Riders from Seven Countries Contend In Exciting Olympic-Style Competition

Youth from around the world have travelled thousands of miles across oceans, continents and countries to compete at the American Paint Horse Association’s Summer World Show’s Youth World Games which starts today. Seven countries from around the world are being represented at this year’s Games.

Sisters Emilee and Kirsten Chamberland traveled with their horses from Canada
to not only compete in the Youth World Games but also the Western and
all-around events. Emilee, at left, will be competing for the Canadian team,
and Kirsten will be competing for the Team United.

The Youth World Games is held every other year at the World Show in Fort Worth, Texas. It is structured like a collegiate equestrian competition with youth riding horses they have never ridden before and competing in four different events: showmanship, hunt seat equitation, horsemanship and trail.

This year the American Junior Paint Horse Association’s new Youth Director Shelly deBarbanson made it her priority to make this year’s Youth World Games experience one to remember by providing a pre-competition riding clinic, a “draw party” during the Youth Welcome Party held yesterday and securing a better time and location for the event.

An all-day show clinic was held on Monday, June 21 at North Central Texas University in Gainesville, Texas. With the Youth World Games being moved to the John Justin Arena during the regular show schedule, the warm-up time for competitors decreased.

The clinic hoped to provide the international youth some education and experience from local industry professionals as well as providing them with experience on horses they had never ridden, much like in the actual competition.

“We are really glad we went to the clinic, said Emilee Chamberland, representing the Canadian team. “We left with a lot of useful information about trail.”

The three clinicians, Robin Frid of Pilot Point, Texas, Bill Kaben of Whitesboro, Texas, and Steven Biller also of Whitesboro, Texas, focused on the four events the teams will compete in and provided some helpful tips.

Clinician Robin Frid coaches Austrian rider Sophie Muhr on properly
navigating a trail course during the morning session of the show clinic.

“Anytime you can work with professionals and get youth more information, new information and a new way of presenting that information that makes sense, that’s the key,” said deBarbanson.

“Kids that are coming over from Europe want information—what’s the new trend, the new way of doing things, what habits do they have that they don’t realize and can work on it. These are all things that they want to know, not only to improve their ride for this show but they can take all that information home with them.”

Many of the competitors entered in the Youth World Games compete individually at the World Show as well. Sisters Emilee and Kirsten Chamberland traveled with their horses from Canada to not only compete in the Youth World Games but also the Western and all-around events.

“This is our fourth year to attend the World Show, but our first year to compete in the Youth World Games,” said Emilee. “We flew down for the show but my dad drove 36 hours to bring our horses down.”

Kirsten is the alternate for the Canadian team and will be competing on Team United. Team United will be comprised of the alternates from each of the teams—William Hupp from Australia, Chelsea van den Berg from Holland, Elin Arkinger from Sweden and Kirsten Chamberland from Canada.

“We thought this would be a great way to involve the alternate team members,” said deBarbanson. “It would be hard to travel so far to just sit on the side lines and watch your teammates.”

The United States team is excited for the competition to start today. This year the United States started early enough to have a well-organized team competing in the Youth World Games.

“We hope to do really well,” said Leroy Poignant of Illinois. “We have the home-arena advantage, but we have never taken the gold so this year hopefully we will. I hope we win. That would be great!”

The United States team is a strong group as each member has successfully shown at the World Show. However, none of the team members have ever competed in the Youth World Games.

“I never really heard very much about the Youth World Games before this year,” said Poignant. “I am not sure what to expect. But I am really excited about showing in the Games because I have always wanted to be part of an equestrian team and I think this will be a great experience.”

Unfortunately, Team France was not able to make it to the Games this year. Their youth representative had an unfortunate four-wheeler accident and badly fractured her leg right before leaving to come to the World Show.

With three more days of competition we hope that you will come support all the teams as they compete for the gold!

Countries represented at the Youth World Games this year are: