AQHYA Leadership Team

Adriana Totten of Chester, New Jersey, is the 2022-23 AQHYA President. She has served as a Region 5 director and second vice president, as well as being the current president of her affiliate. Adriana’s goal is to put the YOU in Youth by making equestrian experiences more accessible to all equine-interested youth. She intends to continue to educate others about the opportunities her affiliate has to offer and what AQHYA can do for youth. She wants to share her love for the American Quarter Horse and help other kids, doing what she loves.

Grant Mastin of Jackson, Ohio, is serving as the 2022-23 first vice president. Grant previously served as a Region 4 director in addition to being highly involved in his local affiliate through volunteering on committees and holding various leadership positions. Through his own experience with AQHA members and professionals, Grant would like to create an online program called “Leg Up” for his fellow youth members to access and utilize their experience to create connections and help guide them in their next steps in life while including AQHA. This program would help bridge the gap between youth, amateur and professional members, creating connections that strengthen the AQHA community, propelling the careers of youth members for the future.

Spencer of Olive Branch, Mississippi, is serving as the 2022-23 second vice president. After several years of service within his affiliate and serving last year on the AQHYA executive committee, Spencer is serving his fellow members through a second term as an officer. Along with focusing on growing Region 9 and AQHYA overall, he plans to attend more shows and educate youth members about the opportunities available to them by being an AQHA member. Spencer also wants to be a welcoming face to all new members to make them feel comfortable and invited to join in on all the fun AQHYA has to offer.

Tell Bagley of Dimmit, Texas, is serving as a 2022-23 executive committee member. Tell currently serves as president of his local affiliate. Tell plans to highlight the leadership aspects and opportunities within the association, raising awareness and sharing information with members in the show pen while continuing the trajectory he started as a Region 8 director.

Sydney Sargent of Paris, Kentucky, is serving as a 2022-23 executive committee member. She serves as president of her local affiliate, in addition to having served on multiple AQHYA committees, including the Youth World Show committee. Sydney is dedicated to growing and sustaining our youth membership, she intends to use the concept of “Plus One” to help grow membership. The idea behind “Plus one” is to invite those who share our passion for the American Quarter Horse to become active members of AQHYA.

Anna Rodriguez of Silverdale, Washington, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 1 director, hoping to build the association by reaching out to people who may be aspiring to join the industry but don’t know where to start. Her state affiliate is launching a mentorship program this year that will match new youth members with an older youth to help them gain an understanding of the association. Their newer members will then have someone to attend meetings with, someone to help answer any questions and also a new friend to cheer them on at horse shows – a model Anna plans to bring to other regions!

Mallie Olson of Hillsboro, Oregon, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 1 director, previously holding multiple leadership positions with her local affiliate. Using the “see something, say something” policy, she will make sure that all horses around her are always in good care. She plans to do her best to recruit new members and make sure they feel welcomed by the association. Most kids follow the lead of people that inspire them. She wants to display good horsemanship, raising the chances of more youth that will also display good horsemanship.

Sheridan Baringer of Edmonds, Washington, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 1 director, planning to provide for her fellow AQHYA members by enhancing the public's point of view of what AQHA does behind the scenes, such as, how we take care of our horses to keep them happy, including what we do outside of horse shows. She believes that this would encourage our youth to improve and promote the American Quarter Horse.

Ada Hirschfeld, of Kearney, Nebraska, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 2 director, hoping to implement a “buddy program” and plans to work with 4-H programs, she aspires to work with Riders with Disabilities to make them feel welcomed within the association. Ada vows to be a strong advocate for the Young Horse Development Program, and the Youth Excellence Seminar and will continue to promote all the great opportunities AQHYA has to offer.

Maryn Mead of Norfolk, Nebraska, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 2 director, she would like to work with the marketing department and AQHYA outreach committee to encourage members to be active in AQHYA programs, bridging the gap between AQHYA and other youth agriculture organizations such as 4-H and FFA. She wants to uphold the objectives and purpose of AQHYA while continuing to lead through high moral character, sportsmanship, and clean living.

Abigail Eddy of Rocheport, Missouri, is serving her second term as a 2022-23 Region 3 director and is the current president of her local affiliate. She plans to strengthen and support AQHA affiliates by increasing communication between AQHYA officers and directors, affiliate presidents, and youth advisers. She proposes that the boosted relationships will grow membership and participation with the association.

Addison Hinton of Ashland, Missouri, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 3 director. She has been involved in her state affiliate as a director-at-large and continues to be involved with her affiliates social and outreach committees. She plans to empower her fellow youth members by encouraging them to continue their AQHA journey past their AQHYA years. She believes in teamwork, leadership, and the positive effect of education in engaging youth members – creating excitement for their future.

