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Youth Futurity Project

2026 World Show | Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth, Texas

Youth Futurity Project

Overview

Purpose: The Youth Futurity Project develops the next generation of horse trainers by guiding Youth through the hands-on experience of raising, training and showcasing horses on their own

APHA’s Youth Futurity Project helps teach and motivate Youth to acquire horse-training skills by raising and training their own animals. The annual competition takes place in conjunction with the APHA World Championship Show and offers prizes and recognition to participating Youth.

Eligibility

To be eligible:

  • All Youth members can participate in APHA’s Youth Futurity Project.
  • Open to all breeds of horses with additional incentives offered for Paint Horses.
    • Horse must be nominated by March 1 annually.
  • A current AjPHA membership is required.
  • While there are no ownership requirements, only the Youth participant may train the horse after March 1 of the current show year through completion of the APHA Youth Futurity Project classes.
    • Verbal guidance from trainers, parents or coaches is welcomed, but the physical training of the horse must be exclusively carried out by the participating Youth. Anyone found in violation of these rules will face disciplinary action.

Contest Details

Horse Nomination (Received by March 1)

All horses must be nominated for the Youth Futurity Project. There is no fee to nominate. Nomination ensures we know who’s participating and helps us provide every exhibitor with the latest program updates and important information.

Pre-Entry Fee (Received by May 15)

  • Individual Youth Futurity Class: $75/class
  • Yearling Futurity Flat Fee: $150 for all 3 classes
  • 2-Year-Old Flat Fee: $150 for all 3 classes
  • 3-Year-Old Flat Fee: $150 for all 3 classes

Post-Entry Fee (Received after May 15)

  • Individual Youth Futurity Class: $100/class
  • Yearling Futurity Flat Fee: $200 for all 3 classes
  • 2-Year-Old Flat Fee: $200 for all 3 classes
  • 3-Year-Old Flat Fee: $200 for all 3 classes

Additional Fees to Consider

  • Stall Fees: $330 for the entire show OR $90 per night
  • Admin Fee: $85 per horse

The logbook is an essential component of the project and is subject to scoring, but there is no associated class fee.

Classes

The APHA Youth Futurity Project consists of several classes; scheduled dates and times are found in the APHA World Show Schedule. Horses may be shown as pleasure-, hunter- or ranch-type in any of these classes, and the attire of riders/handlers should correspond to that type; adhere to the APHA Rule Book for legal tack and attire for your chosen discipline/class. Training and horsemanship is prioritized over movement. Scoring aligns with APHA rules for each respective class, with additional rules specified in each class description below. All classes undergo judging in accordance with applicable APHA rules for Novice/Walk-Trot classes, encompassing disqualifications, off-pattern rules and more.

Yearling Classes

Fitting & Handling

  • Judged on communication, responsiveness, and connection between the exhibitor and horse.
  • Maneuvers might include: leading at a walk or trot, turn on haunches (90 or 180), forehand turn (90 or 180), standing quietly, side pass, picking up a foot, stopping from a walk or trot, back up, desensitizing ears or muzzle, and other maneuvers needed as a foundation for further training.

Longe Line

  • To be judged in accordance with APHA longe line rules, with the following exceptions:
    • Conformation will not be counted, but horses will still be tracked and judged for soundness.
    • Presentation score will replace the conformation score based on 0-5.
    • Emphasis shall be placed on rewarding training, responsiveness, safety and willingness. Movement should be secondary.

In-Hand Trail

  • To be judged in accordance with APHA in-hand trail rules.
  • Maneuvers may include walk and/or trot over poles, bridge, tarp, work gate, back L, turn-in box, yield front and/or hind end, stand ground tied, pick up hooves, stand for fly spray, etc.

Logbook & Video

2-Year-Old Classes

Fitting & Handling

  • Judged on communication, responsiveness, and connection between the exhibitor and horse.
  • Maneuvers might include: leading at a walk or trot, turn on haunches (90 or 180), forehand turn (90 or 180), standing quietly, side pass, picking up a foot, stopping from a walk or trot, back up, desensitizing ears or muzzle, and other maneuvers needed as a foundation for further training.

Walk-Trot Rail

  • To be judged in accordance with APHA Walk-Trot hunter under saddle, Western pleasure and ranch rail pleasure rules.
  • Exhibitors will show as a group.
  • Western pleasure, hunter under saddle and ranch rail pleasure types are all acceptable, but tack and attire must clearly suit the discipline.
  • Maneuvers: All exhibitors will be asked to walk, jog or trot, and extend the jog or trot each way, plus a reverse, stop and back.
  • Exhibitors should be judged on the responsiveness, willingness and manners of their horse with movement secondary.

