Youth Barrel Horse World Championships underway in Jackson, Miss.

Youth riders with a need for speed are congregating at the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson this week for the 2011 National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) Youth World Championships. The event kicked off on Sunday and continues through July 30.

Watch early runs from this year’s event below.

Approximately 1,600 riders from 36 states are competing at this year’s championships. The youngest rider competing is just four years old according to reports.

The NBHA holds five national shows annually: the Mid South National in April; the Dixie National in April and May; the Youth World Championship; the Colonial National in August; and the crowning event of the season, the NBHA World Championships in October. The NBHA also holds a World Cup event in Verona, Italy in November.

For more information, visit NBHA.com.

A live webcast of the NBHA Youth World Championships is being made available by BarrelHorseNews.com

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