Region 2 Youth - Home
Our Region has many barns with youth riders and all are encouraged to participate in the youth activities offered throughout the year. Even if a child is not currently showing, we hope to see them enjoy their time at the horse shows by participating in our games and contests.
Each year we have an active group of kids who participate in hippology and judging teams, attend field trips to local farms, colleges and horse shows. You will see them fundraise so they can continue to experience the amazing Arabian breed. They roll up their sleeves and get to work as volunteers with our shows and events. The kids grow within the club and eventually are able to run for office at the Regional and National level.
HIPPOLOGY CONTESTS
The Hippology program is a great way to learn about all things HORSE! Hippology is the study of equine. In the program, our youth learn about breeds, colors, training, tack, feed, barn management, conformation and anything else you can think of when it comes to horses. We encourage barns to offer within their youth program a hippology component. Each year starting in January, kids start to study online and in books. We usually begin with Parts of the Horse! Through social media, weekly subjects are offered to study and monthly trainings are encouraged so our youth can get to know each other outside of the horse shows. At each show, a Hippology contest is offered and a hi-point award is given at the Region 2 Championship show for each age categories. Our strongest hippology students can then receive a spot to attend the Hippology Contest at Nationals, in Tulsa, each October.
YOUTH JUDGING
Our Youth Judging program offers kids the opportunity to learn to judge horses for conformation, type and performance. Like our Hippology program, weekly and monthly curriculum is offered online to learn everything from Halter to Reining. After learning to judge and place a class, oral presentations of reasons are also required to give why they chose to place the class the way they did. Those youth who accomplish these skills are then offered the opportunity to showcase their knowledge through our Judging contests. Two qualifying judging contests are provided usually in Spring and Summer to create our Region 2 Judging Team that then goes onto the Judging Contest at Nationals in Tulsa. The best part of the judging team is actually going into the arena at some of the local shows to practice and learn from the judge! Deductive reasoning, public speaking, communication and confidence, organizing thoughts on paper and constructively discussing them are some of the life skills past youth members say they learned from judging. Let us not forget all of the lifetime of memories and friends created during the process of traveling too!
FUNDRAISING AND VOLUNTEERING
The Region 2 Youth, when not in the practice or show arena are expected to contribute to their success by supporting their local Arabian horse clubs, the local shows, and all fundraising endeavors. This allows for our Region to offer field trips and conferences, prizes for contests and their travel costs to Nationals. They also participate in volunteering at the shows by handing out ribbons, opening and closing the gate, office work and I know I’ve heard a few of their voices in the announcer chair!
Region 2 is committed to developing a strong youth program and helping to ensure the longevity and popularity of the Arabian breed.
Misty Odett
Region 2 Youth Coordinator
