The Youth World Show Assistance Fund was established in 2005, allowing a larger number of deserving young riders to realize their dreams at the big show. In the past four years, with the assistance of this program, 240 American Quarter Horse Youth Association members have received financial support enabling them to travel, attend and compete in the Built Ford Tough Youth World Championship Show.
The Fields Family Foundation and Jackson Land & Cattle Co. realize the benefits that youth obtain from attending the Built Ford Tough Youth World are far greater than just accumulating titles and awards. As a direct reflection of their belief in the future of youth, their support of the Youth World Show Assistance Fund continues. This will mark the fifth year the program will be available to AQHYA members in need of financial support to compete at the Youth World Show.
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The fund helps young people like Samantha Jostes and her mother, Mary Jostes, pay for travel and lodging expenses after they have qualified to compete at the show.
?I’m happy to see that the fund is still available,? Mary says. ?I know it is an experience that my daughter will cherish the rest of her life. Thank you for your thoughtful assistance.?
For the Jostes family, the expense of the horse, lessons and showing left them fairly depleted, and they feared they would have to take a pass on attending the event. With the help of the Youth World Show Assistance Fund, however, they were relieved of the financial stress that would have otherwise come with attending the show. Samantha was able to compete in the 2006 and 2007 Youth World Shows with the help the family received from the fund.
?I live to be in the show ring,? Samantha says. ?It’s so rewarding when you?ve worked so hard for such a long time, and then you get a chance to be in an arena where everyone is watching your hard work in action.?
Both years Samantha attended, she competed in reining. In 2006, she rode a mare named Colonels Sugar Chic; in 2007, she rode a gelding named Classic Gold Pine.
?My experience overall was wonderful,? Samantha says. ?I had so much fun meeting new people from all over the country and even the world. The people that I met are still my friends to this day. I wouldn?t trade going to the Youth World for anything.
?I would definitely encourage anyone and everyone to participate in the program. It gave me a chance to experience something that I never would have been able to without it.?
For more information, visit www.aqha.com.
From America’s Horse Daily.