Walk-Trot Trail

  • To be judged in accordance with APHA Walk-Trot Trail with the exception that hunt-seat attire may be worn.
  • Exhibitors will ride the pattern individually.
  • Maneuvers: Maneuvers may include walk and/or trot over poles, bridge, tarp, work gate, back L, turn-in box, yield front and/or hind end, stand ground tied, pick up hooves, stand for fly spray, mount or dismount, etc.

Logbook & Video

3-Year-Old Classes

Horse must have participated as a 2-year-old to be eligible to compete as a 3-year-old.

Versatility Pattern Class

  • The purpose of this class is to demonstrate the versatility of the performance horse. The horse should reflect the versatility, attitude and movement of an all-around performance horse. The horse should be well-trained, relaxed, quiet, soft and cadenced at all gaits.
  • This is a new class being offered at the World Show and includes an English Versatility Pattern class and a Western Versatility Pattern class.

Trail

  • To be judged in accordance with APHA Rule Book for Trail with the exception that hunt-seat attire may be worn. Exhibitors will work the designated pattern in the arena individually. Maneuvers may include walk, trot, or lope over poles, bridge, tarp, work gate, back L, turn-in box, yield front and/or hind end, stand ground tied, pick up hooves, stand for fly spray, mount or dismount, etc.

Rail

  • To be judged in accordance with APHA Rule Book for hunter under saddle, Western pleasure and ranch rail pleasure. Exhibitors will show as a group. Western pleasure, hunter under saddle and ranch rail pleasure types are all acceptable, but tack and attire must clearly suit the discipline. All exhibitors will be asked to walk, jog or trot, lope or canter, and extend the jog or trot each way, plus a reverse to the inside, stop and back. Exhibitors should be judged on the responsiveness, willingness, and manners of their horse with movement secondary.

Logbook & Video

Logbook & Video

Completion of the logbook and video is mandatory for all exhibitors, even if they choose to not to compete in all futurity classes within their horse’s age division. Each exhibitor is allowed to enter only one Youth Futurity Project horse per age division; for example, a maximum of one yearling project, one 2-year-old project and one 3-year-old project. Scoring will be based on presentation, originality and precision of details. Scoring is from 1–25 and will compose 25% of the overall score. 

Note: We emphasize the importance of originality and personal effort in creating your logbook. All content submitted must be your work and reflect your experiences. The use of AI-generated or plagiarized content is strictly prohibited. We encourage you to use this opportunity to develop your skills and showcase your journey in horse training.

Monthly logbook entries are submitted on the last day of each month starting in March and ending in May. A final report is due in early June. In addition to the monthly reports, a 3–5 minute video summary of your project is required in June.

Logbook Topics

Each month you are required to answer questions related to your project and submit an income/expense report. The questions cover the topics below:

  • Acquisition of Project
  • Feeding & Nutrition Management
  • Health, Physical Care & Management
  • Training Plan & Schedule
  • Practice Shows or Other Outings

Additional information and pictures are encouraged.

Final Video Report

The video report must retell your Youth Futurity Project experience from selecting your project to your care and training. Include videos of you working with your horse and talk through your process of training and preparing for the World Show. The video portion of your project must be between 3–5 minutes long. Anything past the 5-minute mark will not be judged. Judging will be based on quality, creativity, originality and relevance to the program.

The panelists for the logbook and video will comprise one Competition Advisory Committee members, one APHA state director and one APHA judge.

Train. Compete. Shine in the APHA Youth Futurity Project!

Develop your horsemanship skills by raising and training your own horse, then showcase your hard work at the APHA World Championship Show. Earn prizes, recognition, and the pride of achieving something truly your own!

 

Horse nominations have closed for 2026. We look forward to seeing our exhibitors compete in June.

 

World Show Details

Tabulation & Awards

Tabulation

For overall awards, the classes are tabulated in each age division as follows:

  • Classes – 25% each
  • Logbook & Video– 25%

The overall placings are announced following the conclusion of the last class.

Awards

  • Top 10 placings are recognized in each individual class for both divisions.
  • Overall Top 10 placings are awarded in each division.
  • Overall Highest-Placing Logbook is recognized.
  • The overall Highest-Placing Paint Horse is awarded in each division.
  • The Youth Futurity Horseman Award is awarded to exhibitor of the highest-placing 3-year-old horse that participated in the project all three years.

Resources