Meet Your AjPHA Executive Committee Candidates!

PHJ press release by: Kelsey Ritchie

APHA.com

The AjPHA Youth World Championship Show ​will crown more than a new batch of ​world champions— the new AjPHA Executive Committee will also be selected while youth from across the country are gathered in Fort Worth, Texas, June 23–July 4.

To run for AjPHA Executive Committee, candidates must have served as a ​national ​director and submitted their application. While at the Youth World Show, candidates will have the chance to campaign at both the AjPHA Convention and Ice Cream ​Social. They will also each have the opportunity to address the national ​directors and AjPHA membership present at the Convention in a three-minute speech.

Director of Youth Activities Christine Henry ​says increasing candidates’ involvement in the campaign process will serve as a catalyst for a more productive year as member of the AjPHA Executive Committee.

“By being more active in campaigning, the youth leadership team is really able to communicate their thoughts and goals,” Christine said. “I was really impressed with the answers that our young Paint leaders provided when asked about what they would like to accomplish during their terms and how they would make those goals into reality.”

After campaigning, the candidates will be voted into office by their fellow ​national directors by an online voting process that occurs during the Youth World Show.

Meet the Candidates

Name: Blayne Bell

Hometown: Shelton, Washington

Running for: Zone 1 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Come Together”

Age: 16

Experience: National director for two terms, current Zone 1 representative

Activities: Mentors ​Walk-​Trot exhibitors at shows, volunteers at blood and food drives, competes on her high school equestrian team

Goals: “I would like to see Youth coming together as one and not arguing all the time. Having more youth get togethers and more bonding activities at shows can accomplish this because they will have to work together instead of working against each other.”

Name: Mackenzie Chapman

Hometown: Bellevue, Michigan

Running for: President-Elect

Campaign Slogan: “Leadership, Service & Values Mean Something”

Age: 16

Experience: Active in AjPHA, NSBA & AQHYA

Activities: Plays volleyball, golf and soccer, active in 4-H with market hogs, National Honors Society member

Goals: “More Youth participation at the Youth World would be ideal. As soon as Youth can see all the ways they can be involved and how great the World Show is, this goal will be reachable.”

Name: Rialey Cone

Hometown: Brenham, Texas

Running for: President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

Campaign Slogan: “Get ‘Hooked’ on Paint”

Age: 16

Experience: Captain of Vet Tech Team & Vice President of 4-H club

Activities: High school horse judging team, FFA, 4-H, IEA Team, volunteered more than 300 hours at local vet clinic

Goals: “Expanding Youth involvement in Paint Horses—they are the future of AjPHA! ​We need Youth to ‘get hooked on Paint.’ The sport of showing is an incredible experience that can lead to many amazing opportunities. One way I plan to achieve this is through awareness and advancement. I plan to get out there and get kids excited about the amazing opportunities that horses can bring to their lives.”

Name: Alyssa Donelson

Hometown: Mesa, Arizona

Running for: Zone 2 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Let’s Get Involved”

Age: 15

Experience: Arizona Junior Paint Horse Club Secretary

Activities: FFA, 4-H, National Honor Society

Goals: “Encourage more member participation and help to increase member base by promotion of clubs at local levels—at FFA, 4-H and local open shows.”

Name: Ally Fink

Hometown: Coronado, California

Running for: President-Elect

Campaign Slogan: “The girl with the SMILE will go the extra MILE! Vote for Ally Fink!”

Age: 17

Experience: National director for two terms for California, treasurer of National Charity League

Activities: Volunteers at a therapeutic riding center, works with autistic children, more than 250 hours of community service this past year

Goals: “I would like to see more involvement from the older Youth with the younger Youth and to see everyone acting as a community.”

Name: Callie Foster

Hometown: Calhoun, Louisiana

Running for: President-Elect

Campaign Slogan: “Paint it Forward”

Age: 17

Experience: Current Zone 6 Representative, served as school ​class ​representative for three years and is currently ​executive secretary of class board

Activities: Spanish, Biology, Interact and Renaissance clubs, MU Alpha Theta, National Honors Society, Student Council, volunteers at nursing home, fundraises for Relay for Life and Junior Diabetes Research Fund

Goals: “I would like to increase the Youth membership. I think utilizing the existing members to network with their local 4-H and local open horse shows would help accomplish this and help retain those members by educating them on the wide variety of benefits of being an AjPHA member.”

Name: Jacob Grinstead

Hometown: Hutchinson, Kansas

Running for: Zone 3 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Throw a Big Loop”

Age: 17

Experience: Held several offices with FFA and 4-H, member of South Central Stock Horse Association, Kansas Stock Horse Association and Heartland Youth Rodeo Association

Activities: FFA, 4-H, volunteers at a food bank, works with underprivileged youth, educates youth about crops and hunger awareness

Goals: “I would like to see the versatility of the Paint Horse celebrated more. I would do this by continuing to recognize activities of all kinds, including those outside of the show world, and striving to create more opportunities for non-show Paints.”

