And the Winner of the AQHA/POA Reichert Celebration Youth Team Tournament is…
The adorable Domenick James Hiebing of Team #2 prepares to enter the pen at the Reichert Celebration.
By: Brittany Bevis
Eight teams consisting of 37 youth competitors and 42 horses gathered in Fort Worth, Texas at the 2014 Reichert Celebration for the POA/AQHA Youth Team Tournament. Due to the length of the show, the Youth Team Tournament was divided into two sections: the POA/AQHA Youth Team Tournament and the AHA/ApHC/APHA Youth Team Tournament.
Competitors were randomly assigned to teams and points were tallied at the end of each breed show. This year, the Team Tournament was held in conjunction with regular breed classes to allow even more youth to participate.
The riders’ best scores from five of the following classes contributed to the overall point total. Classes included Youth All Age Halter Mares, Youth Performance Halter Mares, Youth Performance Halter Geldings, Youth All Age Halter Geldings, Youth Showmanship, Youth Horsemanship, Youth Hunter Under Saddle, Youth Equitation, Youth Western Pleasure, Youth Horsemanship, and Youth Trail.
Haley Riddle of Team #4 does a last-minute chap adjustment before heading into the pen with Shady Impulse.
The AQHA show has concluded, so it’s time to announce the winners of the 2014 POA/AQHA Youth Team Tournament! With a grand total of 291 points, the winner is Team #5, which consists of four POA competitors and one AQHA rider.
Team #5
- POA- LaKayla Phillips with Justa Lucky Impulse- 96 points
- POA- Avery Koehler with Dutch Major Investment- 58 points
- POA- Ashtyn Gravitt with Scarlets Note- 39 points
- POA- Sarah Clymer with Pal Lance- 85 points
- AQHA- Lacey Jo Edge with Finally Employed, 3 points, and Vested Pine Assets, 10 points
Coming in second place was Team #6: Sara Houk with A Sudden Star, Sarah Boxer with Silver Nightcap, Skye Vandorp with Pal Lance and Rocky Skips Noches, and Elizabeth Grace Gallup with Maybe Hez On Holiday. Third place was Team #2: Shannon Behr with One Hot Chip, Christina Hagemeier with KLB Incredibuns, Audra Painter with Sock It To Me, and Domenick James Hiebing with Certain To Cruise.
Ariana Rhody Cimino and RL Best of Goodbar of Team #1 are deep in concentration before the competition.
The members of the winning team will each receive a $1,000 scholarship and a gold medallion. Each member of the second place team will receive a $500 scholarship and a silver medallion. Just for participating, all riders received a t-shirt, courtesy of Cinch and Cruel Girl, an Equine Chronicle subscription, and Equine Chronicle groom bag towel.
Stay tuned for the results of the AHA/ApHC/APHA Youth Team Tournament, which will be announced on September 2nd.
Click on the link below to view complete results from the POA/AQHA Youth Team Tournament.
