We talked to several people at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, and we have compiled some fun anecdotes from past years. We asked trainers and exhibitors about their funniest Congress memories.
Many Congress veterans told us that their most memorable stories were not for public consumption, probably involving the Green Bar or the Corral. However, many others were able to share some of their more G-rated stories, involving golf carts, lack of sleep, getting dumped, horses being fresh, almost missing classes, and more.
Find out what they had to say. Do you have some funny memories from Congress? Let us know in our social media comments.
Charlie Cole – 2009 was the first year they ever offered Green Western Riding at the Congress. I was super excited to be showing in it because I had a great horse to show named Knowtorius, owned by Susan Wilson. He was a kind and a really fun horse to show. I also had one of the best driving horses I have ever shown, Hot Ones Only. “Bruno” was also so fun and easy to show. Unfortunately, both my classes went first thing in the morning, so we talked to the Congress back gate, and they said I could do the driving first and then show western riding as long as the western riding was still going. We knew it would be tight, so we had a “plan.” I had a great drive with Bruno, and I was anxiously awaiting the results in the lineup. Tammy Dyer and some others were in the stands, and they were trying to tell me that Jason was going to have to show Knowtorius, and I was shaking my head no. I wanted to show Knowtorius so bad. In the end, Jason had to show him, or the class would have ended. The good news is I won the driving, and Jason won the first-ever Congress Green Western Riding. He said he got on and changed a couple of leads and showed. As always, we are a team, and I was happy for him, Susan, and Knowtorius to get the win.
Samantha Foust – My funniest memory showing at the Congress was when I had two horses showing on the same day. My pleasure horse, Moonlit Hotrodder is in the Amateur Western Pleasure, and then my mom’s all-around horse, Call Me Interested is in the Novice Amateur Western Riding. The classes were back-to-back. I had just started showing in the western riding, and the Congress would be my third time ever showing in the event. I was doing it for fun and wasn’t too worried about the class because it was the novice western riding line (at least that’s what I thought). I jumped off my pleasure horse and immediately got on the western rider. As I was practicing the novice line, another trainer pulled my trainer, Tonya Brown, aside and told her that the novice western riding is the entire line at the Congress. I was only a few horses out from going in, and my trainer broke the news. I was panicked because I had never done the entire line. I begged her to scratch me, but she refused. Tonya told me to put my hand down and kiss and good luck and sent me in. We still laugh about that moment to this day.
Vanessa Froman – Our funniest memories from Congress cannot be shared on the internet. Our group of friends loves to pull pranks each year, and one of the funniest ones was when Flatter blew up hundreds of balloons and put them all in Claypool’s tack room and golf cart. You couldn’t get into either with all those balloons. It was hilarious. Then, it wasn’t funny last year, but it was Friday the 13th, the night before showmanship, and everything was going wrong already, but the day was almost over. Collin rode a scooter back to the camper in the dark to get ready for practice and hit a pothole. He tried to tuck and roll to protect his beautiful face, and his back and knee took the fall. He had road rash all over his back, and his knee was a bloody mess. Hailey and Kyle had to give me horse bandages and silver salve to patch him up. It was a hot mess, and he bled through his showmanship shirt the next day but still ended up in the top 5. We all laugh about it now but I was wanting to have a full on meltdown and I did when later that night I broke a tooth. It is always an adventure in our camp.
Lauren Crivelli – The Congress is so much more than a horse show. It’s an experience. I never really showed pleasure, but we decided to do the futurities with Rooster when we first bought him. I remember being scared to death in that big pen on a drape. I was pretty sure I was white as a ghost when I rounded the corner, and Kenny looked at me and said, “That’s nasty girl! Get it!” He meant it most encouragingly. And it just made me laugh, relax, and keep showing. We did well, but if he hadn’t made me laugh mid-class, I don’t know if I would have made it.
Brister Shum – A few years back (ok…maybe 25) I used to get very nervous showing. To help calm my nerves, the night before the amateur showmanship, a good friend took me on a wild golf cart ride through the Gilligan. We crashed on the pavement, breaking my nose. (Refreshments from the Green Wall may or may not have been involved). I covered my bruises with heavy makeup the next day and entered the pen. Still nervous, my friend suggested I take an herbal supplement like melatonin. There were three goes…prelims, semifinals, and finals. After each go, i took another supplement. When they called my number to get my ribbon, I zoomed right past the awards presenters, never picking up my ribbon, and did my little victory lap around the arena. Then I heard the announcer repeat, “Brister…you were fifth!”
