BY TONYA RATLIFF-GARRISON, FIELD EDITOR
 |
| AQHYA Senior Manager of Youth Activities Kayce Wagner presents Laurel Capurro-Wachtel with the 2007 Wrangler Youth Leader of the Year award. Laurel is the youth advisor for the Nevada Quarter Horse Association. |
With Team Alabama first to “lead the way” in Saturday’s Parade of Teams, the 2007 Ford AQHYA World Championship Show officially began.
Youth from 47 states, three Canadian provinces, Brazil, Italy and Venezuela entered the John Justin Arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Center for the last time. Next year, Ford Youth World will move from Fort Worth, Texas, north to the home of the AQHA World Championship Show, Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.
This year, there are 1,978 entries with 277 in halter, 1,227 in western classes and 474 in English classes. The largest class is 133 in showmanship. There are 810 exhibitors and 1,102 American Quarter Horses.
Following the entry of teams, the youth regional directors and the 2007-2008 AQHYA officers, including AQHYA President Colin Luba of Louisville, Kentucky, were presented.
The 2007 Wrangler Youth Leader of the Year was also announced during the Parade of Teams. Winning was Laurel Capurro-Wachtel of the Nevada Quarter Horse Association. Laurel showed as a youth and decided to become a youth leader to give something back. She has been a leader for about 10 years.
“I was so shocked to receive this,” the Deeth, Nevada, resident said. “I love the kids, and this is just so wonderful. I’m so honored to receive this award.”
With two young daughters of her own, Laurel said she has many more years with the Nevada youth ahead of her.
“I really value the youth program, and I think it’s so important,” she said. “I look forward to many more years and taking Nevada youth to an even greater level.
Youth World title sponsor, Ford, gave away a Ford F-150. Throughout the year, AQHYA members sold raffle tickets for the truck, raising $46,000. Half of that money will go toward the AQHA Foundation scholarship fund while the other half goes to the AQHYA affiliates.
