Oklahoma City, Oklahoma has been home to the AQHA World Championship Show for many years.  Many of the same exhibitors remember the old barns at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds and they are looking forward to the many new renovations that are coming to the site.  Along with these renovations, the AQHYA Ford World Championship Show will be finding a new home here as well.  Beginning in 2008, the world’s largest youth show will be at home in Oklahoma City with the AQHA World Show. 

The first AQHYA World Show was scheduled to be held in 1971 in Amarillo, Texas.  Unfortunately, the show was called off that year due to an outbreak of Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis (VEE).  The show was then held in Amarillo the next two years in 1972 and 1973.  Afterwards, the show moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma until 1991.  In 1992, the show was moved to Fort Worth where it will remain until 2007. 

The AQHA takes great pride in their youth.  Even though AQHA employees are not allowed to show their own horses or stand a stallion, their children are still allowed to show through the association. The association believes that youth are a vital part of the future of AQHA and they believe that they should also have a first-rate facility in which to compete with their horses.  As Oklahoma City is making vast improvements to the barns and arenas, the facility will be one of the best in the country and the association looks forward to this move. 

There are 32 championship titles available for youth to compete in.  Every year more than 900 youth and more than 1,200 horses have traveled from all over the country to compete at this horse show.  In 2006, Ford became the title sponsor of the show, which provides $10 million to the host city’s economy.  The show is an eight day event and also features other events including a Parade of Teams, Awards Banquet, Judging Contest, Speech Contest, Horse Bowl, Stall Decorating contest, Scrapbook Contest, Talent Show and College Fair.  The show is a huge event and it is all about the youth.  Youth are eligible until they are 18. 

The American Quarter Horse Association offers a variety of scholarship programs and leadership programs for youth.  They are also expanding into education by providing the Junior Master Horseman program, which helps 4-H, and FFA groups teach children through horses.  The program is interactive and educational and features everybody’s favorite mascot Two Bits.