APHA recently announced its Youth division year-end award winners for the 2013 show season. These talented equestriennes finished at the top of their respective age groups.
Youth Rookie of the Year
Talyn Smith of Webb City, Missouri, won the Youth Rookie of the Year title. The 12-year-old equestrienne and her 15-year-old sorrel overo gelding, Sensational Me, finished the year with 370 qualifying points.
To be eligible for this award, which celebrates Youth in their first formal year of showing, a competitor cannot have won any equine association points in Open, Youth or Novice Youth competition at any time prior to the year of the award, must be a first-time AjPHA Novice Youth card holder, and must not have earned APHA Youth or Open points. The award is based on total points accumulated on a one-horse/one-rider basis per calendar year.
On their way to the 2013 title, the pair collected Novice Youth Registers of Merit in showmanship, hunter under saddle, trail, Western horsemanship and hunt-seat equitation.
Sensational Me is by Zippos Sensation and out of Notice Me. Walter and Jeri Karpinski of Agua Dulce, California, bred the gelding. Talyn and Sensational Me are trained by Cindy Sundgren of El Dorado, Kansas.
No. 1 Youth 13 & Under
Emily Drew of Cypress, Texas, captured the top spot in the Youth 13 & Under division. The equestrienne and her 13-year-old sorrel overo gelding Cadets Honor finished the year with 369.5 qualifying points.
Not every dream team is love at first sight—when Emily Drew first met Cadets Honor, also known as “Pancho,” she received a nip as a greeting. After hard work and compromise, though, Emily and Pancho grew into a formidable team and climbed their way to the top of the 2013 Youth 13 & Under year-end standings.
Emily also had to learn to deal with Pancho’s dual personality; though calm and attentive in a home arena, the gelding is known to get ahead of himself in the show setting. Emily certainly didn’t let a tough ride stop her—the team’s road to the national title was paved with astounding success, including five world championships and two high-point titles at the 2013 AjPHA Youth World Championship Show.
Cadets Honor, owned by ESD Performance Paint Horses Inc. of Cypress, Texas, is by The Cadet and out of Sing Out Sonny; Shaun and Lance McNiel of Haslet, Texas, bred the gelding. The duo’s trainers include Wes Stallings of Gainesville, Texas; Nada Wise of Tomball, Texas; and Brynne Davis of Tomball, Texas.
No. 1 Youth 14-18
Jenni Hansen of Elkhorn, Nebraska, captured the top spot in the Youth 14-18 division. Jenni and her 7-year-old bay tobiano gelding Inthesweetshop finished the year with 595 qualifying points.
During Jenni’s competitive career with “Bentley,” they have earned many Registers of Merit and Superiors, and 2013 was no different: they earned a Superior in Youth Trail and took home two world championship titles and two reserve world championships at the 2013 AjPHA Youth World Championship Show.
Inthesweetshop is by Three Chips and out of Endless Zippo, and was bred by Paul Toal of Cedar Hill, Texas. The gelding is currently owned and shown by Marylyn Caliendo of Lake Oswego, Oregon.
The duo was trained by Simons Show Horses of Aubrey, Texas.
No. 1 Youth Solid Paint-Bred
Emily Rodriquez of Bloomington, Illinois, captured the top spot in the Youth Solid Paint-Bred division. The 14-year-old equestrienne and her 9-year-old sorrel solid gelding, O I Need A Spot, finished the year with 61.5 qualifying points.
Capturing the No. 2 spot on the year-end list in 2012, Emily’s sights were set on earning No. 1 in 2013. The duo have earned many ROMs, and 2013 was no different: they earned five in barrel racing, pole bending, trail, stake race and showmanship at halter, and earned an APHA Champion title.
Owned by Emily’s mother, Kate, O I Need A Spot is by Ollie Norfleet and out of Zippins Trendy Doll. The gelding was bred by Kristy Doyle of Ellsworth, Illinois.
The complete 2013 Performance Review was presented in the April 2014 Paint Horse Journal. To subscribe or order a single copy, visit the PHJ website or call our toll-free subscription number (866) PHJ-4-YOU (745-4968).