AHYA Blog

 

Have a story you want to share on the blog? We'd love to hear from you.

Contact youth@arabianhorses.org 


 


 

How to Afford College
  • By Emily Barker
  • January 2015

It’s never too early to start thinking about college. Thinking about college comes with many questions, however the biggest question that crosses everyone’s mind is how am I going to pay for college?

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I am now just starting my second semester as a freshman at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. I had known since I was a sophomore in high school that William Woods was my dream college, however being a private university and the fact that I am a resident of California and not a resident of the state of Missouri means that I would have the extra cost of paying out of state tuition.

 

I started doing research about scholarships and found several scholarship opportunities through the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) and the Arabian Horse Foundation! The Arabian Horse Foundation has a general scholarship application form that is due April 1st every year.  These organizations have both regional and national scholarships to offer to their youth. I found that I could obtain a scholarship through my region and even some of my region’s clubs. I also discovered that I could win scholarships through AHA’s regional and national level judging competitions. I joined my region’s youth judging team and competed at the national and regional level and earned over $4,000 in scholarships!

 

AHYA_Blog2016-01_pic2 Border AHA also offers a very prestigious scholarship called Youth of the Year. Youth of the Year recognizes a very special individual who has gone above and beyond to help the Arabian Horse Association.  

 

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) also offers several different scholarships. USEF has their own version of the Youth of the Year award called the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year. USEF also offers a Sportsmanship scholarship and a very unique scholarship for those individuals planning to pursue an equestrian degree in college.

 

Scholarships can also be obtained by going to many different websites and researching what scholarships best suit your needs. Colleges often offer their own unique scholarships that you may be applicable for. William Woods offers a $5,000.00 a year scholarship program called LEAD. Over the course of four years it is a $20,000.00 savings off my tuition bill. If you want more info on that please go to their website for more info or send me an email.

 

First start by asking your region and region’s clubs to see if they offer scholarships and if you meet the requirements, however if you are stuck and are unsure of where to start looking for scholarships whether it’s through AHA, USEF, scholarship websites, or through your desired college, please feel free to contact me and I will assist you to the best of my abilities. I will be more than willing to help you find scholarships that will best fit your needs!

 

About the Author
Emily Barker is the current AHYA Vice President

Have a story you want to share on the blog? We’d love to hear from you; contact youth@arabianhorses.org today!


 

AHYA 2015 March Board Meeting
  • By Emily Barker
  • March 2015

Hello AHYA members and fellow Arabian horse competitors! 

 

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On Saturday morning, we all woke up very early and were ready to undergo our board of directors meeting. We had the privilege to listen to a Parliamentarian who helped us better understand Robert’s Rules of Order. After our guest speaker finished, we discussed many great ideas and plans for Youth Nationals 2015. The theme for Youth Nationals this year is, “Horsin’ Around the World”! Each regional youth director was in charge of choosing a country in which their region will represent at Youth Nationals for the stall-decorating contest and during the Parade of Regions. This year, the Parade of Regions will take place down Main Street Sunday the 19th. The Ice Cream Social will be held directly after the Parade of Regions on Sunday and we plan to have piñatas this year. The board members all discussed great ideas for our Annual Youth Convention. Youth Convention was moved to Friday afternoon and the Novice Judging Clinic to the morning and will AHYA_Blog2015-03_pic1 Borderbe live streamed. Everyone will now have the opportunity to take part at Convention whether they will be at Youth Nationals or not. We will be continuing Barn Night Out, Flying Pigs, and Flamingo Flocking! We have several fun activities planned for our delegates and guests! Convention delegate eligibility will be due June 1, 2015. We have also decided on our limited edition item. Last year our limited edition item was the power pods which sold like crazy, this year our limited edition item will be AHYA dog collars! 

 

The AHYA Board of Directors has a lot in store for the upcoming 2015 year. We are very excited and eager to show everyone what we have planned. Talk to you soon and good luck in the upcoming show year!

 

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About the Author
Emily Barker is the current Region 1 Youth Director

Have a story you want to share on the blog? We’d love to hear from you; contact youth@arabianhorses.org today!


 

Welcome to 2015
  • By Katherine Mathews
  • January 2015

Hello AHYA members and fellow Arabian horse competitors!


AHYA_Blog2015-01_pic1 BorderAs 2015 begins, I am getting more and more excited to begin my first year in 14 and Under. My barn is fired up and they are preparing for this exciting new year. I am sure most of you are too! I cannot wait to be back in the show ring! My first show of 2015 is big Scottsdale, which will be my second 14 and Under show. Are any of you going to Scottsdale? 

 

With my trusty and loving steeds, Camelot (right photo) and Glory (below), I hope to have a successful and fun year, and maybe win a championship or two! Last year, at Youth, when I was still in 10 and Under, I picked up 5 Top Tens, and I learned to honor my horses for the effort they put into their presentations and be grateful for what they do for me each year. This year I hope to at least be that successful in 14 and Under! The upcoming 2015 show season is getting me fired up and ready to compete, and I hope to have a lot of fun along with making it fun for my horse too! 


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For every show, I like to think positive and believe in my horse and myself and what we are capable of achieving.  I focus on pushing through the boundaries that we face as a team, and reach for something that is challenging, like a championship.  Nothing is impossible, and that is the best mindset for me when I’m showing.  It’s all in the title: Horse Show.  Show them, competitors! You are worthy of the prize, so reach for it, no matter what anybody says!  Hope can get you farther than you think.  For me, all that matters is having a good time, and every year, that’s exactly what I do!  If I have a bad ride, I can try again tomorrow.  The gift of having a big, fuzzy, four-legged partner is that he will never leave your side, and knowing that, I feel encouraged and faithful in not just myself, but also in my horse, and that is one of the best feelings in the world.

 

This weekend is the AHANM awards banquet, and I am anxious to see if maybe I got an award or two.  You never know!  No matter what, I’ll be cheering on my friends who do win awards!


This year, I am going to focus on having a great show season with my horses and trust that I can win a ribbon or two. I wish everyone luck this year and I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I’ll see you in the show ring! 

 

About the Author
Katherine Mathews is the current Region 8 Treasurer

Have a story you want to share on the blog? We’d love to hear from you; contact youth@arabianhorses.org today!