Hazel Myles of Moberly, Missouri, is serving her second term as a 2022-23 Region 3 director, she remains involved with her local affiliate through the correspondence committee. Her goal as director is to “Build for the New and Live for the Now” by practicing effective time management, initiating new projects, and strengthening the overall dynamic of the officers and directors. She intends to continue motivating her fellow youth members to be involved and show that the opportunities within AQHYA are irreplaceable.

Colton Smith of Bellefontaine, Ohio, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 4 director, hoping to provide a voice for all AQHYA members in a leadership capacity. As a director, he intends to “lead and believe,” leading his fellow youth members in a positive direction and believing in the mission and founding principles of AQHYA. Colton takes the responsibility of leadership seriously and is ready to serve all youth members.

Elizabeth Smith of Clarkston, Michigan, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 4 director. She hopes to focus on the youth members that might not have a horse and endorse the many programs such as AQHLearn, horse judging, leadership, and Youth World Show contests. Elizabeth plans to encourage youth to get involved while promoting the opportunities provided through the various youth programs that do not need a horse.

Adrianna Goolsby from Sussex, New Jersey, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 5 director. She is a reporter for her local affiliate and is also involved in her local affiliate committees. Her goal is to open the eyes of other youth members to the opportunities AQHYA has to offer. Adrianna believes in the power of being connected to her fellow youth members through being an advocate for them on the leadership team.

Sylvia Speelman of East Berlin, Pennsylvania, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 5 director. She is the current vice president of her local affiliate and was a member of her affiliate’s Youth World Show Team in 2021. Her goal is to bring the best of the West to the East by bringing more western-influenced events, such as cutting and working cow horse classes to Region 5 throughout the year. She aspires to share AQHYA with more people and wants to boost involvement by offering more options in the western community.

Madison of Wells, Nevada, is serving her third term as a 2022-23 Region 7 director. She wishes to expand on her previous experience with AQHYA to boost youth member enrollment and involvement. She believes that highlighting leadership opportunities at the regional level while showcasing national involvement programs with the association can appeal to new members from all walks of life and encourages existing member to remain active.

Charylet Lee of south Texas, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 8 director. In addition to her national role, she has served as a board member of her local affiliate and served as a voting delegate at the 2022 Youth Excellence Seminar. Her mission is to promote AQHYA by improving communication and sharing more information with potential youth members. Charylet believes in the “grassroots” approach to recruiting and encouraging outreach in local affiliates.

David Kendrick of Shallowater, Texas, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 8 director. He is active in the fundraising, public relations, community service, and scrapbook committees for his affiliate along with leadership roles. His platform is to publicize, promote, and present all the opportunities available to youth, regardless of if they have a horse or not. David sees AQHYA as a tool for education and an avenue for real-life experiences.

Riley Pirkle of Waco, Texas, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 8 director. Riley is the current vice president and previously served as a board member for her local affiliate. Riley believes in going “all in” on projects that she believes in and hopes to utilize her passion for AQHYA to serve all youth members.

Camryn Johnson of Tylertown, Mississippi, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 9 director. She plans to grow membership and participation among all AQHYA members through outreach efforts targeted toward youth attending AQHA shows. She hopes to continue to make our youth members more included and believes in a simple way to grow participation in youth programs.

Jaymee Carruth of Enterprise, Mississippi, is serving her second term as a 2022-23 Region 9 director. She also currently serves as president of her local affiliate and is highly involved within the affiliate association. She firmly believes that it is not the situation that defines us, but how we recover from a setback – a belief she hopes to instill in her fellow AQHYA members. Serving on the youth board has given Jaymee a sense of purpose and passion helping build the youth association.

Lauren Sanders of Watkinsville, Georgia, is serving her second term as a 2022-23 Region 10 director. She plans to continue her vision for the association by expanding and sharing AQHYA with as many youths as possible through regular communication with regional directors and affiliates. Lauren sets out to do this by providing more opportunities for involvement outside of the show ring.

Natalie Anderson of Washington, Georgia, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 10 director. She values maintaining the integrity of the American Quarter Horse while believing in the importance of promoting AQHA by hosting fun activities to get people of all ages involved and interested in learning more about the association. She is looking forward to working with her colleagues on planning these events.

Rebecca McCain of Vero Beach, Florida, is serving as a 2022-23 Region 10 director. Setting out to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone, she wants to reach out to youth of all ages to ensure they have great experiences as an AQHYA member. She plans to achieve this by using their thoughts and comments to better represent and grow AQHYA.