Team Israel during the parade of teams at the AQHYA World Show

The AQHYA World Show is exciting and nerve wracking for any competitor, but imagine competing against the best youth in the world without your friends or family with you. This year the AQHYA World Show has over 2,500 entries with 46 states and eight countries represented. The influx of other countries participating this year is largely because of the AQHA World Cup competition that was held July 3-13, 2014 in Byran/College Station, Texas. Many teams made the trip for the World Cup and decided to stay for the AQHYA World Show.

The team from Israel is a great example of a group of girls who did just that. Tal Enoshi of Pardes Hanah, Hefa, Israel showed at the World Cup in Horsemanship, Showmanship and Equitation. Teamed with “Duck,” the pair had three days to get used to each other and just 24 hours to learn the pattern before competition.

“Considering the short amount of time we had together I think it went very well,” Enoshi says. “I was very nervous the first time we showed, but it got better and better each time.”

Eighteen-year-old Hilaf Pitaro also showed at the World Cup in Horsemanship, Trail and Equitation.

“My favorite part was getting to show. It was very exciting to perform in front of so many people,” Pitaro says.

This is the first AQHYA World Show for both girls and they agree that anyone who is interested in attending the World Cup or AQHYA World Show should “go for it!”

Abbey Rawlings and Kayla Rainoldi in front of the Australian stall decorations

Abbey Rawlings of Ipswhich, Queensland, Australia, shows her 2006 mare A Certain Illusion in Western Pleasure at AQHA and NSBA events throughout the year. At the beginning of the summer she flies from her home in Australia to her trainer’s, Jay and Kristy Starnes, home in Summerton, South Carolina and spends the summer on the road traveling from show to show. Her parents, Gavin and Rebecca Rawlings, join her later in the summer so for the first few weeks she relied on the Starnes’. This is just her second year attending the AQHYA World Show.

“Each country, like each state, is allowed to send five competitors to the World Show, so I didn’t have to qualify to come,” Rawlings says. “I would tell other kids to definitely go ahead and take the chance of coming here.”

Likewise, 17-year-old Kayla Rainoldi of Perth, Australia came to the states to learn more about training and ended up staying to show. She enlisted Florida trainers Amanda Jackson and Mark Katafiasz to help her learn the ropes of showing her 2010 mare A Sudden Echo in Western Pleasure events.

“With Western Pleasure there’s always something to work on, you can get very lost chasing perfection,” Rainoldi says. “It’s hard to show without having your family and having them there to watch you, but we skype often and I think that helps.”

Leonie Fischer and Naturally Graceful after making the finals at the AQHYA World Show

Leonie Fischer of Sauerlach, Germany, says she couldn’t compete at big shows such as the AQHYA World Show without the help and support of her team at Highpoint Performance Horses. This is Fischer’s fifith AQHYA World Show. She has shown in Halter and Western Pleasure in addition to showing her current partner, Naturally Graceful, in Hunter Under Saddle.

“A big challenge is that I can’t ride my horse a lot before the shows, because we have horses at home as well and we are pretty busy with our European horse shows already,” Fischer says. “Showing in the U.S. is also a lot different than in Europe and it took me a while to see how it all works.”

The pair advanced to the finals today and even a seasoned pro like Fischer says she was still nervous to compete against the best people in the world.

The consensus of those here from other countries is that if you are considering traveling to the U.S. for the AQHYA World Show or any other major event is to just go for it.

“It’s an amazing experience and I wouldn’t want to miss all the great people I met over here and the moments I shared with them,” says Fischer.

Competition continues tomorrow with the finals of Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure and Hunt Seat Equitation. Check out our Facebook page for live results.

Click here for results, a schedule of classes and additional information on this year’s AQHYA World Championship Show : http://aqha.com/Showing/Youth-World.aspx

Click here to sign up to view a free live webcast of competition: http://www.iequine.com/events/2014/08/built-ford-tough-aqhya-world-championships/video_feeds/jim-norick-arena

Click here for candids from the show from our reporters Courtney Archer and Courtney Borton Ament