World’s Greatest Youth
Only the handiest of riders ranging in age from 7 years old to 19 saddled up to vie for the World’s Greatest Youth Horseman competition, held during the Kalpower Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas and culminated on March 1, 2025. Beginning with 49 riders, these youth competed in steer stopping earlier in the week, and on Sunday they competed in herd work and rein work, and the final 12 competed in fence work. After this challenge tested their mettle, Parker Ralston and Seven S Tuff Boots took the title of World’s Greatest Youth Horseman, with a composite score of 800. They took home $5,900.
Ralston, 18, partnered with his mom Meg Griffith-Ralston’s 2016 mare nicknamed “Marty” (Blind Sided x My Boots Are Tuff x Woody Be Tuff) for the event. The Western Colorado native has ridden the W T Waggoner Estate-bred mare for four years. Ralston is a freshman at West Texas A&M University, studying agriculture business, and this was his first chance to compete in this event.
Parker Ralston and Seven S Tuff Boots won the World’s Greatest Youth Horseman award with a composite score of 800. Photography by Abigail Boatwright
“I have always thought about it, but now I actually found the time to be able to come down and do it,” Ralston said.
With the goal of making as clean of runs as possible, Ralston got to work. Their 147 in reining tied them for first. They scored a 147 in cow work, then a 146.5 in steer stopping for fourth. Their 148 in herd work put them on top, and they came into the finals with a composite score of 586.5.
“Cutting [herd work] is definitely her best event,” Ralston said. “She’s quick-footed and reads a cow. She gets way down low.”
In the final fence work portion of the competition, Ralston was 11th to go out of 12 competitors.
“There was a little bit of nerves going into the finals today,” he said.
Luckily, Ralston and Marty held strong, and their fence work was solid, earning a 213.5 to keep their composite score on top.
“It feels really good,” Ralston said. “A bit of beginner’s luck, but it’s just a great experience overall. This is the biggest stage I’ve ever been able to show on, so it was just a fun deal.”
With this win, Ralston has qualified for The Run For A Million Youth Cow Horse Challenge held in las Vegas in August, so that’s his next big goal.
He thanked his dad, Aaron Ralston, and his coaches for their advice along the way: Jay McLaughlin, Jared Melton, and his West Texas A&M University Ranch Horse Team coach, Dr. Lance Baker.
Taking the reserve title and $4,720 with a composite score of 799.5 was Landri Lisac with Lookslikelucktome. Lisac and her 2013 mare (Smart Boons x Dual Lookin Pep x Dual Pep) was bred by Kevin and Sydney Knight, owned by Timothy and Katherine Miller.
Lane Jones of Allerton, Iowa, and LA Smart Chicoreys received the Robbie Schroeder Memorial Award for winning the Steer Stopping event.
Landri Lisac and Lookslikeluckytome scored a 799.5 to land reserve by half a point.