2008 AQHA Youth World Cup – Team Canada Youth Members appointed

(Carberry, MB – January 17, 2008) --- A major initiative of the Canadian Quarter Horse Association (CQHA) is to co-ordinate a team to represent Canada at each biennial American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Youth World Cup. The Youth World Cup competition is an educational, leadership-based event for youth members from around the world, culminating in showcasing skills learned in an atmosphere of friendly competition.
 
Canada will be one of 16 countries to field a team at the 2008 American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup. The event, proudly co-hosted by the Canadian Quarter Horse Association and provincial/regional AQHA affiliates, will be held from July 6th to 13th. 2008, in London Ontario. Funding for travel expenses for Team Canada is cost-shared by AQHA/CQHA, provincial/regional Quarter Horse Associations, corporate and/or individual sponsors, and team members’ families.  
 
Each participating country may select up to five competing riders, two alternate riders and three non-competing youth (leadership members). The host country, Canada, will provide the pool of horses of various ability levels, which are subsequently grouped into lots of five horses each. During the opening ceremonies, teams draw to determine their assigned group of five horses. Teams then designate three riders each to compete in Western Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Western Riding, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Showmanship, and Trail; and two riders each for Reining and Cutting classes.
 
The CQHA actively sought out qualified youth from all across Canada, who are Canadian citizens, members-in-good-standing of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association (AQHYA). Many applications were received from youth from all across Canada, who possess excellent horsemanship skills in a variety of events, and who volunteer in their local communities and/or equine sport organizations. This made the job of selecting finalists for the team both gratifying and challenging.
 
The CQHA Board of Directors, Team Canada Coach, and Team Canada Manager are pleased and proud to announce that Team Canada for 2008 has been selected as follows:
 
The five competing riders are:
Sarah Clasen-Byce: rider
Sarah is a 17-year-old from Kakabeka Falls, Ontario. Sarah has had experience riding many horses and is presently showing a nine-year-old gelding in the all around events. Since Sarah has been showing, she has been earned many achievements including circuit awards, year-end awards and being a two-time finalist at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Sarah is very involved in extra curricular activities and is an active volunteer. She is a senior, in her high school concert band, plays in a brass quintet, and has volunteered at many school activities, such as Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots and as a tutor. Sarah is a committee member of the Thunder Bay Youth Quarter Horse Club and the North of Superior Quarter Horse Council. Sarah loves to ride any horse that she can swing a leg over. She is looking forward to giving 110 percent as a member of Team Canada 2008.
 
MacKenzie Harvey: rider
MacKenzie is a 17-year-old youth from Toronto, Ontario. She has shown numerous horses in the all-around events and has won many circuit and year end awards. She has earned an AQHA Youth Championship and has placed in the top five in an AQHA Regional Experience Show. MacKenzie was also on the Ontario Area 3 NYATT Congress team riding in hunter under saddle and western pleasure. MacKenzie is actively involved in her community, volunteering with senior citizens and with the humane society. In her school community, MacKenzie excels in both academics and extra-curricular activities. She is a member of the school outreach program and a director for the Ontario Quarter Horse Youth Association - Area 3. MacKenzie has fulfilled many of her showing goals and is looking forward to fulfilling one of her major goals: to be a member of Team Canada 2008.
 
Mallory McKewen: rider
Mallory is a 17-year-old from Prescott, Ontario. She has been riding horses since she could walk and she began taking lessons at the age of three. While showing in the hunter jumper world, she began showing AQHA in the lead line classes. Mallory has shown numerous horses in the youth all-round events and is presently preparing her new three-year-old for the show pen. Mallory is very involved in her community volunteering with the therapeutic riding club "Touch a Rainbow", Canadian Blood Services, tutoring students, and various other community organizations. She is presently the vice-president of the Ontario Quarter Horse Youth Association. Mallory has shown successfully at the All American Quarter Horse Congress (semi-finalist in western pleasure) and has been on the Eastern Ontario Quarter Horse Association Congress NYATT Team. She as amassed many circuit championships and year-end awards. Being on Team Canada for the Youth World Cup has been a dream of Mallory's since she was 12-years-old. She is about to live that dream.
   
