Madison Brown & GSPHYC win AjPHA Youth Member & Club of the Year
Madison Brown, a college freshman from South Haven, Minnesota, is the 2024 AjPHA Youth Member of the Year. The Garden State Paint Horse Youth Club demonstrated outstanding efforts in 2024 to earn the AjPHA Club of the Year title, as well.
AjPHA Youth Member of the Year
The AjPHA Youth Member of the Year highlights a well-rounded individual who embodies the spirit of community involvement, volunteer work, scholarship and leadership. As the 2024 winner, Madison wins a custom Gist Silversmiths trophy buckle and $1,000 scholarship.
An AjPHA member since 2009, Madison (pictured above) has been an active participant in the Minnesota North Star Youth Paint Horse Club and the Minnesota Junior Paint Horse Association. She’s helped as a club leader in both organizations and participated in showing and fund-raising events. Moreover, Madison has served as an AjPHA national director, zone representative and Youth Executive Committee member for the last five years. In APHA competition, Madison has won Youth Versatility and Youth Champion titles, placed on the year-end Top 20 list and earned multiple Zone Award and Honor Roll titles.
Outside of AjPHA, Madison participated in FFA horse judging and was her chapter’s treasurer. She was also an active 4-H member and varsity letter-earner for the Minnesota High School Equestrian Association. Madison enjoys serving her community in various volunteer roles and always looks for ways to promote Paint Horses. Currently, Madison is a student athlete at the University of Minnesota–Crookston, riding for the school’s National Collegiate Equestrian Association and Intercollegiate Horse Show Association teams.
AjPHA Youth Club of the Year
The AjPHA Club of the Year award recognizes outstanding regional clubs that provide an educational and social organization for Youth members who share a common interest in Paint Horses. The Garden State Paint Horse Youth Club is led by Niki Hetzell, and she says members worked hard all year toward the award. Efforts included hosting a No Bling Fling Youth and Amateur show to help encourage new exhibitors, hosting fundraising events, volunteering at GSPHC shows, making blankets to benefit a local neonatal care unit, collecting donations for animal shelters and hosting educational clinics. The New Jersey-based club previously earned the Club of the Year title in 2021 and 2022.
As the Club of the Year winner, Garden State Paint Horse Youth Club receives a $1,000 donation from APHA.
Learn More
AjPHA Youth Member of the Year & AjPHA Club of the Year awards: apha.com/youth/contests
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About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.