GoHorseShow would like to congratulate Carmen Cofrancesco of Sparta, New Jersey on her first Congress win! It is hard to believe that Carmen hasn’t won the Congress yet being married to the halter king himself, Peter J Cofrancesco, III, but like most wives and mothers, they take the back burner to watch the rest of the family compete.
“It was a lot of fun to be back in the show arena,” says Carmen after her win in the Amateur Limited Two Year-Old Geldings. “These past several years I’ve been a horse show mom but now that my kids are bigger and all of them are showing–it is great to be a part of it too. My oldest daughter, Ireland, had never seen me show, and actually thought I did a nice job after she saw me in the show pen. I look forward to showing more in the future.”
Cofrancesco adds, “I owe a great deal of gratitude to Dewey, Tami, and Drew Smith, Mitch Leonarski, and Susan Witts, for all their help and coaching during the Congress. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”
Carmen is married to past AQHA President Peter J Cofrancesco, III, and they have three adorable children, Ireland, Peter, and Emma. It is rather fitting for the couple to share a Congress win since they both met at Congress when they were youth kids. Carmen has been Reserve Congress Champion in the halter twice, but it was before she married Peter and an interesting fact is that she was second both times to her now husband!
Showing for the first time in halter after 14 years, Carmen led Cofrancesco homebred, two year-old, Vincenzo Zini, to win the Limited Amateur Two Year-Old Geldings across the board and was also Reserve Champion in the Amateur Two Year-Old Geldings. “I am thrilled for Carmen, she did a great job, and has made me very proud. I am very fortunate to share the same passion for this industry with my wife that I have shared with my parents all these years,” Peter says.
“Vincenzo Zini is 16.2 hands as a two year-old, so he is going to be huge,” Carmen says. “I think he will just keep getting better and better. He is a family favorite, and we all love him.”
Carmen’s mother, Alberta Welker, was planning on making her first ever show debut in the Amateur Aged Geldings, but unfortunately she became ill. So, her daughter, Carmen, stepped up and took her place and was Reserve Champions in the Limited Amateur Aged Geldings with FSR Remarkable.
The Cofrancesco family had a huge 2012 Congress with wins in the Youth Two Year-Old Geldings, Amateur Limited Two Year-Old Geldings, Limited Open Two Year-Old Geldings, and Open Three Year-Old Mares. Ireland also made the finals in the 11 & Under Western Pleasure, and placed 12th in the 11 & Under Showmanship.
GoHorseShow congratulates them on their success at the Congress and looks forward to watching the whole family compete for years to come.
