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CLAYPOOL - Trent Elkins, 15, Claypool, a freshman at Warsaw Community High School and a director on the board for the Indiana Quarter Horse Youth Association, took home several awards at the IQHYA annual banquet last month in West Lafayette.
The association awarded more than $30,000 to more than 700 youths representing 102 teams from the United States, Canada and Australia who competed in the All-American Quarter Horse Congress competition held every October in Columbus, Ohio.
Diane Elkins, Trent's mother, said, "To qualify within your state, you earn points for where you place in every class. You must be first, second, third or fourth in the state overall by class by July 15 to qualify to represent Indiana in the competition in October."
Competing in this tournament was one of Trent's goals at the beginning of 2000. He wanted to qualify to represent Indiana on the National Youth Activity Team Tournament for 2000, which is held in conjunction with the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, Diane said.
Trent's goals included winning the Indiana all-around youth title for his age group, 13 and under, and winning the Indiana all-around youth title for all ages, 18 and under.
With the help of his horse, Chester, a 10-year-old gelding, Trent reached each of his goals, along with several other accomplishments.
Trent took to training Chester in early 2000, Diane said, teaching him techniques for the showmanship, horsemanship, hunter under saddle, equitation and trail classes.
Diane said Trent's favorite class is showing for the all-around title, "which means you show a lot of the classes, not just Western pleasure."
"Trent threw himself into reaching his goals 100 percent," Diane said. "There wasn't much time for going to the movies, staying with friends and doing the stuff other teens do. He was at the barn riding his horse almost every free evening and weekends when he wasn't at a horse show. If he wasn't riding he was doing his homework."
Trent qualified for the National Youth Activity Tournament Team for Indiana, won the all-around youth age 13 and under and won the all-around youth all ages, 18 and under for Indiana - the three goals he set for himself.
But Trent went above and beyond these goals.
At the IQHA annual banquet in January, Trent won state champion in horsemanship, hunter under saddle and equitation in the age 13 and under youth division. He placed third in Western pleasure, fifth in youth senior geldings, fifth in showmanship and sixth in youth trail for Indiana, ages 13 and under.
Trent also was awarded reserve high point all-around horse for the open division (professional trainers' classes). Diane said he competed in all the open division classes himself with the exception of his trainer, Brett Walters, riding for him in the senior Western pleasure class.
Trent also was presented with several other awards at the banquet including: All-Around Youth 2000 buckle, Champion buckle, Reserve High Point three-piece buckle set, leather embroidered garment bag, leather embroidered briefcase, blue suitcase embroidered with "IQHYA Champion," leather portfolio and shave kit, both embroidered with "IQHYA 2000" and $300 in gift certificates.
Diane said Trent is planning to train for the same goals this year as in the past and he also would like to compete in the Youth World Show in August in Fort Worth, Texas.
"He didn't realize how good he was doing until at the end of the year he had to write an article (on his accomplishments)," Diane said. As he wrote the article and listed all his awards, said Diane with a smile, "he said, 'I didn't realize how good I did do.'"