Meggen Borrow Baynes – My funniest memory consists of The Green Wall, Stephanie Scheid Griffin, Kyle Brenner, a Victoria’s Secret bra, and cigarettes. But that one isn’t very PG, so my other funniest (although not funny) was during the last Amateur Versatility class in 2012. It was my last event for the show, so my husband (and then 4-year-old daughter) were returning from Michigan to help me pack up and get back home. I was showing my super great-minded mare, who was just so good for the first three classes. When we got to the Pole Bending, a few friends asked me if I would make her run. I said “Of course, she will do whatever I ask her to do, I am going to make her go!” Well, my draw was right after the girl who won the pole bending so the crowd in the Celeste were pretty wild. People were cheering and stomping as I started my “run” down. I was kicking her (which I never do) and she lost her mind. She started bucking like a bronc horse. I stayed on for quite a while, but ended up coming off. After I caught my breath and stood up, all I could think was, “Oh gawd, I hope Josh and Addison didn’t get here in time to see this.” See, I was pushing my husband to allow my daughter to start doing my riding on her own and I thought “if he sees Sleepy like this, he will NEVER let her ride.” Well, thankfully, they didn’t make it to see, and in 2012, posting live videos on social media wasn’t such a big thing, so they didn’t see it.
Beckie Peskin – I have many great memories of Congress over the years. The funniest ones all seem related to when Ella was little, and I was trying to balance showing with having her there with me. One year, Tom Clopp spent a couple of days being her manny – he took her shopping, got her a Sweet Shop cinnamon roll, and let her nap on him. Another year, Erika Whitney carried her on a dead run from the Gilligan to the Celeste so she could ride in for awards with me. That same year, Jason Wanderer made sure she ate when I was showing up late (she promptly fell asleep at dinner – and when asked what she liked to eat, her answer was “chocolate”). Just silly little things that happen when you’re up late, up early, and busy all day with a small child.
Penni Himes – We have our 14-year-old Aussie, Ike, who most people know at the horse shows. He has grown up with the girls showing (never missed a show). We could leave him on the golf cart at the Colosseum at the Celeste; leave, practice, show, and he’d always be right there on the golf cart when we got back. But two years ago, he was starting to get a little senile and A LOT deaf. We left him on the golf cart at the Coliseum, and when we got back, he was nowhere to be found. One of the janitors was beside our golf cart waiting for us to get back and said, “Your dog, he looked so scared, so, I approached him, and he bolted. I wanted to let you know that.” So, we proceeded for at least two hours, calling and driving all over the fairgrounds, wondering where he went, thinking most likely he would be on food row, but no Ike to be found. So, we headed back to the campground, and lo and behold, Ike was under the same style of trailer but five doors down. We thought the poor guy knew where we were camping but didn’t get the exact trailer right. Honestly, it was the same exact-looking trailer. It was quite funny, and we were very relieved. We didn’t leave him alone on the golf cart again.
Tiina Volmer – In 2012, we had been practicing and making arrangements for Tim to show my horse, Take the Last Luke, in the Open Performance Geldings for something different for Tim to do other than doing trail, for fun. That year, Jenny Frid took him shopping to assemble a suit suitable for performance halter, and Robin Frid gave him halter lessons. I would, of course, get my horse prepared and ready for him to show. On the day of the class, which was to show approximately 1ish, Tim decided to go for a haircut at 10 am. I got a call that Tim needed a picture of his license as he was stopped by the police for speeding and did not have any identification with him. The police did not believe his story and threatened to take him to jail. Finally, after speaking with the policeman and sending the information he needed, he let Tim go with just a ticket. I remember riding under the overhang, talking with Tim on the phone; Tim was flustered and distraught and said he didn’t want to show that day. I then give the phone to Robin who talks to Tim and lets him know he does not have a choice and will show. Tim is smart and knows not to argue with his friend. Tim did show in the halter class that day and was reserve in the Limited Open Performance Geldings. We were all proud of him for showing even though there were a few bumps in the road before walking into the show pen. Before walking into the show arena, you never know what goes on behind the scenes.
Paige Wacker – When ImaMoxieMan “Frog” spooked at the photographer in the NYATT showmanship at the 2016 Congress. (I have it on my Facebook), I was one of the first draws and was back in bed by 8 AM…my mom and I went to Perkins later that day to sulk in pancakes.
Tali Terlizzi – My funniest memory at the Congress happened one night after the Green Wall. A group of high-class citizens and I decided to toilet paper our friend’s bus. Needless to say, they were not as impressed with the job as we all were.
What’s your funniest memory from the Congress? Let us know in our social media comments.
