With three arenas competing for attention and awards, Saturday at the All American Quarter Horse Congress had something for everyone from over fences to EWD, Small Fry, Longe Line and Level 1 events.
Equestrians Rocked the EWD Classes
Equestrians who are differently abled got to show their talents in Showmanship, Horsemanship and Western Pleasure on Saturday.
Sara Grace Ross started off the Equestrians With Disabilities classes with a win in EWD Independent Showmanship, showing Kiss My Invitation. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to show, so it was a surprise to get to come here,” she said.
Maxwell Kern earned his very first Congress championship in EWD Walk Jog Western Pleasure – Supported, aboard Moonstruckk.
“Showing the horses has changed his life,” said Maxwell’s father, Jeff. “Partners For Progress started right down the road from us. Max has Downs Syndrome, and when PFP started, they put a flyer out in the community and my wife said she was going to take him there to ride a horse,” Jeff explained.
“I thought it would be like a pony ride. He went over there and he liked it, and he liked the program, and we saw what it was doing for him physically with core strength and things like that. Now he’s been riding for 20 years. Nine years ago, when the EWD program started, our director at PFP got us into it, and here we are.
“His riding has improved tremendously over the years. His program has worked with him so much and he continues to improve. We’ve had some rough years. We’ve been out here and finished ninth or tenth and were disappointed. But this year is a good year.”
Jeff talked about how the horses have impacted Maxwell. “His attention to detail and focus, even having to practice. In other aspects of his life, he’s a typical teenager because he wanted to play video games rather than do his chores, but with the horses, physically, mentally, socially - it’s done wonders for him,” he said. “Managing expectations is a big part of it too. When he wins, he expects to do well every time, so learning to take the good with the bad is part of it too.”
Leah Glazer and KM Go To The Bar “Tucker” went to the head of the line in EWD Walk Jog Western Pleasure – Independent. “She’s been riding for 16 years, since she was eight years old,” noted her father, Brad. “The horses have been huge. It’s confidence building and she has made so many friends. And she’s been involved in competition since the beginning too. When she was eight, we went to a show in Fort Worth, so she’s always been setting goals in addition to just riding ever since she started.”
Her diagnosis includes cognitive ability and fine motor skills and muscle weakness and Brad noted that the horses help her with all of that. But she has also learned to be responsible, because she takes care of her horse at home, he said.
Leah and her family have been coming to the Congress since the second year the EWD events have been held. “The classes have really grown, and the riders are very good,” Brad said. Leah is a second time Congress champion, having won the EWD Trail in 2023. She has shown the seven year old Tucker since he was a three year old.
Rounding out Saturday’s EWD classes was Evan Zaloudek who showed Superwomann to win the EWD Walk Jog Horsemanship – Independent.
“Evan has been working with Partners For Progress since 2008,” noted his mother, Lorna. “He was 21 years old and had never done therapeutic riding. He was working in a shelter workshop and they had a Friday morning field trip to Partners For Progress, and that’s where it all started. Eventually he was hired to work at Partners For Progress.”
By 2009, he was showing at the NSBA World Show. Evan has won twice previously at the Congress, winning EWD Western Pleasure in 2016 and EWD Trail in 2019. He notes that Western Pleasure is his favorite class. However it is the friends he has made showing horses special, Lorna explained.
“We have made so many friends from all over the country, and Evan looks forward to seeing them at the shows,” she said. “I have parents and exhibitors that I’ve become close with and still keep in touch with too.”
This Congress win was special for Evan because he had never shown Superwomann, known as Emma, before this year’s Congress. Lorna noted that Evan doesn’t get nervous, because he rides all of the horses in the barn at Partners For Progress. In fact, he will be showing two horses in EWD Trail on Sunday.
Money On The Line
Cocochella and Kenny Lakins earned first in the Congress/NSBA and Southern Belle Breeders division of the class in Open Yearling Western Longe Line, presented in memory of Susan Scott, for owners Brett and Heather Caplinger. The filly is by Makin Me Willy Wild and out of Best Kase Scenario (by RL Best Of Sudden). Cocochella just came off a successful NSBA World Championship Show where she earned $11,860.93 in earnings. (photo by Shane Rux Photography)
Small Fry, Large Accomplishments
Peyton Sigfred showed her horse TheMargheritaMachine to earn her first Congress championship when the duo won Small Fry Horsemanship. Peyton noted that the scariest part of the pattern when she first saw it was “extending the trot and going around the cone and having to look around to find your spots,” she said. “My favorite part was stopping and turning, walking away, trotting and backing.”
