By Mitchell Clarke
A Pakenham teen is getting ready to saddle up and gallop on over to the United States, after qualifying for the 2019 American Youth World Championships in Oklahoma.
The Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championships is the largest Single Breed, Western Youth Quarter horse show in the world, held exclusively for youth competitors under 18 years old.
17-year-old Mikayla Gaunt will be one of many riders from all over the world to attend the event, an event which she’s extremely proud to be representing Australia in.
“Qualifying for the AQHYA World Championships is a momentous achievement for myself and has always been a lifelong dream and goal to achieve,” Mikayla said.
“By attending the World Championships, this amazing opportunity will also allow me to grow within myself as a rider by giving me many new horsemanship experiences enabling me to obtain more life skills and practical knowledge about the Western Performance industry.”
The opportunity is only held once a year in Oklahoma. In order to qualify, Mikayla has attended numerous State Championships across Australia which holds American classes, eventually collecting enough qualifying points over the last three years.
Mikayla and her horse Ali have attended numerous shows including local, state and national level competitions where together they have obtained a number of accolades, from ribbons and rosettes to plaques and prize money.
While her loyal horse Ali has earned herself a nice rest at home, Mikayla will have the full support of her family as they make the journey across the Pacific as a family.
Her mother Kim Gaunt said this was the opportunity of a lifetime.
“This experience is not only going to enable Mikayla to compete against some of the best riders in the World, she will have the privilege to meet with the most experienced and knowledgeable Trainers and Breeders,” Mrs Gaunt said.
“It’ll give her a very rewarding and educational experience for developing herself further towards her own goals of becoming a Professional Trainer and Breeder within Australia.”
Mikayla’s passion for horses and riding began as a toddler on her grandparent’s farm where she gained experience from family members and local trainers.
“Her journey of riding and working with horses is truly heartfelt, always paying special attention to their well-being, training routines, health and grooming,” Mrs Gaunt said.
“Mikayla is very passionate about her riding career and is looking forward to achieving her life goals and making the most out of our families journey together.”
She is expected to head over to the States early July for extensive training with her American trainer. The competition begins on Thursday 1 August and will be streamed across the world.
Attending the event doesn’t come cheap, with the Gaunt family setting up a GoFundMe page to help fund her journey.
To help out, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-get-mikayla-to-the-aqhya-world-championships.
