What’s the worst thing about the Congress?
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Joe Edge – Owner – Texas
The biggest pain at the Congress is where short people cannot see over the railing in the Coliseum! They need to take that first rail off. I offered them a big sponsorship where they would take that top rail down and leave it and they wouldn’t do it. I’m going to get me one of those Segues and I’m going to ride around so I can see. Now the only way to see is you gotta get on them steps.
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Bruce Walquist – Trainer – Texas
Hardest part is keeping your horse ready for two weeks. It has been a test for me. I always have them ready by the time we got here and then by the second week when the finals came, I didn’t have the horse that I came with. That’s the test to this place, being able to maintain and keep your horse ready for two weeks to compete at this level.
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Kristin Glover – Owner/Exhibitor – Oklahoma
I can’t say anything negative about the Congress because I love this horse show, it’s something I look forward to all year. I can’t say anything. Yeah you get tired because the long days and you have to ride at night but I love every minute of it.
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Evan Kaplow – Owner/Exhibitor – New York
The length of time you’re here and if you’re in the Gilligan building the amount of dust that accumulates in the two weeks just wrecks your sinuses.
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Shannon Vroegh – Trainer – Iowa
The lack of sleep. If you look at the schedule, there are four days in a row that we are the first class at 8am and the last class at night. Then plus we have the night practices. I’ll be lucky to get 2 hours of sleep a night. I have a chair in the tack room where I can rest.
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Kim Reynolds – Trainer – Florida
The hours. Last night I had to ride and I didn’t think I physically could. I couldn’t even walk at that point but once I got on and started riding my body just did it. Then I get to the point where I can’t sleep when it’s time to go to sleep.
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Ronnie Casper – Trainer – Florida
Early mornings, late nights and everything in between. The Congress becomes fun to me after we are done showing and the horses go home. Then I have fun as a vendor with my wife.
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Ross Roark – Trainer – Texas
The hardest part is that I don’t eat right, I don’t take care of myself and I don’t get enough sleep. I worry about the horses. Oh plus the change in the weather. One day it’s nice and then it can turn cold. That’s hard.
