dever Golf Car Sales & Rentals. The raffle item is made for 'on the farm' endurance and grit, and 'at the show' comfort and style. The 2016 E-Z-GO Valor Limited Edition Cargo Golf Car includes:

  • black exterior
  • 45" top/roof and seats
  • head and tail lights
  • 4' lift kit with 23" all-terrain tires & 12" aluminum wheels
  • front seats and a black, steel cargo bed with lift gate
  • fold down windshield and horn
  • drawbar and 2" hitch and ball
  • 13.5 horsepower Kawasaki engine
  • black steel front brush guard
  • 1yr warranty
You can purchase your raffle ticket for this utility vehicle for just $50 by emailing AHYA. Hurry before they are sold out! Only 400 tickets will be sold. AHYA would like to thank Dever Golf Car Sales & Rentals for their sponsorship and support of Arabian horse youth! All ticket sales directly support AHYA.
 
Daily Happenings at YNL
#ahaYNL16 is right around the corner and we are gearing up for an exciting week of activities! Mark your calendars now; you don't want to miss out!

  • Thursday July 21st
    • Thirteenth Annual APAHA Clinics hosted by Joe Reser and Joel Kiesner from 2 pm - 5 pm
    • AHYA Board Meeting 5:30 pm - 7 pm
  • Friday July 22nd
    • Stan Morey's Judging School 9 am - 11 am
    • AHYA Committee Meetings 11 am - 11:30 am
    • AHYA Convention noon - 3 pm
      • sponsored by USEF
    • AHYA Committee Meetings 3 pm - 4 pm
  • Saturday July 23rd:
    • Exhibitor Welcome/Progressive Barn Party           6 pm - 8 pm
    • Olympic Team Challenge - going on during dinner - NEW
  • Sunday July 24th:
    • Stall Decorating Contest Judging Starts
    • Parade of Regions 5:30 pm
      • sponsored by Long Meadow Arabians
    • Ice Cream Social 6 pm - 7 pm
      • sponsored by Jim & Christy Egan & RESULTS
  • Monday July 25th:
    • Stick Horse Workshop noon - 3 pm
    • Stick Horse Contest 6:30 pm
  • Tuesday July 26th:
    • Flying Pigs in Jim Norick Arena - after afternoon session
    • Stall Decorating Contest Awards 6:30 pm
  • Wednesday July 27th:
    • Flying Pigs in Performance Arena - after morning session
    • Barn Night Out
  • Thursday July 28th:
    • College Day - wear your college colors
    • College Fair 10 am - 5 pm - NEW
    • Dog Costume Class 5:30 pm
    • Eleventh Annual Dog Races 5:30 pm
  • Friday July 29th:
    • Patriotic Day - NEW
    • Arabian Horse Hippology Contest 9 am - 3 pm
      • sponsored by Region 10
    • Flying Pigs in Specialty Arena - approx. 1 pm
    • Arabian Horse Times Photo & Ice Cream Social
  • Saturday July 30th:
    • Hippology Contest Awards Presentation 12:30 pm
Back again this year are the PINK FLAMINGO FLOCKS (PFF) Stop by the AHYA booth at YNL to purchase a flock

NEW! AHYA Money Wall where all proceeds go to Make a Wish Foundation Global in the name of Ryan Melendez


TAIL Barns and Guides Needed!!


Meet a Member!
My name is Madison Officer.

How old are you?
I am 13 years old, soon to be 14!

Where do you go to school?
I am a freshman in High School at BASIS Mesa.

Why do you love Arabian horses?
My first horses were mustangs and quarter horses. After spending time with my first Arabian horse I found out that nothing compared with what that special Arabian horse personality and mindset. I used to train and work at Flood Show Horses and every horse there was so sociable and all had unique personalities. They are just so special compared to any other breed.

What is your most memorable horse experience?
When I was 8 we rode past the Flood Show Horses barn on a trail ride and a beautiful palomino Arabian horse was running around in the pasture. I spent the rest of the day fantasizing about that horse and wishing it could be mine. Who would have thought 5 years later I would own the horse of my dreams. He is still new to me but I have already found out that he is an amazing horse and we will go very far together!

What do you aspire to do in the future?
I am hoping to get into the ASU Barrett's Honors College and join the ASU Equestrian Team. That way I will hopefully be able to keep my babies and continue riding the Arabian horse circuit. I don't exactly know what I want my major to be in college but I have time! I really do hope that I can find a way to continue riding while in college though.

