Highlights from the All American Quarter Horse Congress.

Youth Trail featured two working areas.

By Christine Hamilton

The All American Quarter Horse Congress is in full swing in its last full week at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio.

The 2008 edition of the world’s largest single-breed show had almost 18,000 pre-entries and will attract approximately 650,000 people to the Columbus area from every state and several countries.

Still to come on the final Congress weekend: the Congress Masters 2-year-old hunter under saddle – $75,000 to the winner – and the Congress Masters 2-year-old snaffle bit western pleasure – $100,000 to the winner.

There’s also the Congress Tie-Down Classic, the Congress Pole Bending Sweepstakes and the Wenger Barrel Racing Sweepstakes.

Check out The American Quarter Horse Journal’s full Congress coverage in the December issue!

Here’s a snapshot of some of the biggest events so far:

Earn prizes for doing what you love! Enroll in AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program.

• The Congress Hunter Classic was won by AQHA Professional Horseman David Connors riding On Record for the Kaplow family of Chappaqua, New York. The trophy was presented “in memory of Linda Connors,” David’s late aunt and AQHA Professional Horsewoman from Syracuse, New York.

• The Congress hunter under saddle maturity, open division, was won by AQHA Pro Horsewoman Trisha Yamber riding Good I Will Be for owner Rita Crundwell of Dixon, Illinois.

• The Congress Masters halter colts/geldings win went to Essential, owned by Kathryn Young of Florence, Alabama, led by AQHA Pro Horseman Randy Jacobs of Dover, Ohio.

• The Congress Masters halter fillies win went to Taryn Rose, owned by the Peter J. Cofrancesco Jr. Estate, led by AQHA Pro Horseman Jeffrey Pait of Sparta, New Jersey.

• Grand Champion mare in open and amateur is Top Secretina, shown in the amateur by owner Gerri Leigh Pratt of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and in the open by AQHA Pro Horseman Ross Roark.

• Grand Champion Stallion in open and amateur is Goodyears To Come, shown in the amateur by owner Scott Kennedy of Ocala, Florida, and in the open by AQHA Pro Horseman Ronnie Caspar.

• Grand Champion gelding in open and amateur is RPL My Te Cheerful. In the open he was led by AQHA Pro Horseman Jeffrey Pait for owner Peter J. Cofrancesco Jr. Estate; his new owner, Terry Wilkerson of Raleigh, North Carolina, led him in the amateur.

• Jessica West of Hilliard, Ohio, was crowned the new Congress Queen.

For more Congress coverage, visit the Ohio Quarter Horse Association’s Web site.

With AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program, you log the hours you spend in the saddle and earn great prizes. Sounds too good to be true, but it’s not! Find out how to get involved. You don’t even have to ride an American Quarter Horse!

See the World!

Get your tickets to the AQHA World Championship Show, which takes place November 8-22 in Oklahoma City!

• General admittance – $7

• Reserved seating – $10

Call OK Tickets at (405) 948-6827 to place your order.

Limited individual box seat tickets available. Call (405) 948-6807.

Related Posts:

• 2009 All American Quarter Horse Congress
• World Show: November 21
• Congress Ends with a Bang
• World Show: November 12
• World Show: November 10