As mentioned in a recent article that spotlighted up-and-coming horse show kids, the future of our industry depends on youth involvement. With the struggling economy, many individuals who were once involved in our industry have decided that showing horses is too expensive. Access to after school sports activities like swimming, soccer, basketball, karate, and football, have led many families to chose to participate in these less expensive sports.
Despite these developments, AQHA, APHA, state affiliates of both associations, as well as show management groups are currently trying to find ways to get more youth involved in the horse industry. AQHA is currently developing a leveling program; announced two novice championship shows; and also started recognizing intermediate champions at their world shows. AQHA also increased the number of youth exhibitors that can participate in each class at the world show.
At the local level, there are grassroots, and all-breed classes being held at AQHA and APHA shows; AQHA single-day introductory shows–as well as AQHA classes being held at Open Shows to try and get new members interested in showing.
APHA recently passed a walk trot division for adults which is also helping pull in new members into their association. While the adult division may not directly help increase youth membership, it will more than likely bring entire families to their association which will increase youth involvement.
GoHorseShow talked to several trainers, youth advisors, show managers, and region directors about what they are doing at a local level to entice new youth members. Find out what other groups are doing, and please let us know what is working in your part of the country. We would like to spread the word!
Show Manager, Michele Wilheim of Rock Star Horse Shows— We are offering year end awards that seem to appeal to the kids – iPads, iPods, MacBook computers. Also offered Non-Pro Scholarship Stakes classes for anyone enrolled in a college or trade school–not youth technically, but helped the high school seniors earn some extra money for their freshman year at college. Of course, we use social media and online advertising to reach the tech-savy exhibitors. One of the North Carolina trainers, Rodney Sawyer had a very strong history of volunteerism and support of youth equine organizations like 4H; I was thinking of advertising that Sydney and I would waive class fees for any youth who signs up for a new AQHA membership at one of our shows. We did get a few youth who crossed over into the Novice Youth classes when they came to exhibit in the all-breed classes we offered.
AQHYA Youth President, Abigail Pait–The main things we are focusing on is targeting and talking to our local 4H groups and horseman clubs. We are always telling these clubs as well as our existing members about the opportunities AQHYA contains such as the racing experience in October, the YES leadership conference in June, which is a ton of fun, and scholarships. As a whole, AQHYA is trying to brand itself to draw in new members!
AQHA Judge, Gigi Bailey–I recently judged an introductory show in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania where they had all-breed classes that ran concurrent with the regular AQHA classes. I think this is an amazing concept because the youth that don’t have Quarter Horses still feel involved and get to show with the Quarter Horse kids and get to be judged by high quality and educated judges. I’ve never judged classes that have been combined like at this show. There were quarter horse, paints, appaloosas, and ponies showing all together, and some of these kids beat the more seasoned quarter horse exhibitors. I think it is a great marketing tool because the youth that showed in the all-breed classes will possibly want a lesson from an AQHA trainer which may lead them to want to buy a quarter horse because they want to be able to compete in all the classes.
AQHA Judge, Tom McBeath–The Mississippi Quarter Horse Association is struggling right now to gain new members, but we have always been involved with the surrounding 4-H associations. Every year we have a shadow program where 4-H members are able to volunteer and work at the Dixie National Horse Show and learn more about our shows–that has been very successful for us to increase our membership in the past.
Show Manager, Heather Young–I’m on the TQHA Show Committee. In 2011, we implemented the “Face of TQHA” which is a scholarship contest open to current or new members of the Texas Quarter Horse Youth Association. Contestants are to submit a 30 second to one minute video describing what the “Face of TQHYA” should look like, i.e. service to the Texas Horse industry, mentoring other youth at school or horse shows, responsibility with the family race horse or ranching business, etc. First prize is a $2500 scholarship and second place is a $1,000 scholarship. Honorable mention awards will also be given. This is one example of how we are supporting and giving back to our youth members which in turn will hopefully increase our youth membership.
AQHA Judge and Trainer, Rebecca Halvorson–Wayne (her husband) and I work with the local 4-H groups, being the 4-H leader, putting on the shows and getting speakers for the meetings. We also support and help with all of the fundraising, meetings and activities for the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Youth Association. My son, Austin, is the Oklahoma Youth President, and he is also very involved with the Region 8 activities. One of his main goals as president is to get more youth involved.
Show Manager, Cody Fisher–I will say as far as what I am doing individually, we have started offering the all-inclusive package to make showing less expensive for families. We offer several small fry classes, leadline is free and novice classes are only five dollars. Plus, I do not charge grounds fees for horses that don’t stall on the grounds. This allows day haulers, like kids who may only be able to show one day, to show cheap. I have not started offering clinics on a regular basis or offering 4H youth special rates, but I have considered it.
