$65,000 in Scholarship Money Presented During AjPHA Youth Halter Classes
By: Brittany Bevis
The first year the group known as the “Friends of the Halter Kids” offered their scholarship incentive for AjPHA Youth World Show Halter classes was in 2013. That year, 34 horses participated in 10 Championship classes.
Since that time, the group has grown exponentially. This year, they raised a whopping $45,000 to present to exhibitors. The American Paint Horse Foundation wanted to get involved as well, so they donated an additional $15,000. In addition, an offshoot of the main group helped to organize $5,000 to present to rookie competitors and youth who compete without trainers. That brought the grand total up to $65,000 to be doled out in the form of supersize checks, most of which were larger than their recipients!
For each Youth Halter class today, the payout was as follows:
- World Champion- $1,750
- Reserve World Champion- $1,400
- 3- $1,000
- 4- $600
- 5- $500
- 6- $400
- $150- random exhibitor
- $250- rookie bonus
Kicking off an early morning at 7 am, Phillip Groeb led Red Hot N Stylish to a win in Youth Yearling Mares. Coming in Reserve was Korbin Larman with My Secret Dream. In Youth Yearling Geldings, tiny Grace Hayslip beat the big kids with her horse Coolest Ambition. Coming in Reserve was Hailey Ousey with Brooks N Irish.
Taylor Cartmell with I’ll Be Awesome
Another pint-sized competitor, Justin Christensen, received a huge check in Youth 2-Year-Old Mares when he won a World Championship title with Shezmaknacquisitions. The Reserve Champion was Nathan Wright with Marabella. Taylor Cartmell led I’ll Be Awesome to a win in Youth 2-Year-Old Geldings and was followed in Reserve by 10-year-old Teagan Goble with He’s Double Painted.
Colton Baxley with FF Executable
Solid Paint-Bred horses were well-respresented by Logan Larman and Dominant Equilibrium, who were named the World Champions in Youth Solid Paint-Bred Mares. The Reserve Champion was Justin Moody with Bear Foot Clu. Colton Baxley led FF Executable to a win in Youth Solid Paint-Bred Geldings. The Reserve Champion was Madison Reeevs with Heza Casual Mr Too.
An adorable Jenna Engle showed her 3-year-old mare, JWR She’s Got Bling, with style winning the World Championship in unanimous fashion. The Reserve Champion was Domenick Hiebing and Classy With Curves. Belle Rotan and Styled Right were named the World Champions in 3-Year-Old Geldings and were followed in Reserve by Emily Kelley with Awesome Uno.
Jenna Engle with JWR She’s Got Bling
Finally, the two largest classes of the day were the Aged Mares and Aged Geldings. An emotional Alexus Cole led her gelding, RH CK Kid, to win the Aged Geldings class. Justin Moody found himself in the Reserve spot with Rockin Classics Heart. World Show first-timer Courtney Eubanks was named the World Champion in Aged Mares with her horse, Angelica Imprinted. Phillip Groeb and Mnc Kupcakez came in Reserve.
Although Courtney Eubanks is only 13 years old, she already has a clear picture of a goal she’d like to accomplish with the $2,000 she won today in Youth Aged Mares.
“I’d like to be an equine veterinarian,” Eubanks says. “That way, I could help my mom out! I love being around horses. When our vet comes over to the house to check babies, I’m always there. I’ve always wanted to do that.”
Courtney Eubanks with Angelica Imprinted
A South Carolina native, Eubanks would like to attend Clemson University when she graduates from high school. Although that’s still a ways off, the $1,750 she won today with her five-year-old mare “Angelica” for being named a World Champion and the $250 Rookie Bonus will be there upon graduation.
Today’s win is very special for Eubanks and her family, because it’s her first time competing at the AjPHA Youth World Show. Her performance in Youth Aged Mares was her first class here at the World Show as well.
“The Youth World has kind of always been a dream of mine,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to do it. Finally, we decided to take a shot at it!”
Following the conclusion of the Halter classes today, each competitor who received a check was invited up to the stands in the John Justin Arena for a group win picture with members of the Friends of the Halter Kids group. Congratulations to all of the young competitors and thank you to the group for their overwhelming generosity. To read more about the Friends of the Halter Kids, read the Breathing New Life Into Youth Halter article in this month’s edition of The Equine Chronicle.
Results:
Youth Yearling Geldings:
1- Coolest Ambition/Grace Hayslip
2- Brooks N Irish/Hailey Ousey
3- Stone Cold Stylin/Phillip Groeb
Youth Yearling Mares:
1- Red Hot N Stylish/Phillip Groeb
2- My Secret Dream/Korbin Larman
3- Hot Damn Ima Western/Shyanne Smith
4- Kr Lone Star Lola/Belle Rotan
5- Sheza Mirror Image/Alexus Cole
6- Uno I’m Dreamy/Madison Reeves
7- Ms EC Lent Conclusion/Morgan Box
Youth 2-Year-Old Mares:
1- Shezmaknacquisitions/Justin Christensen
2- Marabella/Nathan Wright
3- Td Kids Chantilly Lace/Rylan Burns
4- Finessem In Print/Justin Moody
5- Truly Extreme/Grace Hayslip
Youth 2-Year-Old Geldings:
1- Ill Be Awesome/Taylor Cartmell
2- He’s Double Painted/Teagan Goble
3- Casual Commander/Bo Yount
4- Why Keep Secrets/Carley Rinn
5- He’s Stylin To Win/Hannah Alexander
6- The Professional Look/Colton Baxley
7- FF Sensational Kid/Peyton Hoffpauir
Youth Solid Paint Bred Mares:
1- Dominant Equilibrium/Logan Larman
2- Bear Foot Clu/Justin Moody
3- Cool Secret Sierra/Carley Rinn
4- Invite Beth/Crystal Johnson
Youth Solid Paint Bred Geldings:
1- FF Executable/Colton Baxley
2-Heza Casual Mr Too/Madison Reeves
3- Classic Connection/Justin Boulware
4- The Perfect Copy/Reese Nelson
5- FF Heza Cool Flirt/Peyton Hoffpauir
Youth 3-Year-Old Mares:
1-JWR She’s Got Bling/ Jenna Engle
2- Classy With Curves/Domenick Hiebing
3-Tr Midnight Intention/Shyanne Smith
Youth 3-Year-Old Geldings:
1- Styled Right/Belle Rotan
2- Awesome Uno/Emily Kelley
3- Thats So Final/Teagan Goble
4- R Casual Casanova/Aaron Chenoweth
Youth Aged Mares-
1- Angelica Imprinted/Courtney Eubanks
2- Mnc Kupcakez/Phillip Groeb
3- Kids Rain/Erin Wright
4- Lap Dancin Tees/Justin Moody
5- Mmm Mmm Good/Curtis Howerton
6- Be Envyd/Nathan Wright
7- Tardy Town Chica/Raegan Watson
8- Frosted Perfection/Bo Yount
9- FF Shez Irresistable/Landry Chipman
10- Cool Cheers/Alexus Cole
Youth Aged Geldings:
1- RH CK Kid/Alexus Cole
2- Rockin Classics Heart/Justin Moody
3- The Only Alibi/Nicholas Gralla
4- Heza Lees Delight/Harli Hutt
5- Wicked Addiction/Rylan Burns
6- He’s Scores/Katie Leonarski
7- Ricky Bobby/Curtis Howerton
8- Bartow Sweet Mr/Mindy Hengst
9- Wicked Roses/Destiny Clagg
10- The Big Maneuver/Sydney Schmidt