Name: Nikayla Hetzell

Hometown: Pittsgrove, New Jersey

Running for: Vice President and Zone 7 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Working to Paint Your World”

Age: 15

Experience: President of Junior Livestock Association, ​vice ​president of Pony Pals 4-H and vice president of Garden State Paint Horse Youth Club

Activities: 4-H, USEF, Garden State Dressage Association, NJHSA, field hockey, therapeutic riding volunteer, horse camp counselor, soup kitchen volunteer

Goals: “I would like to see an increase in Youth members. I would encourage PAC membership, visit 4-H and open shows to recruit members and offer youth clinics.”

Name: Sabine Lazo

Hometown: Caldwell, Texas

Running for: Secretary

Campaign Slogan: “Keep Calm, Ride a Paint and Vote Sabine for Secretary”

Age: 12

Experience: Current Zone 4 Representative, FCA officer, 4-H leadership positions, Gulf Coast Paint Horse Youth Club secretary

Activities: Athletics, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Book Club, band, Student Council, Special Olympics volunteer

Goals: “I would like to increase Youth participation in leadership activities. To do this, I would seek to involve my state 4-H group with AjPHA.”

Name: Abbey Love

Hometown: Forney, Texas

Running for: Zone 4 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Ride the Wave”

Age: 14

Experience: National ​director for two terms, ​vice president Texas Junior Paint Horse Club

Activities: Volleyball, Stable Strides, involved in church

Goals: “I would like to see the Youth become more involved on a national level and give back to the organization though volunteering with ​equestrians with ​disabilities.”

Name: Nicole St. Clair

Hometown: Union, Missouri

Running for: Secretary & Zone 5 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Loping Towards the Future”

Age: 16

Experience: Current Zone 5 Representative, president of Missouri Junior Paint Horse Club

Activities: FFA, varsity ​cross ​country, volunteers at a local barn

Goals: “I would like to see a more active AjPHA. I would like to find ways to make events such as the Youth Leadership Conference easier to attend for more people who haven’t been able to attend in the past.”

Name: Ryan Stille

Hometown: Colleyville, Texas

Running for: President-Elect

Campaign Slogan: “Don’t be silly, vote for Stille”

Age: 17

Experience: Texas Paint Horse Club ​president, ​congress ​debate ​captain, Grapevine High School​ rodeo team secretary

Activities: Texas High School Rodeo Association, FFA, debate, golf, competitive sailing, involved in church, volunteer teen court attorney

Goals: “I would like to create a stronger sense of community—by putting on sponsored socials at more APHA shows.”

Name: Anna Lia Sullivan

Hometown: Southampton, New Jersey

Running for: Zone 7 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “Educate, Encourage, Involve!”

Age: 15

Experience: Current Zone 7 Representative, officer positions in Young Riders 4-H Club, Silver Spurs 4-H Club and Garden State Paint Horse Club

Activities: 4-H, USEF ​high ​school ​athletes program, IEA, violin and orchestra, Burlington County Teen Council, showing alpacas, photography, therapeutic riding volunteer

Goals: “I would like to see more active involvement in the various AjPHA programs. I would like to accomplish this by informing Youth on the various opportunities that AjPHA has to offer. In addition, I would like to educate the parents of their horse-loving children on the benefits of the AjPHA and encourage them to become involved in the association.”

Name: Anna Tucker

Hometown: Dubberly, Louisiana

Running for: Secretary

Campaign Slogan: “Bringing Paints to the Masses!”

Age: 16

Experience: Current AjPHA Secretary, active in 4-H horse program at the local, state and regional levels, active in Pinto Horse Association

Activities: Student ​council, ​dance ​line, church youth group, Nature Club, class ​officer, ​mission ​group organizer

Goals: “I would like to explore more options of spreading the opportunities available through APHA to other horse youth outside of APHA. Through working with 4-H kids I have found many of them have no idea what other opportunities are available. I would plan on attending as many non-APHA events as possible in order to encourage others to become involved. I hope, if elected, I will find more non-traditional ways to promote the APHA as it has been such a blessing to me through the years and I want to share that with others!”

Name: Callie Jo Ware

Hometown: Mays Landing, New Jersey

Running for: ​Zone 7 Representative

Campaign Slogan: “I don’t want to just Paint America, I want to Paint the Globe”

Age: 17

Experience: Regional AjPHA Club ​president for four years

Activities: PtHA, AQHA, field hockey, ​yoga ​club, National Honors Society, volunteer at local vet clinic

Goals: “I would like to see the ​Youth of this association work together to gain new members. I would accomplish this by hosting open shows with APHA introductory classes to get more 4-H kids to join and get interested.”