Danielle Olafson-rider
Danielle is a 15-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta. She has been riding American Quarter Horses since the age of six and began showing when she was ten. She has shown three different quarter horses and has earned numerous AQHA Superior awards and was Justin Rookie of the Year in 2006. Danielle qualified her horse for the AQHYA World Show in Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation and placed in the top ten. She has also been a Congress Top Ten winner and Champion. Danielle is very active in her community volunteering for the Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association, assisting at numerous fund-raising events and participating in several sports activities. Danielle is the treasurer for the Alberta Youth Quarter Horse Association and is actively involved in her organization's fundraising events. Danielle is looking forward to contributing to the inevitable success of Team Canada at the 2008 Youth World Cup.
   
Kelly Truesdell: rider
Kelly is a 17-year-old from Brights Grove, Ontario. She has been riding and showing horses since the age of two, and has amassed an extensive list of accomplishments including: being top ten at the All American Quarter Horse Congress, being on the Ontario Quarter Horse Youth Association NAYYT team at Congress for two years and earning 468 lifetime NRHA youth points. Kelly has been very involved with extra-curricular activities such as being in the key club, being on committees and being on teams. She is an active volunteer in her community with the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stoke Foundation and with numerous other fund-raising events. Kelly has been the treasurer and a director of OQHYA and the president, chairman and a committee member of the Ontario Reining Horse Youth Association. Kelly's 15 years of show experience with over 20 different horses has prepared her to be a strong competitor for Team Canada at the 2008 Youth World Cup.
 
The two alternate riders are:
 
Miranda Cummings: alternate
Miranda is a 16-year-old from Fredericton, New Brunswick. She has been involved in the horse environment since she was a toddler and started showing in local circuits at the age of five.  Miranda has been showing quarter horses on a couple of horses since she was ten-years-old in the all-around events. She has earned points in all events that she has shown and was provincial Rookie of the Year in 2005. Miranda has won many circuit and year end awards. Miranda has participated on school teams and has been active in her Junior Achievement program. She has been an active volunteer in her community at Pine Grove Nursing Home, fundraising for the Maritime Youth Quarter Horse Association, assisting with a therapeutic riding program, and and is a board member of the MYQHA. Miranda is looking forward to contribute her energy and enthusiasm to the success of Team Canada 2008 at the Youth World Cup.
 
Yelaina May: alternate
Yelaina is a 17-year-old from Roberts Creek, British Columbia. She has been riding and showing horses for years and has earned many circuit championships and year-end high point awards. She has qualified for the AQHYA World Show and has placed in the top five at the AQHA Regional Experience Show. Yelaina is very busy in her community volunteering with school fund raising, the Coast Academy of Dance, and as a camp councilor. She spends most of her free time with horses or at the dance studio. Yelaina has been an active volunteer for the Lower Mainland Quarter Horse Association and the BCQHA. She is presently the secretary of the British Columbia Youth Quarter horse Association. Yelaina is excited about what the future holds for Team Canada 2008. 
 
 
The three leadership members are:
   
Lindsay Allen: leader
Lindsay is a 17-year-old from London, Ontario. She became involved with Quarter Horses later in her life and values the life lessons she has learned in the process. Lindsay presently shows her horse, Little Scotch Toffee, with which she has won numerous high point awards. Lindsay is an active volunteer in her community and in her school. She is a committee member of Oaks Equestrian Club and is dedicated to her leadership and peer support class. Lindsay has volunteered with S.P.I.R.I.T. Therapeutic Riding, YMCA summer riding camp, coaching competitive soccer, and she is an executive member of the Twin Stream Saddle and the Red Valley Saddle Clubs. Lindsay is looking forward to being a contributing to a team that reaches its highest potential – Team Canada 2008.
 
