“This is my final year in youth and I will miss it immensely.”

A reflection from outgoing AQHYA President Cait Kerber:

Outgoing AQHYA President Cait Kerber offers her reflections from her past year in service. Photo by Tom Schmidt.

When I started this year I was terrified of how I was going to lead this huge group of talented individuals, but the truth is I had nothing to be scared of. This past year of being president has been the most amazing experience of my life. I have had the opportunity to befriend what I believe to be some of the most talented and amazing individuals in the world. My officer and director team has done an amazing job of standing behind me, and I am so proud of everything we have accomplished.

All of my committees have done an absolutely great job. I was excited that the Community Service Committee was able to branch out for a year from equestrians with disabilities. The trail cleanup effort is a tremendous cause. Trail riding is often an overlooked aspect of AQHA, and I’m glad that we took a cue from the parent organization and were able to embrace the fundamentals of riding. As always, the Education Committee did a terrific job of educating the young future of AQHYA. The Junior Master Horseman program has really allowed us to reach out to those who may not be able to have a horse but still love the equestrian experience. The Scholarship Committee, as always, worked very hard to do a great fund-raiser with the calendar raffle. It seems to be a crowd favorite, and I want to personally thank Jocelyn Tanner for stepping in to help. Finally my baby, the Public Policy Committee, took a huge leap this year. As bad as it is to play favorites, I did start this committee last year, and I am far beyond thrilled with how far it has progressed. This is probably what I am most proud of.

As I said, I had such a great time this year, and I hope that everyone shared the same joy I had in this experience. All my officers and directors are really like family, and I hope that they feel the same. This is my final year in youth, and I will miss it immensely. I have really grown up in the American Quarter Horse Association. It has taught me so much, and I encourage all the young members, and even the older ones, to just wait and see what all you can learn from this incredible group of people!

Junior Master Horseman announces the brand new Level Three curriculum, coming in July. Learn more, plus get your copies of Levels One and Two today!

Trevor Ashcraft
AQHA Youth Intern