Trainer, Angie Proctor-Reichert–The Northwest Florida Quarter Horse Association is a family friendly club. We want to promote fun with horses, family, and friends. We promote the youth club by promoting camaraderie amongst the youth (and all members) by doing free breakfast items, Snowcones in the summer, free pizza parties, free hamburger cookouts, and free dinners for all exhibitors. Most of these items are donated. We also put the fun into showing for the youth (and all members) by having a Team Tournament each year where every team wins. We will also have shows with fun classes like: Egg N Spoon or the Champagne ride where the winner wins $100 and 2nd place takes home $50. The ring will be packed with exhibitors having a fun time with horses and friends.
Trainer and VQHA Region Director, Becky Meadows–We have been trying to get local youth involved by having cook outs and inviting people to shows. Also having exhibitor breakfasts and dinners help open up communication between exhibitors. Members in our region have also reached out to some of the local open shows. My husband, Steve Meadows, who is vice-president of VQHA, and an AQHA judge, volunteered his time and gave a clinic at an open show in our area. I think the key is be approachable and make it fun. I think bottom line everyone wants to enjoy their horse and have fun.
Trainer, Gail Mitchell–I have a few seasoned riders but mostly newbies. I am offering horse boarding for the first time. Always before, I just offered training and didn’t want the intrusion of boarders. I now have lesson horses and everyone’s favorite– Douglas the donkey. The little kids start out on him bareback. I have done a lot of local advertising, and it is growing. I love seeing their joy. I believe starting from the ground up and having lesson horses and boarders is still a great way to find new members that may want to eventually show at paint and quarter horse shows.
APHA Judge, Tina Price–In Texas, Earnest and Sheri Wilson have started new APHA shows that are strictly novice youth, youth, novice amateur and amateur. I judged the second one, which was earlier this year, and it was huge. The first day featured numerous trainers giving free clinics on showmanship, horsemanship, hunter under saddle, equitation, and trail. They worked all day, then showed the next day. I sent my patterns to the trainers doing the clinics so that they could all practice them. In addition, they held many club classes, such as walk-whoa classes for the little bitty kids, walk trot classes for the younger kids, and even walk trot classes for the older novice kids and amateurs. The shows have been hugely popular and very well attended. Earnest and Cheri also netted some very nice awards and really worked hard to place awards down in all the classes. Ron Shelly also donated his time as ring steward and worked with Earnest to get the show going. Shelly is an APHA Executive Committee member.
AQHA Tennessee Youth Advisor, Tina Freeland--Most people want to show horses because its fun; we have to showcase ourselves as a fun friendly place to show. I think that the best thing that AQHA and affiliates like the TN Quarter Horse Association can do is just be more proactive in getting new members. We can no longer just sit and wait for kids to come to us. We have to go out and spread the word about our organization and actually invite people to come join us. I plan to approach youth advisors from other show organizations, like our state’s reining horse association and barrel horse association and local 4 H groups and invite those with quarter horses to come try our shows, especially our all novice shows. AQHA also has a rookie of the year program, and I was thinking that it would be a great idea to start a program like that in our state affiliate. I also think it would be a great idea to put together some sort of welcome kit that we could hand out to people if its their first time showing at a TQHA show, or we could even take them with us to other show organizations and hand out as we invite people to come show with us.
APHA Trainer, Julie Kennedy–The Palmetto Paint Horse Club (South Carolina) gives all youth members a free stall at our August show. We also offer a program where if the kids sell a certain number of class sponsorships and participate in the meetings and fundraisers, we give them five hundred dollars to go to the youth world, pinto world or 4H regionals. Our youth club has been very large and active this year and I think by having fun classes, fundraisers and lots of activities, the kids are more apt to stay involved. Usually twice a year, we have a pizza party for them along with their meetings. Last year, we did movie night at one of the shows and the kids all stayed up late and watched movies on a projector at the show grounds. They have had dog races at the shows, trainers horsemanship, egg toss, flying monkey races. Just lots of fun activities that seem to keep it fun even when they aren’t showing.
AQHA Horse Show Mom, Jami Salamone— I believe that our “Scholarship” series of shows were created to cater more to the local youth/amateurs in Arizona. It’s a series of one day shows in various locations around the state that often attract local riders that might not be interested in big circuit shows. There is a prize (belt buckle) for the high point in each division at the end of the year; and ribbons for the daily winnings. I think these shows are attracting new members.
APHA Trainer, Garth Gooding—I feel the World Show and local shows need to compliment each other better. Right now the APHA World Shows have become so competitive that there is not a place for the average local showman. The majority of exhibitors are working on stricter budgets now days and when forced to decide between going to the world show where they may never place or go to 3-4 regional shows where they will–most will opt for the regional shows. My solution would be to make the qualifying system only for a separate division at the show. For example the “qualifying showmanship” or the “qualifying western pleasure.” Make these people qualify within their own zone which supports their local paint industry and shows.
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Please let us know what you are doing to help increase membership in your local associations. Please leave your ideas and comments!