If you could change one thing about the horse world, what would it be?
I would like to make showing more affordable, because even though I enjoy sowing the costs of just the shows themselves are hard to manage. The industry of showing at the National level for any breed is extremely expensive, prohibiting many middle class and lower class families from participating. Even the clothing and horse management and training are really expensive and hard to pay for if you aren't wealthy. That would be one of the few things I hope would change in the horse world in general, because while it is mostly a problem in the larger breed shows it is still a relevant problem for any national or regional show of any breed.

*** Know a youth member you would like to see highlighted? Send their information to [email protected]. ***
Dates and Deadlines
June 1 
Youth Nationals Qualifier T-Shirt Sponsorship 
Deadline

June 1
AHYA Convention delegates eligibility deadline

June 15
AHYA Officer Candidate Applications Due to AHA

July 21
AHYA Board of Directors Meeting

July 22
AHYA Convention
Oklahoma City, OK

July 23-30 
Youth Nationals
Oklahoma City, OK

AHA Corporate Partners & Sponsors

Looking For Qualifier T-Shirt Sponsors!
Interested in finding a way to support the youth this year? become a YNL Qualifier T-Shirt Sponsor starting at $250.  All proceeds go back to the youth and your name gets added to the Qualifier T-shirts recieved by every exhibitor at Youth Nationals. Find more inforamtion here.

Don't forget to check out other sponsorship opportunities!

Join a Youth Committee
As an AHYA member, you are eligible to serve on any youth 
committee. For a list of committees click here. Don't have an interest in these, but have an idea for a new committee? Let us know! We will take it into consideration, find other youth members with the same committee idea, and get it started. It is a great way to get involved, have your voice heard, and help you meet new people who share the same interests as you.  

Becoming an Equestrian Olympic Athlete
Check out the latest blog post from AHYA Region 7 member Kelsey McMahan:

The Summer Olympic Games in Rio are coming up, which means viewers around the globe are tuning in to the biggest sports competition on Earth. As equestrians, we are particularly biased towards the eventing, dressage, and show jumping. As a little girl, I watched the beautiful horses and riders glide over jumps, perform incredible tasks, and leap over ponds of water. I don't know about you, but I wanted to join those prestigious riders. Being on the United States Equestrian Olympic team is the one of the biggest honors an equestrian can receive. So how do you become a competitor? I researched this question and found that, unsurprisingly, it is extremely difficult. read more
#ahaBlueRoom at YNL
Starting at Youth Nationals, stop by the #ahaBlueRoom for a complete AHA and AHYA social media experience. The #ahaBlueRoom will encourage exhibitors and participants to keep up to date with the latest news and events; plus, you'll have a chance to win cool prizes!
  
Follow us all Show Season long on social media:
  • Facebook: Arabian Horse Associaiton
  • Twitter: @AHAArabian
  • Instagram: @arabianhorseyouth & @arabianhorseassoc
  • Snapchat: ahyneigh
Post with us, snap us, share your pics with us at Youth Nationals using #ahaYNL16 and be sure to use #ahaBlueRoom. See you there!
2016 Youth of the Year
The Youth of the Year deadline is quickly approaching. Applications are due on September 1st. The Youth of the Year award honors one outstanding youth member annually. This member is selected for his or her achievements and contributions to the Arabian horse industry, AHA, and his or her community. If you know of an exceptional youth and would like to nominate him or her, please click here.  For more information email us  or call (303)696-4505.


2016 USEF Youth Sportsmanship Award
Do you know any young equestrians who exhibit exceptional leadership potential, serve as positive role models for peers and exemplify positive sportsmanship principles? Nominate them for the 2016 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award! Read more
Do You Ride Frequently?
AHA is proud to announce Awards Recognition Concepts is now the official sponsor of the Frequent Rider Program! Starting May 2016, NEW milestone awards will be given out to program participants who log hours. Milestone awards are given for logging riding or driving hours, ranging from 25 hours to 10,000 hours. To view the new awards or learn more about the program, visit www.arabianhorses.org/frp.

 
USEF Lettering Program

Interested in lettering as a high school athlete? Have horses always taken up all your time, so you have never been able to commit to volleyball or football, soccer or tennis? Well Equestrians are athletes too and the USEF has a letter program catered to those Equestrian Athletes that spend their time at the barn instead of in the gym or on the sports field. If you are interested, check out the program here and see what USEF has to offer.


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