|
|
 |
THE ARIZONA QUARTER RACING ASSOCIATION
HAS A WONDERFUL YOUTH PROGRAM.....
WE SPONSOR TWO AQHA RACING SHOLARSHIPS EACH YEAR.....
PLUS A YOUTH DAY AT THE RACES WHERE KIDS CAN GET
"HANDS ON" EXPERIENCE WITH RACE HORSES......
 ..................................................
2009 AQRA Youth,. Each year the AQRA sponsors a youth to attend a week long youth racing experience at Los Alamitos. Our 2009 candidate is Alexa Fourlis.
Alexa is an intelligent, beautiful brown eyed, 14 year old with a love for horses. I first met Alexa at the race track when her Aunt Toni Yother (AQRA Youth Chairman) brought her to a Youth Day At the Races event. She was 6...we don’t usually take kids that young so Toni had some “splaining” to do. She told us right away that Alexa was the most grown up 6 year old we had seen and assured us that she would not be a problem. Well Toni was right. She was all business and asked more “sensible” questions than the older kids . She was totally into every aspect of the day. Since then she has attended all our AQRA youth activities and never misses a race where Toni and Lloyd’s horses are running. She has attended the Challenge races on more than one occasion. She does not come from a “horsey” family, has two younger sisters, her father is a fireman, (Ted) her mother is a school administrator, (Andi) but after being introduced to the sport, and seeing her love for it, her family has made many a sacrifice to see she is living her dream. All three girls have multiple interest in sports and dance but the whole family participates and supports Alexa in all her equine activities. Dad even learned to haul a trailer and I am sure lots of hours of work had to juggled by both Mom and Dad to get her to lessons and events. I have witnessed “Dad” helping the younger girls with homework , arena side, while watching Alexa put her horse thru his paces. Alexa has always maintained the honor role at school and this year is enrolled in honor classes where she makes straight A’s. She lives in Scottsdale and attends Pinnacle High School. She is a freshman..
Aunt Toni and Uncle Lloyd Yother gave her first horse..Just on old ranch horse with no papers, named “Duck”. Alexa learned on this horse and used him for gymkanas till last year when she retired him and started a new horse “Rock N Yo “ a registered American Quarter Horse and retired race horse which came with a trainer as well. Alexa tells it best in her own words below. This is the essay she sent to the AQHA along with her application to attend this unique experience...
“I have been fascinated with American Quarter Horse racing ever since my Aunt took me to my first race when I was three years old. Since then I have jumped at the chance to watch one of my aunt and uncles horses race or attend youth days. The racetrack has always interested me and I wish to gain more experience from it. About two years ago I got my second horse, Rock N Yo. She was a three year old former race horse and I was t turn her into a barrel racing horse. I started working with my Aunts racehorse trainer Lori Harris, who also happened to run barrels. She taught Rock N Yo her manners and how to un the pattern, but most of all , she taught us how not to be a horse and rider , but a team. She was our ups and downs , but always there with a word of encouragement or advice. I called her the horse whisperer because I had never met anyone before who knew as much as her. I would love to someday have the knowledge and wisdom that she does and be able to help come like she was to me...I would love to attend the once in a lifetime, AQHYA Racing Experience, because I look forward to expanding my knowledge of horses any chance I get. The American Quarter horse is a superior athlete with a wide range of talents and there is so much to learn about each of them. These past two years of training my filly have taught me to never give up, persevere, and to always get back in the saddle after being thrown off, literally. My confidence as a rider has grown and I have developed a strong work ethic as a result. This would make me a perfect candidate for this program. I am always up for a challenge. I believe that this experience will be an awesome opportunity to get another professional’s perspective to add to my lifelong passion of working with horses.” Alexa Fourlis
THE NEXT ONE IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 15TH
AT TURF PARADISE PHOENIX, ARIZONA
CALL 602-625-0468 OR
email ibaqra@hotmail.com FOR AN APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
