By AQHYA Region Five Director Mark MowbrayDecember 6, 2011
Mark Mowbray, Region 5 Director
We all love the summer. It is probably the best time of the year, especially when it seems like every week there is a horse show going on. You don’t have to worry about any school work, you can just focus on showing and being with your friends. As summer approaches you plan it all out. For example, when I got out of school in May, I was already ready for the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show and the Youth Excellence Seminar in Amarillo. Usually, once you hit summer break, everything you learned in school from the previous year goes out the window. I know when that bell rings on the last day of school, all of those formulas and equations are gone. During the summer we look forward to the little things. If there is a show that I’m leaving for on a Wednesday and it’s Sunday, all I know is I am going to just do what I am supposed to do and get ready to leave for the show. It’s pretty tough to get back in the swing of things once school comes around. You have to get back to a strict routine. For example, I get up every morning at 5 a.m., feed the horses, come home, eat breakfast, take a shower and get ready for school, leave at 7 a.m., go to school, then depending on the season, I have practice for sports, then go home and do my barn work, work with my horses and complete my homework. I have to make sure that I can complete all of those tasks in my day. We all have chores and assignments to complete in a day’s time. The problem is making time for everything. That is where we must get a sense of time management. Time management is key, not only in everyday life, but also at shows. During these slow months, plan for next year. Plan what shows you want to go to, think of different places you can go to and try new things. For me, I’m thinking about the shows. We all want to go to shows that we can have fun and have a good opportunity to get points at the same time. Look at shows that you’ve never been to before, and see what they have. For example, I have heard that the Northern West Virginia Quarter Horse Association is planning on having more activities at their shows. That is what they’ve been working on during this time to improve their shows – they know the association starts with the youth. That sounds fun, plus that will draw people to the show so you can get points so you can be qualified to go to the 2012 Ford Youth World. Show managers and AQHA staff are working very hard to improve show numbers so that we as youth can have a good time and get the points that we care so much about. For right now though, make sure you stay focused in school. Get good grades so you can be successful in your life. Make sure you are still working with your horse(s) so that when show season rolls around you can perform at your best. Here are some quotes from fellow AQHYA members on time management in the winter:
Theresa Moran: “It’s always been important to me that my horses also get some time off because they haul so much throughout the year. My advice to other youth would be to complete all of your homework and studying before you even get to the horse show or on the trip there, because it usually gets so hectic that there is seldom any time to sit down and actually get the work done.”
Austin Halvorson: “I always try and focus on school during these times and practice with my horses. And I only go to shows on the vacation periods to avoid missing school.”Britt Lynch: “I usually take a break from showing, spend time with family and friends, and just keep riding. I go to the barn a lot over the holidays.”
Ali Ceresani: “During those winter months, I’ve always kind of taken a step back and looked at what I really want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Whether it is horse related or not, I take those months to get a really solid jump start on whatever those goals may be.”