Sarah Hill: leader
Sarah is a 14-year-old from Langley, British Columbia. She was raised on a small farm and has been lucky enough to grow up with horses. Sarah has been showing American Quarter Horses in the all-around events for the past four years and has been awarded numerous circuit championships and year-end high point awards. Sarah is very active in her community as a volunteer. She is the Vice-President of the British Columbia Quarter Horse Youth Association; she helps organize local events, helps with the homeless, the SPCA, and participates in a program that brings orphan children to Canada from Belarus. Sarah is bilingual in French and English, which will be a great asset as she connects with competitors from around the world. Sarah is looking forward to representing her country "to the tens" as a leader for Team Canada 2008.
 
Anne-Charlie Riviere-leader
  Anne-Charlie is a 15-year-old from Pointe-Lebel, Quebec. Since the age of 6, her passion has been horses. She has to travel two and half hours by Ferry and then another hour by road to get to her trainers, but for her love of riding and showing, the travel doesn't stop her. Anne-Charlie has shown in the Federation Equestre du Quebec (Quebec's Equestrian Federation) achieving level two, and she has shown as an AQHA novice youth. She is looking forward to showing her new gelding, Born To Cody, in the all-around events this coming summer. Anne-Charlie is active in her community volunteering at the library, writing plays for her local church, and lending her voice to translate movies for children. Anne-Charlie has also spent time helping desensitize young autistic children with horses. Anne-Charlie is looking forward to being a leader and supporting Team Canada 2008 in London.
 
Della Cryderman, Murillo, Ontario – Team Coach
Della has been breeding, training and showing Quarter Horses for over twenty-five years and presently owns and operates a successful equine facility. Della has coached many youth and amateurs to become AQHA Superior Award winners, AQHA Champions, AQHA Versatility Champions, All-American Congress finalists, and AQHA World Show qualifiers. Della has served as President of the Thunder Bay Quarter Horse Club for 15 years and as President of the North Superior Quarter Horse Council for 10 years.
 
Karen Westerback, Thunder Bay, Ontario – Team Manager
Karen has been involved with Quarter Horses for approximately 15 years and competes as an amateur on AQHA show circuits in Canada and the U.S. She has achieved two AQHA Amateur Superior Awards and is an AQHA Amateur Champion. Karen is employed as a Youth Services residential worker for youth who are at risk with the law, helping to develop therapeutic plans for release from custody. She has served her local Quarter Horse associations over the years as Secretary, Vice-President and Youth Advisor, and has been actively involved in major fund-raising events and organizing AQHA sanctioned shows.
 
The CQHA and Youth World Cup Committee invites owners of well-schooled Canadian-bred and/or Canadian-owned registered American Quarter Horses from all across Canada to contribute to the pool of all-around competition horses required to supply all 16 teams for the 2008 event. Preference will be given to horses with some previous competition experience in any of the nine disciplines of Western Pleasure, Western Horsemanship, Showmanship at Halter, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Trail, Western Riding, Reining and/or Cutting. Horse transportation will be partially subsidized and competition achievements will be recorded on the horse's AQHA show records. For more information, please visit the event web site at: www.aqhayouthworldcup.com or contact the Chair, Patti Carter: patticarter@aqhayouthworldcup.com

The Canada-hosted 2008 AQHA Youth World Cup promises to be a world class event and we invite your participation at every level, as event sponsors, spectators, competitors, horse suppliers, trade show exhibitors, breeders and trainers. Everyone is welcome - you won't want to miss it. For more information about the Youth World Cup, please visit the event web site at: www.aqhayouthworldcup.com
 
For more information regarding the Canadian Quarter Horse Association, including Team Canada’s participation at the 2008 AQHA Youth World Cup, visit the CQHA web site: www.cqha.ca and check out the Youth World Cup section.
 

- 30 -