BRYAN, Texas — The American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup is an educational, leadership and competition-based event for AQHA youth members from around the world and will be held at the Brazos County Expo Complex from June 29 to July 8, 2023. This is the third time the Youth World Cup has been hosted in Bryan with the first one back in 2014.
This international event is hosted every two years by a different country. The event hosts teams from 20 plus nations around the world. Throughout the competition, each country will ride for gold medals in cutting, reining, horsemanship, ranch riding, trail, hunt seat equitation, hunter under saddle, and showmanship. There will also be non horse competitions including an art contest and lip sync contest.
In this unique event, competing Youth World Cup team members do not show their own horses. The host country provides each team horses for clinics and competition. Event planners rely on professional horsemen and owners to supply this event with the best American Quarter Horses to suit the different disciplines. Each International Affiliate sends a team of five members.
"The experience is 40 percent competition and 60 percent international exchange. Food and culture are huge," stated Youth World Cup Organizer Dawn Forest.
This year teams from 20 plus countries with over 150 youth riders will compete in Bryan, uniting languages and cultures from around the world. For some kids, this is their first international travel experience. These teams will travel with coaches, families and friends and Bryan is expected to welcome over 500 international visitors during the competition dates.
The Youth World Cup invites the community to come watch the competition at the Brazos County Expo. For a full schedule of events, visit the Youth World Cup website.