From August 8-13, the FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) at Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) will welcome the nation’s rising stars in show jumping and dressage ranging from ages 14-21. A total of seven championship divisions are set to unfold throughout the week, and riders will have the opportunity to change more than their own lives and careers as they stride towards podium ambitions. After the top three teams in each division complete their victory laps, and give their horses bountiful pats and peppermints, they’ll have an entirely different task.

TCHS has invited JustWorld International (JWI) to the stunning Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan to host the life changing Adopt A Project initiative generously sponsored by the Rein family. It is the third year TCHS will implement Adopt A Project, which proved to be an inspiring success at NAYC 2022 and NAYC 2021.

Ushered to the press conference, winning riders will be seated in front of detailed “menu” cards describing essential needs for children in Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras and the United States. The Rein family has provided $1,500 grants for first place, $1,000 grants for second place and $500 grants for third place. Taking the time to learn about the vital needs of children in developing communities, athletes will then select which JWI education, healthcare or nutrition program to support. 

It’s likely that there will be a number of JWI Ambassadors seated at the table as the week progresses. Among those expected in Michigan are Ana Sofia Rodriguez (GUA), Ana Cristina Rodriguez (GUA), Corinne Sweeney (USA), Ava Le (USA), Hailey Hak (USA) and Lexie Kment (USA). JWI is also eager to expand the family and welcome new Ambassadors at NAYC. 

Imagine for a moment you’re in the boots of a first place finishing Ambassador with a $1,500 donation. Would you choose to provide four months of clean water supply for cooking and drinking to PIO Schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia? Or, one month of nutritious meals to 500 elementary school students at El Patojismo in Jocotenango, Guatemala? Perhaps fueling Asociación Compartir’s Education on Wheels program, which brings learning directly to children living in remote villages of Honduras, inspires a connection. Or maybe it’s the idea of sending literacy kits to an entire elementary class in Belle Glade, Florida which ultimately wins your vote. 

It is a challenging choice yet one with only positive outcomes. Adopt A Project drives meaningful conversations and collaborations between youth as they actively engage in humanitarianism. Riders will carry their NAYC rosettes from the arena with an added sense of accomplishment because their success transcends the saddle, and brings smiles to the faces of children around the world. 

TCHS’s dedication to sharing the message, and giving JWI a world class platform, is threaded throughout the beautiful green grounds and bustling rights. Bright JWI banners encircling the ring or standing tall in the VIP center catch your eye while horses catch air over the JustWorld oxer integrated into the courses. Video from JWI projects plays over the big screen during intermission, and announcers find the opportunity to share the mission between horses. At TCHS, working with JWI to fracture the cycle of poverty is a universal effort. 

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JustWorld International

Established in 2003, JustWorld was founded to provide equestrians with a way to support carefully vetted education programs for impoverished children around the world. Thousands of JustWorld Ambassadors from more than 40 countries have since committed to “ride for the cause” and assist JustWorld in accomplishing its mission to help build brighter futures for these children and their communities. Equestrian-based companies and events worldwide support JustWorld’s efforts, and the governing body of the global equestrian sport, the FEI, has endorsed JustWorld as its official charity partner. In 2022, JustWorld is helping improve the lives of nearly 10,000 impoverished children around the globe daily.

To donate, become an Ambassador, or learn more about JustWorld, please visit www.justworldinternational.org or @justworldinternational on Facebook and Instagram.

JustWorld International is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the United States and tax-deductible donations are accepted in the United States. JustWorld International has no political or religious affiliation.