(Carberry, MB - Nov. 6, 2011) - Germany will be the host country for the next biennial American Quarter Horse Association's Youth World Cup to be held in Kreuth, from July 21-29, 2012. This event, first held in Australia in 1986 as the International Youth Quarter Horse World Cup, has become one of the most prestigious equine competitions recognized world wide.

It is a major initiative of the CQHA to field a youth team for this competition which is held every two years. The CQHA Board of Directors is very pleased to announce that Della Cryderman of Murillo, Ontario and Karen Westerback of Thunder Bay, Ontario have been appointed as 2012 Team Canada Coach and Team Canada Manager, respectively. The CQHA is indeed fortunate to have such well-qualified candidates volunteer their time, experience and resources to serve Team Canada in these capacities. Cryderman and Westerback successfully campaigned Team Canada to a top five finish out of 16 countries at the 2008 AQHA Youth World Cup held in London, Ontario Canada.  

Team Canada Coach Della Cryderman has been breeding, training and showing Quarter Horses for over thirty years and presently owns and operates a equine training facility. Her focus for Cryderman Training Stables is to prepare horses and their exhibitors for national and international competition. While the majority of the horse/rider combinations that she coaches show American Quarter Horse circuits, she also coaches several dressage and jumping horses/riders. Cryderman has travelled and shared her knowledge with riders who have committed to furthering their skills, and given many clinics ranging from first time riders to numerous youth and amateurs who became AQHA Superior Award winners, AQHA Champions, AQHA Versatility Champions, All-American Congress and AQHA World Show finalists. Cryderman's daughter, Jessie Godin was a gold-medalist member of Team Canada while competing at the Youth World Cup hosted by Australia in 2004. Cryderman served as President of the Thunder Bay Quarter Horse Club for 15 years and as President of the North Superior Quarter Horse Council for 10 years.

Team Canada Manager Karen Westerback has been involved with Quarter Horses for approximately 20 years and competes as an amateur on AQHA show circuits in Canada and the U.S. She has achieved two AQHA Amateur Superior Awards and is an AQHA Amateur Champion. Westerback is employed as a Youth Services residential worker for youth who are at risk with the law, helping to develop therapeutic plans for release from custody. She has served her local Quarter Horse associations over the years as Secretary, Vice-President and Youth Advisor, and has been actively involved in major fund-raising events and organizing. In the past year, she has acquired a new role as a ring steward for several large AQHA show circuits including the Minnesota Corporate Challenge and the Bob Yanz Masters. 

The CQHA is currently seeking up to ten qualified youth participants from all across Canada, for Team Canada. Applicants must be Canadian residents and current members-in-good-standing of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association (AQHYA), the Canadian Quarter Horse Association, and the provincial/regional Quarter Horse affiliate where they reside.

Youth who are interested in applying as potential candidates (as riders and/or non-competing members) for the 2012 Youth World Cup Team Canada should visit the CQHA web site at www.cqha.ca (Youth World Cup section) to obtain the Team Canada Application package, and Selection Criteria Overview. Youth exhibitors who compete in the disciplines of Cutting and Reining are also eligible to apply as Team Canada members, providing they meet the AQHYA membership criteria, become members of CQHA (at no extra cost to current AQHYA members - see below) and are members-in-good-standing of their provincial, or regional or national cutting or reining affiliates.      

The deadline to apply as a youth member of Team Canada 2012 is November 30th, 2011 (as postmarked by Canada Post or forwarded by overnight courier). Applications may now be submitted to Karen Westerback, Team Canada Manager, 201 Hourigan Crescent, Thunder Bay Ontario, P7A-6Y3. For more information, please contact Karen at ( 807)345-5256 or by email (kjwester@shaw.ca). Youth team members will be selected by the CQHA Youth World Cup Committee (Team Canada's Coach, Manager and the CQHA Board) by December 31, 2011.

Funding for travel and other expenses for Team Canada is cost-shared by AQHA/CQHA, provincial/regional Quarter Horse Associations, discipline affiliates, corporate and/or individual sponsors, and team members' families.

All current AQHA or AQHYA members-in-good-standing, are eligible and invited to be members of CQHA for no additional membership fee. However, you must register with CQHA by completing the on-line membership application form available on the web site: www.cqha.ca  (Membership section) or by contacting the CQHA President at (204) 834-2479 directly to request the membership form be sent by Canada Post or facsimile.

For more information regarding the Canadian Quarter Horse Association, including Team Canada's participation at the 2012 AQHA Youth World Cup, visit the CQHA web site:
www.cqha.ca and check out the Youth World Cup links.

                        
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