AHYA President's Corner

AHYA Welcomes Austin Garrett as the 2009-10 AHYA President!

Hey everyone!

I am honored to be reporting as your new AHYA President for the 2009-2010 term. My name is Austin Garrett, and I hail from Goodyear, Arizona. My family has been deeply involved with Arabian horses long before I was born. I have the horses and many others to thank for the help, time, and advice that they've given me along the way. I now look forward to making them proud during the time I serve as your President.

It has been said that I have been with horses since I was still in the womb, and that is not too far from the truth! My mom was grooming for my dad while she was pregnant with me at the 1991 US Nationals; I came just weeks later. My first horse was my family's own CF Touch of Magic, "Timmy," who I grew up with on the ranch. My biggest regret in life is not having appreciated Timmy in his youth. When I was young, horses were more of a chore for me. I turned into the designated groom of my dad's barn as I grew older. I liked them well enough, but I didn't value them as many do.

This all changed for me at Youth Nationals 2005, when I realized that our horses were these amazing creatures that were responsible for bringing a large number of kids, just like me, from all around the country, to the youth. I made new friends, shared in their triumphs and despaired at their losses. It was a defining time for me, and I realized that I had far underestimated the power of my four-legged companions. Later, I told my dad, "I wouldn't mind trying it out," when we were talking about halter in a Denny's one morning. He made it happen, and only months later, I was showing in my first class at the Region 1 Pre-Show. The horse was Gio Joe TOA, and we won that class. Hey - first out of only one in the class is still a win! The next year was fantastic as he went on to take a Top Ten at Youth Nationals in the Half-Arabian Saddle/Pleasure Gelding class. With him, I learned to enjoy my successes. Only two days later, I took a mare, Country Gem EA, into the Purebred Mares. She showed me how to accept my defeats, regardless of performance.

My involvement in AHYA was at first mandatory. My dad forced me to be a delegate for Region 1, and I can't say it was the most enjoyable experience of my life. However, I believe that it was constructive. I became curious about the inner workings of AHYA. I attended at least four conventions as a delegate, both before and after I had started to show. In the summer of 2008, I was asked to be the Region 1 Youth Director. I accepted the position, and found myself in a flurry of things to do to get ready for Youth Nationals. When I arrived, I discovered an entirely different side of the board. I met the smart, talented and funny people who ran the show behind the scenes. It inspired me to become more involved with AHYA.

The 2009 Convention was, in short, a success. We had more delegates credentialed than we had anticipated, and they represented everywhere from my home state of Southern California to the far reaches of New England. A new board was elected by the convention delegate; I am the new AHYA President, Katie Pelphrey (R14) is Vice President, Nikki Burns (R11) is Secretary, and Amanda Kelley (R3) is the new Treasurer. Gordon Potts and Gene Halloway were there as our keynote speakers. They both delivered strong, encouraging presentations to the delegates, recalling their experiences with the Arabian horse and other industry icons over the years.

A resolution was passed during general session regarding Saddle Seat Equitation. This resolution was brought forth by the Youth Equitation and Showmanship Committee and presented by Katie Pelphrey, Chair. This is the first resolution in quite a while to come from the AHYA Convention floor. The Youth Equitation and Showmanship Committee as well as the AHYA Youth Board worked very hard to pass this resolution and look forward to sending it on to the AHA Convention in Reno, Nevada this November.

As for the future, I plan to lead this board, full of strong individuals, on to more successes. The youth of the Arabian Horse Association deserve a voice, and that voice is AHYA. As a board, we will move to promote greater youth involvement, both internally and from outside sources. The board plans to work more closely with the USEF Youth Council, as well as other breeds' youth associations. I am looking forward to an amazing and productive year.

Thank you, and have a fantastic fall,

~ Austin Garrett
AHYA President

AHYA Past President's