Youth awards discussions

[JWC sr.]

Several of us were stealing away from another thread so I started this one to stop that. In any case below is a comment made by one of the posters and my response to it after that

I can understand where you're coming from John. But would I want Dylan to show in sub championship halter classes and the grand class? No. It's exhausting and he doesn't have the patience for that yet. Plus, if its an open horse as well, you are going to loose that spark. There are other events out there besides halter. Kids need to be doing those classes as well.

 

When I was a child/young adult, I wanted those Grands so bad. But it was something to work towards in the open division. If they are getting grands as kids what drives them to get grands as adults (other than to beat the old pros)?

 

Tell your granddaughter that there's nothing wrong to go for just one class with one horse. I've done it and enjoyed myself just as much as 14 horses with 25 classes!

Yes there are other things than just halter, but with that said. What we do is halter. We love it and enjoy the competition.

 

When it comes to kids, They need to be active, feel like they are wanted at the shows, have some peer pressure and have to work with the horses they show in order to succeed.

 

Winning and losing is part of it and if they win great then they need to understand why and if they lose the same thing goes. Was it a better horse, did they get everything they could out of the horse they showed, was it lack of conditioning and if so what can they do to improve those type things. To get dressed up and/or sit around for 2 or 3 days at the show in order to show in one halter class is somewhat boring even for me as an adult.

 

With our kids they pick out the horses they want to show at the beginning of the year and then work with training and conditioning that horse all year long. Jose and Cindy do help them with practice classes and such, but they do the majority of the work. Megan for instance even razored her gelding at the Area 5 show for the first time. No switching and no quitting in main stream.

 

With all that said my position is pretty simple, personally I think the kids deserve the same chances at jr. champions, sr. champions, grands and reserves as the ammy's and open folks do. It gives them goals and really forces them to focus on the job at hand. They pay their money and takes their chances so to speak. Hopefully learning something along the way and becoming better kids for it.

 

[txminipinto]

Then let them enter the Open classes! LOL! John I love you, but I don't want to see kids having to deal with the pressure of the grand. Because what will happen is it will turn into the kids with trainers vs. the kids without (which youth halter is already that anyway). And that's not any fun.

Let the kids show in their one halter class and all the others and then GO PLAY AND SOCIALIZE while the grownups continue to work.

Next you're going to want Youth Liberty (yes, I know AMHA already has it). Its cute and all, but AMHR/ASPC already has enough classes. I like getting finished before midnight or worse (4 am once at a LOCAL show).

I would rather see high points for each age division and gender. That way we encourage our youth to participate in other classes and get that exposure.

I'm with you John on just halter. I'd rather show just halter but sometimes I've got to work a little too.

 

[Minimor]

I agree with Carin. The kids here seem to find several classes to show in even if they have only one horse to show. Besides youth halter there is showmanship, color, jumping, costume. Some of them show in the open halter classes. Some of them drive. If the kids or their families have multiple horses at the show then any one kid might get to show in youth gelding, over, youth gelding under, youth mare under, youth mare--at our local shows we don't have a lot of youth, but those that are showing generally aren't doing just one class and then sitting around being bored the rest of the day.

I sure would not want to see it made mandatory that all sanctioned shows offer Jr. and Sr. and grand champion classes for each age division and each size division for mares and geldings. That is a very large number of classes.

Our shows currently offer 12 youth halter classes for AMHR and our exhibitors are happy with that. If we had to divide those 12 classes into Jr. & Sr. horse and then add Jr. & Sr. Champion as well as Grand--that would make our 12 classes into 60 classes. Not only is that a lot more cost to the show for ribbons, it adds a lot of time--even without a large number of youth entries, all those classes do take time--and if a one day show has to become a two day show, that means a lot of extra $$ will have to be spent on officials' fees. If a show can afford that, then fine, but please don't make all shows offer all those classes!!

Then too, if there are families that have children in all 3 age groups, and every child shows every horse, you're going to have some very used up halter horses. Currently we have families who have the same horse in all 3 age groups, then the horse shows in the open class, and (hopefully) the championships--that makes 6 classes right in a row. Granted, they're not big classes, but the horses still have to go out there & do their thing 6 times in a row, and they do get tired of it. Add the 3 championship classes and those horses then have to go out 12 times in a row. We already have people who won't enter Ammy at our local shows because they don't want to send their horse out 4 times (3 youth classes + one Ammy class) before their open class--experience has shown them that their horses quit & don't show well in the open class. At Nationals these same horses don't have to show Youth/Ammy/Open all on the same day, but just in terms of youth day--if a horse goes out in all 3 youth age divisions one after another (and some do!) by the 3rd class the horse is tired & not showing well. If you add in a bunch of championships so the horses are doing 6 or 9 classes in a row on youth day...

I have to say that I think leaving the Grand championships for the open division give the youth a goal. Let them have fun with the youth classes, and they can focus on the grand when they're old enough/experienced enough/have the horse to compete for that grand. If I were to be at Convention to vote (and I won't be) I would vote against this.

 

[~Lisa~]

Well John I am with you in a lot of ways here.

Raven has been showing since she was 2 and now she is the main handler in the family and does show in open and has held her own in the Championship classes.

I can remember the first time she won over adults (and seasoned handlers/trainers) in a Grand class and she was so excited she worked hard to get that. Heck I remember the first time I won over trainers I really respect. I think I did something really mature and totally unembarassing like dance around the arena waving my ribbon like a fool LOL

Now all of that said I think the issue comes back to the same as the highpoint issue. Often it is he who has the most horses wins. Or he who has access to the trainers conditioned and trained horses wins.

I want my kid to work hard for what she does in the ring and she works at home and now all summer long she is part of the work that goes into training with the trainer. She is not just being handed client horses but is away for the summer, working for a trainer doing stall cleaning, bathing, and helping prep the horses before and during shows. She is very lucky to have that chance and it is something we are so grateful for and do not take for granted.

We as adults put so much value on these youth classes "hiring" youth to show our horses be it the local or national level rather then let it be what it is .. a class for kids

I would prefer to see a maiden or novice class added to the youth line up (and honestly even the ammy line up as we have many "pro" ammys in talent and ability) For those who have not yet won a first place. A place where the playing field is a bit more even- I think the best way to keep people coming back to shows and getting bit by the show bug is to give them a place to succeed so they are inspired to come back for more. It is a very common class in the big horse circuits and truly does serve its purpose.