TurnoutHQ+ Newsroom · Published July 7, 2026 · Updated September 8, 2026
Key Takeaway
The AjPHA Youth Futurity Project concluded its 2026 season at the APHA World Show, highlighting young riders who took on the challenge of training and documenting the growth of their own horses across yearling, 2-year-old, and 3-year-old divisions.
What Happened
The 2026 American Paint Horse Association (APHA) World Championship Show recently served as the stage for the culmination of the Youth Futurity Project. This specialized program requires members of the American Junior Paint Horse Association (AjPHA) to not only train their young horses but also meticulously document the development process throughout the year.
The competition is structured into three age divisions, yearling, 2-year-old, and 3-year-old, featuring a variety of classes designed to test both the horse’s progress and the rider’s horsemanship. Events include fitting and handling, in-hand trail, longe line, and age-appropriate riding classes.
Top honors for 2026 were awarded to:
- 3-Year-Old Overall Champion: Hannah Sipes (Waxahachie, TX) with the POA gelding Unsupervised.
- 2-Year-Old Overall Champion: Kaidence Joyce (Port Orange, FL) with the brown overo gelding VS Cool Ride.
- Yearling Overall Champion: Addie Jones (Glendale, AZ) with the sorrel tobiano mare One Smore Kiss.
- Youth Futurity Horseman Award: Tatum Neeley (Mexia, TX) with MV San Cita Assertion, recognized for participating in the project with the same horse for three consecutive years.
Why It Matters
In an era where many youth competitors rely heavily on professional trainers to prepare their mounts for the show ring, the Youth Futurity Project pivots toward self-reliance. By tasking youth riders with the actual training, budgeting, and daily management of a young horse, the APHA is addressing a critical skills gap in the next generation of horsemen.
For the participants, the program offers a tangible connection to equine development that goes beyond a weekly lesson. As Addie Jones noted, the process improves "touch and feel" in the saddle, while Tatum Neeley highlighted the project as a realistic "sample of what it’s like to be in the horse business." For parents and trainers, the program provides a structured framework to teach responsibility, patience, and the technical nuances of started horses under saddle or in hand.
Competition Context
The Youth Futurity Project is unique because it rewards the process as much as the performance. Unlike traditional futurities that focus primarily on the horse's talent, this format emphasizes the exhibitor's ability to document and guide that talent. The inclusion of the Youth Futurity Horseman Award specifically incentivizes long-term commitment, celebrating riders who see a horse through from its yearling year to its start under saddle at age three.
Discipline Context
While hosted by the APHA, this program has broad implications for the Western and Stock Horse communities. The skills learned, such as longe line preparation, in-hand trail navigation, and the basics of "fitting" a horse for show, are foundational for the Hunter/Jumper and Dressage worlds as well, though the specific classes are tailored to stock horse standards. The program serves as a vital pipeline for Youth development, ensuring that the future of the Breeding and training industry remains in the hands of capable, experienced young adults.
Riders who want to talk this through with others can join TurnoutHQ community groups.