New Events, New Champions and Friday Fun at the Congress
The third Friday of the All American Quarter Horse Congress found new classes, along with new winners and veterans alike celebrating their Congress championships throughout the day.
A Trail to the Win
Bruce Vickery added another Congress championship to his 2017 tally Friday morning when he showed Ona Good Cowboy to the win for Janet Fraser in AQHA and NSBA Junior Trail, with a score of 237.5. The scores were scorching in the class, which took a 228.5 to make the top ten awards.
A bad dress rehearsal led to a great go in the class for Bruce and his mount. "We sort of cleared the practice pen yesterday," Bruce laughed. "He spooked at a mum in the corner of the pen that he didn't know was there. But I stopped him and made him work through it, and he got his confidence back."
By RL Best of Sudden, the stallion is known as Wesley. "I got him last December, and he had been in a Western Pleasure futurity program. I instantly saw a lot of potential for him in the Trail and Western Riding. He's super natural, and he's super confident - he thinks he's got it even when it's not what you want him to do. It was really cool to see him come back from spooking yesterday to win the class."
Sarah Hinkel won her first ever Congress championship when she guided So So Good to win the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Youth Trail 14-18. "I've been showing since I was six, but before him I mostly did English, and I hadn't shown Trail very much," Sarah said. Sarah leased her horse, known as Taco, after her own horse was injured earlier this year.
"He's pretty much a Trail star, because he had won a reserve world championship before. I showed him at the Novice Championship Show and won the Trail there. He is so sweet. I was stressed about the serpentine in the pattern today, but he was perfect. In fact, we scored the highest score we've ever had, 225.5, today in the Trail, so it's a personal best. I'm really happy."
Winning in Western
Twelve year old Jalyn McElmurry rode four year old Envy My Goods to win the Youth 11 & Under Western Pleasure. "We've only had her about ten months," she said of her mare, Faith.
"I always wanted to come and show at the Congress. It's really exciting to come here and win. It makes me really happy."
Steve Reams showed The Pineapple Xpress to win the Limited division of the Open Western Pleasure Maturity for Chappell Creek Farm LLC. "She's really a horse for 11 & Under, and she's just been super for us," Steve said.
The five year old mare is known as Apple. "She's showing in the Level 1 Western Pleasure 13 & Under, and the Open finals. She was 11th in the Junior Western Pleasure here the other day," he said.
Hot Hunters
Three Hunter Under Saddle champions were named throughout the day on Friday.
Olivia Tordoff and Too Blazin Cool picked up where they left off at last year's Congress by winning the Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Stakes, The duo won several classes at the 2016 Congress including the NYATT Hunter Under Saddle, the Level 1 Youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18 and Youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18.
"We really didn't have any expectations, because it was his first year as a senior horse," Olivia said. "He gave me a great ride and I was really pleased with him."
Olivia was thinking of someone special during her ride. "My grandmother died this summer, and I was thinking of her the whole time," she said. "I have a note that I wrote to her just before she died that I keep in my pocket when I show."
Olivia and Willy have two more Hunter Under Saddle classes to compete in at this year's Congress, and Olivia will also show a new horse in Youth Horsemanship.
Mallory Vroegh had just a short time to get to know A Cool Invitation, but she made the most of that time by winning the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18.
"He's so easy-going," she said. "He just goes out and does his job. He's not hard to ride at all. He's very sweet."
After completing a split before going into the finals, Mallory was confident in her horse. "In the finals, I was able to push him out a little more and open up his stride," she said. "I couldn't ask for a better ride."
Beth Case also added another champion title to Willy Has Potential for owner Shelby Ratliff, winning the Maturity Open Hunter Under Saddle Stakes.
In the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Hunt Seat Equitation, Jayna Lagace and Huntin Hotty Toddys earned both Congress championships. "We've been together about a year," Jayna said.
Known as Stanley, the gelding is by No Doubt Im Lazy. "He's very easy to ride and very fun to learn on," she said. "He's very kind, and he loves to cuddle." The duo are showing in Equitation, Showmanship, Trail and Western Pleasure, and have been in the top five and top ten in all their classes so far.
New Congress Super Sale Stakes Classes Debut
The All American Quarter Horse Congress offered two new classes this year that were open to yearlings that sold in the 2016 Congress Super Sale. The two classes offered a purse of $74,00 between the two divisions.
The Congress Super Sale Non-Pro Western Pleasure Stakes saw seven horses compete, with a unanimous winner named.
Mallory Menard showed a horse that she bought in the sale and prepared herself for the class. "I actually had a full brother to him two years ago, and he was so good minded," she said. "This one has the same personality. I get along great with the Batt Man horses."
The good mind came in handy, because Mallory had a broken arm during last year's Super Sale when she made her purchase. "I wasn't supposed to be riding, but then I broke him out and he was great, and he rode great tonight."
In the Congress Super Sale Open Two Year Old Western Pleasure Stakes, Scott Frye piloted Hes The Candy Man to the win for Samantha Ihde. "I bought him at last year's sale. He was acting a little studdy at the sale and I think it scared a few people off, but I knew he could jog and lope. We knew he would have a great top line and he's a beautiful horse. I put a saddle on him and started to break him out, and really started working with him after the first of the year. I sold him to the Ihde family in about April."
Scott reflected on the addition of the Super Sale Stakes class. "I think it is a great thing," he said. "It creates some excitement for the sale horses, and it will help our yearling sales. It's also nice to have a sale class like this that is later in the year to give you time to prepare a later horse."
The 2017 Congress Super Sale will again feature a yearling sale section with sale horses eligible for a Congress Super Sale Stakes event for Open and Non-Pro exhibitors to be held in 2018. The sale takes place on Saturday, October 21, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
The 2017 All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through October 29. To view complete show results or learn more about the show, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com.
