To be honest, as it stands today I can't get excited about anything having to do with promoting the AQHA and it's breed shows. There is far too much abuse tolerated within this organization, from riding long-yearlings in curb bits and draw reins to prep them for the 2 y/o classes, to tail nerve blocking, to tying heads up, down, or to the side - it's endemic to the association. I think that the AQHA should focus their money, human, and equine resources on fixing the problems within the association or spending time and money on tackling the unwanted horse problem (quarter horses are the most populous horse breed in the world) before they start another youth program (they already have several). It's admittedly cliche but children are indeed our future, and how they are educated now will affect how they behave as adults. But I also think it's far better to fix the substantial problems with the AQHA and set that up as an example of responsible horsecare and leadership than to have an event like the one discussed in the article.
Samantha has a good point - thank you for contributing! I still think, though, that by making this an international event, that musch spotlight on the event will make abuse impossible. Perhaps more events of this kind would help clean up AQHA...
Gesa - I agree with you that there is very little chance of abusive practices being utilized during the AQHA youth event, but my concern is for the day-to-day care and training of stock-bred show horses. In the past decade or so, general awareness of the plight of the "Big lick" TWH horses and OTTBs have entered the public consciousness, as have the challenges facing the unwanted/unadopted wild mustangs and burros. But the stock-bred breeding and show industry is a multi-billion dollar a year business, and people are involved in the stock-bred associations at all levels, with the lower levels under quite a bit of pressure to have horses the look and perform like the horses of the Big Name Trainers. It's what goes on day in and day out "behind the scenes" and on the local and regional levels that really concerns me. The AQHA has historically been slow to address problems and almost never takes a firm stand when it comes to enforcing rules and punishing offenders as per the association's own rules.