GoHorseShow has been talking to several people at the All American Quarter Horse Congress, and we have learned some amazing stories from past years at the Congress. We asked trainers, former competitors, and current exhibitors about their favorite Congress memory. Find out what they had to say. Also, please share some of your favorite memories with us!
Steve Heckaman–I remember when I was about 12 years-old at the Congress and my dad left a travel trailer for me to stay in for a week. I was given about three hundred dollars and left to my own devices. I would go up in the stands and watch all the pleasure classes everyday, and I said I knew I wanted to come back one day and show here. (pictured right)
Roger Landis–My favorite memory was in 1974, when the Gilligan Barn didn’t have sides, and the stalls had plywood bottoms and chain length tops. I was working for Paul Horn at the time, and it was snowing so hard and we were so cold. It was a memory that is forever etched in my mind. Definitely different these days!
Scott Thompson–My favorite memory was when I was nine and I showed a three year-old, Invest In Ears, in the Walk Trot. Jerry Standford sold the horse I was supposed to show so he found me a horse at the last minute to ride–that literally had just come out of the hunter under saddle futurity and placed third. They were undoing its braids right before I went in–I had never been on the horse and placed second. That was a great day!
Jan Shepherd Pittman–My favorite or probably most memorable moment was when I had the stomach flu and I took some medicine and then showed in the Non Pro Three Year-Old Western Pleasure. I literally do not remember showing in the class. I was so out of it from the medicine–I think Bret and Candy Parrish thought I was crazy since I was a new client and they hadn’t been around me very much.
Ray Arnona–The first time I won the Congress in 1995 was a great day. I won the Three Year-Old Non Pro with Investor Fancy Doll and spent $3500 on celebration drinks at the bar. I bought everyone a drink that night!
Patria Maulden–Being on the Palomino Executive Board and showing in PHBA–my favorite Congress memory was when the palomino, Blazingmytroublesaway won several of the classes at the Congress. I hadn’t seen very many palomino win in the pleasure at the Congress and that was a great night.
Lori Crays Graves–Probably not my favorite but an interesting moment at the Congress that is now infamous in Congress lore was when my horse, Kitawib, was trying the Pleasure Driving for the first time with Darlene Trein. He freaked out in the overhang and ended up running through Congress Hall and someone threw a blanket over his head and luckily he finally stopped.
Adam Wainscott–My favorite memory was loading up and going home last year, and I’m sure that will be my favorite this year!
Peter J Cofrancesco—I met my future wife, Carmen, when we were youth kids at a youth dance party, and I told one of my friends that this was going to to be my future wife. Luckily it happened!
Ryan Painter–My favorite Congress memory was last year when I won three Congress Classes. It was a great year–I won both hunter hacks and a hunter under saddle class.
Molly Cherry–Mine was in 1989 when my mother and father saw me win a class at the Congress. It was the first time they had ever watched me in person at a major show, and I was so glad they were able to see it.
Dan Trein–My favorite memory was in 2004 when Vested Faith won four saddles at the Congress for Marissa Dalton. It was a great year and one of my favorite horses.
Blair Kern–My favorite was in 2008 when I won the Limited Open Maturity on Big N Rich and my sister, Kristin, was getting called out as the winner of the Youth Western Pleasure 11&U in the other arena. Being sisters and all that was a fun moment that we shared!