Peyton is no stranger to competition. “I show my pony in Walk Trot classes and we came to Ohio to the All American Youth Show,” she said. Peyton and her pony, Sparty The Spartan, were also the High Point 11 & Under Youth at the recent National Open Horse Show Association World Championship Show in September. “This is only my second time to show at the Congress,” she said.
Peyton talked about her show partner. “Cabo is a red roan that we’ve had for two years. This is my last year in Small Fry – I’m going into 13 & Under next year,” she said. “I’m doing Western Pleasure and the English Equitation with him and we showed in Showmanship this morning. We were talking about selling him but I don’t think we’re going to sell him now.”
The other Small Fry champion of the day was Alexa Kozuch, who showed Ima Southern Thing to win Small Fry Showmanship.
Level 1 Youth, Amateurs Score Big Wins
Laura Williams showed I Like ItInThe Light to win the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Amateur Walk Trot Western Pleasure.
“Liz and Cole Baker live really close to me in Florida,” noted Laura. “I’ve been with them since I started riding four years ago and I’ve learned so much from them. I showed ‘Peanut’ today. I’ve owned her for about two years and I absolutely love her. She’s been the horse that taught me Walk Trot.
Laura’s first time to attend the Congress was in 2023. “I came to the Congress last year as a spectator. I sat in the stands and watched the Walk Trot class and I just kind of made it my little dream to do it,” she said. “Just being here is amazing, and the fact that I won makes it even more amazing.”
Before she went into the class, Laura received this advice from Liz and Cole. “Stay calm. Breathe. Trust your horse and trust us,” she said.
The red roan mare is 18 years old. “She taught me everything I know,” Laura said. “She’s by RL Best Of Sudden and out of a Dynamic In The Dark mare.”
Looking at her future show career, Laura has a few goals. “I really love Western Pleasure, but I’d like to learn the Trail and Western Horsemanship,” she said.
Reese Groome and The Line Starts Here won the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Walk Trot Western Pleasure, in the last class of the day in the Coliseum on Saturday. It was her second year to show at the Congress. “We were Draw 1 in Showmanship and Draw 1 in Horsemanship earlier today,” laughed trainer Adam Mathis.
“I showed JR, and he’s six years old,” Reese said. “We started working together at the beginning of this year. My favorite class is Western Pleasure so it was fun to win. I was pretty excited. My favorite part of showing in the Western Pleasure today was JR. He was really good.”
Having to show in her split and the finals didn’t faze Reese, who said she wasn’t nervous. “She shows three different breeds – ApHC, APHA and AQHA, so she showed at the Paint World Show and the Appaloosa Nationals. The last time she showed JR was at the Premier show in May,” Adam explained. “Reese came to the house and practiced with him but she didn’t get to show again until now.”
When asked what she would do to celebrate, Reese said “cookies – for her and for JR. I like chocolate chip ones.”
The duo will show in one more class at the Congress, Small Fry Western Pleasure. “And we’re going to win that one too!” she said.
First Over Fences Champions
The first Congress over fences classes began on Saturday including Working Hunter and Equitation Over Fences. Saturday’s champions included:
Level 1 Youth Working Hunter
Metallic Iron, Magdelen Moritz
Level 1 Amateur Working Hunter
Eyeworkuplikethis, Sarah Rosciti
Level 1 Youth Working Hunter
Miss American Pi, Azalea Schroeder
Amateur Working Hunter
Metallicate, Dr. Elaine Haw
Senior Working Hunter
Undressed N Radical, Jessica Johnson for Kyle Davis
Amateur Working Hunter
Major League Moxie, Casey Waite
Photo by Shane Rux Photography.
The 2024 All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through October 27. Sunday’s show schedule includes Small Fry and EWD Trail, Open Halter Mare classes, EWD Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation, Small Fry Western Pleasure, Non-Pro Yearling Longe Line and more over fences classes including Working Hunter and the Open and Non-Pro Hunter Classic. To learn more about the Congress, view the schedule or show results, please visit the Quarter Horse Congress website or visit the Horse Show Tracker app.
