UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College Of Agricultural Sciences Will Host The 28th Annual National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium, Feb. 18-20, 2005.

The symposium is a production of the American Youth Horse Council, the umbrella organization for the youth horse industry. The theme for the 2005 event is Leaders Building Leaders: Teaching Tools for the Youth Horse Industry. More than two dozen internationally and nationally respected teachers will share their keys to successful youth horse programming.

The symposium will offer take-home tools to teach youth about safe and effective horsemanship. From the classroom to the tackroom, attendees will find resources, referrals and networking to improve their ability to help kids connect through horses. A capacity crowd is expected for the event.

"We are excited to be able to host the symposium here," says symposium chair Pat Comerford, Penn State equine specialist and instructor in dairy and animal science. "I believe the national-level speakers and exchange of ideas from the diverse group of horse-oriented youth leaders attending the conference will be a real asset to Pennsylvania youth horse programs and an excellent training opportunity for all the participants."

According to Comerford, the symposium routinely draws a broad representation of youth horse leaders from breed associations, equine sport organizations, 4-H and cooperative extension, and universities, as well as from such groups as the U.S. Pony Club, National High School Rodeo, Future Farmers of America, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and others.

"Three tracks have been planned to suit the needs of the audience, including an adult volunteer leader track, industry professional track and the teen (peer) leader track," says Comerford. "The Penn State campus will offer participants fabulous facilities to learn in multiple styles with live horse demonstrations, interactive workshops, classroom talks and roundtables."

Selected topic areas will include: --Coaching Kids for Team and Individual Competition -- from the competitor's view to the judge's perspective. --Equine Care and Management -- applying new research to time-tested techniques --Horsemanship Safety -- from helmets to horse farms --Impact of Equine Activities on Youth Development -- national study results --Innovative Teaching Tools -- more than a half-dozen sessions will showcase new programs --Teaching Life Skills -- engaging horsepower to motivate youth

"The program will make good use of Penn State's exceptional access to demonstration facilities by offering a pre-symposium riding clinic, in addition to the live horse presentations included in the symposium," says Comerford. "The pre-conference clinic with Julie Goodnight -- "The Teacher's Tool Kit; Balance, Rhythm, and Communication with the Horse" -- is sponsored by the Certified Horsemanship Association. Goodnight is an international clinician who headlines at horse expos and fairs throughout the world and serves as program director for the Certified Horsemanship Association."

The six-hour clinic is custom-made to help the individual with responsibility for teaching riders and groups of riders, Comerford explains, and includes lunch and a learning experience that participants can take home and plug into their youth horseback riding program. "Participants will sharpen their eye for identifying equitation problems, find practical solutions for maintaining proper position and learn take-home exercises and drill games that develop group control," she says.

Another featured presentation will be the Eastern debut of the new Junior Master Horseman curriculum. This curriculum for youths interested in horses is based on a science core from the respected Horse Industry Handbook that was developed through a project of the American Quarter Horse Foundation. "The Junior Master Horseman curriculum leads children through experiential learning exercises to foster their interest in the horse and feed their desire for contact with horses through practical and safety-conscious information that will translate from the book to the barn," Comerford says. "The program is appropriate for the "horse-less" as well as the horse-owning child, and is usable in the urban, suburban and rural environment."

Sponsors for the 2005 National Youth Horse Leader's Symposium include the American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Blaze Magazine, Certified Horsemanship Association, HorseCity.com, the Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program, Pennsylvania Equine Council, Pfizer Animal Health, PRIMEDIA Equine Network, Stone Model Horses -- The Peter Stone Company, Story Publishing, Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association and the University of Louisville, Equine Industry Program.

Several industry groups will recognize participation in the symposium for continuing education credit. For details, visit the Web for details at http://www.ayhc.com.

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EDITORS: Contact Pat Comerford at 814-863-3657 or by e-mail at pcomerford@psu.edu.

Writer/Editor: Jeff Mulhollem Office 814-863-2719 FAX 814-863-9877