AQHA Youth World Show - Oklahoma City, USA

The world’s most talented equestrian youth and American Quarter Horses will take centre stage at this year’s Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show August 5-13 at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

The Built Ford Tough Youth World is the world’s largest single-breed horse show for youth. This year, the show has 2,351 entries, and the Oklahoma City economy will get a $10.8 million boost during the show’s run. Exhibitors from 44 states, two Canadian provinces, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Venezuela will be competing for custom-designed trophies, Montana Silversmiths champion belt buckles, neck wreaths, gold medallions, logoed Cripple Creek jackets, Professional’s Choice products, WeatherBeeta embroidered blankets and the honor of being crowned a youth world champion. 

AQHA is debuting two new initiatives to recognize more exhibitors at this year’s Built Ford Tough Youth World. AQHA will present Intermediate awards as well as offer shootout classes. Intermediate awards will be presented to exhibitors who have not placed in the top 10 at the Youth World Show in that particular class. It is set up as a class within a class. Halter classes will be combined. Three awards will be given – Intermediate champion, Intermediate reserve champion and Intermediate third place.

The shootout classes are for scored classes with more than 80 entries. The top placing 15 horses, (plus ties), in the prelims, will qualify to return for the finals. The “shootout” competition will be for the next 15 high-scoring horses (plus ties). These 15 will perform again immediately and the top five placing horses (ties will be broken), will return for the finals. The Intermediate awards and shootout classes allow for more exhibitors to be recognized during this nine-day world championship competition.

During the week, youth members will also get to participate in a scrapbook contest, speech contest, horse bowl, variety show and judging contest. Monday, August 8, will launch the beginning of those events as exhibitors march into the arena in the parade of teams holding their respective flag.

The 813 exhibitors will have plenty to see and do in Oklahoma City when not in the ring competing for world champion honors in the 33 equine events. Spectators and exhibitors can browse the trade show consisting of 70,000 square feet of shopping space. The trade show, located in the Cox Pavilion, opens August 4 from noon to 5 p.m. Then from August 5-13, the trade show will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The trade show offers spectators and exhibitors more than 80 booths inside and outside featuring the finest jewelry, saddles, trucks, trailers and AQHA merchandise.

Australia's Kodi Anderson is competing at the show with her Australian Quarter Horse, Breakin Hearts and has had a good show so far, completing a beautiful horsemanship run - out of 192 competitors!  Horsezone interviewed Kodi at the NPHA in March - such a lovely girl - we wish her and Breakin Hearts all the best for the show!

Quick Link

• For more information about the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show visit http://www.aqha.com/Youth.aspx.
• Watch live coverage of the Show.

Meanwhile, for an idea of the dauntingly high standard displayed by competitors, check out this truly beautiful run by the Youth World Champion in Western Riding.