Skowhegan, ME
July 4-6, 2007
The AMHA Youth of the Year Contest is a four phase competition consisting of a written exam, oral presentation, judging, and horsemastership pattern. Each division is worth up to 250 points. The cumulative total is used to determine the overall youth of the year. This year’s Maine Morgan Youth Contest sponsored three divisions: beginner-walk trot, junior, and senior. There were a total of 19 contestants from 3 different states. Thank you to all our volunteers: Betty Valway, Kerry Shanley, Karen Shanley, Kim Plummer, Sherri Loon, Janine Hawkins , Pam Vose, Paula Brown, Charlie Dorr, Marissa Loon, Shannon Fielder, Lori Bailey, Joshua Noble, Larri Lavertu, Jory Dyer, Heather Pinet, Gloria Kelleher, Angie Alley, Kate Foy, Cyndee Sandvil, Kathy Tibbetts, Lori Moran, Mr. and Mrs. Winters, Gretchen Nobles, and Beth Cromwell.
The youth enjoyed a luau themed pizza party on Friday night when they received their divisional awards. Sponsors for this year’s party included: Owlwood Farm, Kalypso Run Farm, Cynthia Pierce & Conrad Farr, The Shanley Family, and King of Kings Farm. The knowledge division prizes were sponsored by Kennebec Morgan Horse Farm, Miss Margaret Gardiner of Woolwich, ME. Winners received framed Jeanne Mellin Sport Horse Prints.
Beginner Exam Junior Exam Senior Exam
1. Brooke Alley 1. Rowan Winters 1. Emily Spofford
2. Callie Merrill 2. Victoria Valway 2. Nicole Tibbetts
3. Clea Mae Cloutier 3. Madison Cromwell 3. Maggie Mahoney
4. Lexi Lettre 4. Christin Bailey 4. Molly Shanley
5. Julie Plummer 5. Jamie Plummer 5. Emma Nobles
6. Kahla Vise 6. Nena Marlin
7. Jacqueline Dubois
8. Emily Hawkins
The oral presentation division prizes were sponsored by Broadfields-Highover Morgans, Mrs. Kay Thompson of Eliot, ME. The senior winner received a Jeanne Melllin print, and the junior and walk trot winners received a Black Jack Breyer and book.
Beginner Speech Junior Speech Senior Speech
1. Julie Plummer 1. Jamie Plummer 1. Molly Shanley
2. Brooke Alley 2. Madison Cromwell 2. Nicole Tibbetts
3. Callie Merrill 3. Victoria Valway 3. Emma Nobles
4. Lexi Lettre 4. Emily Hawkins 4. Emily Spofford
5. Clea Mae Cloutier 5. Christin Bailey
6. Rowan Winters
7. Kahla Vise
8. Jacqueline Dubois
The judging division prizes were sponsored by Owlwood Farm, Terri Sullivan, of North Berwick, ME. Winners received Morgan Messenger Bags.
Beginner Judging Junior Judging Senior Judging
1. Julie Plummer 1. Rowan Winters 1.Emma Nobles
2. Brooke Alley 2. Christin Bailey 2. Emily Spofford
3. Callie Merrill 2. Kahla Vise 3. Nicole Tibbetts
4. Lexi Lettre 2. Emily Hawkins 4. Maggie Mahoney
5. Clea Mae Cloutier 3. Victoria Valway 5. Molly Shanley
4. Madison Cromwell 6. Nena Marlin
5. Jamie Plummer
6. Jacqueline Dubois
The Horsemastership division prizes were sponsored by Sturgeon Creek Enterprises of Eliot, ME. Winners received sheets for their horses.
Beginner Pattern Junior Pattern Senior Pattern
1. Lexi Lettre 1. Emily Hawkins 1. Nena Marlin
2. Brooke Alley 2. Rowan Winters 2. Nicole Tibbetts
3. Julie Plummer 3. Victoria Valway 3. Maggie Mahoney
4. Madison Cromwell 4. Emma Nobles
5. Kahla Vise 5. Emily Spofford
6. Jamie Plummer 6. Molly Shanley
7. Christin Bailey
The Monarch Morgan Youth Group sponsored the ribbons for the Beginner-Walk Trot division. The Horse’s Maine sponsored the ribbons for our Junior Division while Kass Booth Training & Highover Boxers at Sturgeon Creek sponsored the ribbons for our senior division. The High Point Judging Sponsor: was William and Satin Bartle, Bangor, ME with the award going to Emma Nobles. This year’s Nicole White Memorial Sportsmanship Award sponsor was Sea Grass Farm, Judy Chamberlain, Karen and Nena Marlin of Brunswick, ME. The award went to a very special individual that exemplified the spirit of the sportsmanship award and at all times a definite can do attitude. The award was given to a very enthusiastic Callie Merrill.
The senior winner of the Maine Morgan Youth of the year contest will receive a $500 scholarship to compete in the AMHA youth of the year finals in Oklahoma. The winner of the AMHA youth of the year finals wins a month long trip anywhere in the world. Two of the last six AMHA youth of the year winners have represented the Maine Morgan Youth Contest. In 2001, Sarah Miner won the finals and traveled to Australia and New Zealand. In 2005, Kerry Shanley won the title and traveled to New Zealand.
Our overall prizes for this year’s contest were sponsored once again by David and Pamela Vose of Justanotha Farm in Union, ME. Our overall and reserve overall champions received an embroidered director’s chair. Thank you to Justanotha Farm for their continued support of the Maine Morgan Youth Contest. This year the New England Morgan Horse Association will be awarding the overall winner of the Youth Contest Senior Division at each of the 6 New England Shows with a free night at the Sheraton Ferncroft and 4 water park passes during the NEMHA Winter Getaway Convention. On hand to present the award on behalf of the NEMHA was Mrs. Martha Merrill.This year the Senior Youth of the Year received the inaugaral Broadfields Maine Morgan Youth of the Year Trophy which was given in appreciation of Mrs. Katharine Thompson of Broadfields-Highover Morgans. Mrs. Thompson and her family have dedicated themselves in every imaginable way to promote the youth program. Our sincerest thanks are extended to the entire Broadfields family.
Beginner-Walk Trot Overall Results
Champion-Brooke Alley
Reserve Champion-Julie Plummer
3rd-Lexi Lettre
4th-Callie Merrill
5th-Clea Mae Cloutier
Junior
Overall Results:
Champion-Rowan Winters
Reserve Champion-Victoria Valway
3rd-Madison Cromwell
4th-Jamie Plummer
5th-Christin Bailey
6th-Kahla Vise
7th-Emily Hawkins
8th-Jacqueline Dubois
Senior
Overall Results:
Champion-Nicole Tibbetts
Reserve Champion-Emily Spofford
3rd-Emma Nobles
4th-Molly Shanley
5th-Maggie Mahoney
6th-Nena Marlin
2007 Maine Morgan Youth of the Year Contestants
Back Row: (left to right) Reserve Junior Champion Victoria Valway, Junior Champion Rowan Winters, Reserve Senior Champion Emily Spofford, Senior Champion Nicole Tibbetts
Front Row: (left to right) Reserve Beginner Champion Julie Plummer, Sportsmanship winner Callie Merrill,
Beginner Champion Brooke Alley
Karen Shanley, Martha Merrill, 2007 Maine Morgan Youth of the Year-Nicole Tibbetts, Selina Cloutier