Hello everybody! We are now a couple of months into 2024, so you know what that means, the 2024 show season is kicking off!
Thanks to all of those who took the time to join us for our annual Palomino Convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma this year. It was so great to see so many new faces! In our Youth meeting, the room was packed to the brim with long-time and new youth members sharing ideas and thoughts on how to make our organization better.
During our meeting, fundraiser ideas at the World Show were discussed, such as, pie in the face and duck toss, both of which have been huge hits for the past few years. A reminder to all of the youth: keep working hard to secure sponsors for our classes and championship buckles for our World Show this July.
I am happy to share that our Senior Sunset event will continue again, with fantastic cookies being provided by Melia, Kaitlyn, Steve, and myself. For those of you who may not have attended a Senior Sunset event in the past, it is a special time for seniors to reflect on all the great memories they have made throughout their show experience. I encourage everyone to attend even if they haven’t graduated yet or graduated ten or more years ago. This event is a great way to welcome our youth into a new chapter of their lives as Amateurs. As a bonus, delicious cookies will be provided to everyone who attends!
On to business, this year at convention we brought back a tradition that was done in years past. The Youth Board members went from table to table before the Awards Banquet in an attempt to persuade new sponsors for placings prizes for our World Show classes and the awarded buckles, which was highly successful! We received more than $1500, and more was pledged to us (because of forgotten wallets/purses). I am so proud of my board members for the hard work they put in for our great organization. We are also deeply thankful to all of the generous donors who help keep our organization going strong. A special thank you to all who support us on a yearly basis!
For those who would like to get involved with sponsoring World Show classes, buckles, or prizes, please reach out to our office at yellahrses@palominohba.com.
Last but not least, the Midwest Horse Fair(MWHF) is approaching very soon. Last year over 60,000 people attended, which was the 2nd highest recorded attendance. Hopefully, this means this year there will be even more people visiting our booth. For those unfamiliar, MWHF is a multi-breed horse fair with hundreds of vendors and a large number of educational opportunities throughout the weekend. Our goal is to boost PHBA registration numbers and give all the youth and adults educational opportunities they can not find anywhere else.
Best of luck on the 2024 show season.
Reese Pekny