A beautiful fall Ohio weekend greeted Congress Ranch exhibitors as they wrapped up competition with Ranch Trail and Ranch Riding classes, and the quest to win the Congress National Youth Activity Team Tournament began with NYATT Reining and NYATT Ranch Riding classes.
Ranch Riders Rally
Bud Goes Out With A Bang
Bud Lyon and Chillinlikeavillian won the final Open Ranch class of the 2024 Congress after a week that saw several championships for ‘Storm’ including the Four and Five Year Old Ranch Riding Stakes, Junior Ranch Riding, and Junior Ranch Trail, as well as Amateur Ranch Riding with Kim Colvin Lyon.
“He’s been a trooper this week, and I’m sure he’s ready to be done,” Bud said of the gelding. “We’re very grateful and couldn’t be more excited for the opportunities that he’s given us. He’s got a special place in our barn.”
It’s been a running joke that Bud bought Storm as an investment, and his wife Kim told him that he needed to keep him. “He was a poor investment, so our bank accounts are empty but our hearts are full,” laughed Bud.
“It’s so challenging when you have a junior horse (in an all-age Stakes class) because although we think the world of him, he’s still competing against horses that are 12 and older, a lot more experienced and a lot bigger, stronger and more mature.
“I knew he had the talent and all the intangibles to be in there, but it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he had been at a disadvantage against those older horses. Tonight, he happened to have the right run on the right night, and we were fortunate enough to have that tonight.”
“We are grateful for everyone who supports our horse shows and our discipline from the Headley family, to CINCH who sponsored this class, to dac; we’re grateful that they’re willing to contribute and help make this happen. The Congress is such a prestigious and historical event and it’s a huge event for our industry, and for the city of Columbus and the world. It takes a lot of helping hands to make this happen, and I’m so grateful for them all.”
Madison’s Hot Hand Continues
Madison Rafacz had a hot hand over the weekend, winning first and second in Youth Ranch Riding 14-18 with Whizenboonsmal and Got Twisted In Vegas, and winning the Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes aboard Whizenboonsmal to close out the Ranch events. She was also second in the Non-Pro Freestyle Reining as well as second in NYATT Reining with Got Twisted In Vegas.
“This pattern had a lot to it in a small area,” Madison said of the Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes. “A lot of tight turns and a lot happening at once. Peter has been a trooper. He’s been through a lot of classes and I don’t even want to count them. We’re not quite done, because we have Non-Pro Reining on Monday. It’s been a long week of showing with a lot going on.”
Madison reflected on the sponsored classes at the Congress. “The Stakes classes are great, having a class to run for a bigger amount of money is really nice,” she said. “We wouldn’t have these without the Headley Family, dac and CINCH. It’s fun to see the industry growing, and it’s great to have their support.”
Suzanne's First Congress Championship
Suzanne Cooper and SDP Got Fancy Genes earned their very first Congress championship in Level 1 Amateur Select Ranch Riding on Saturday. The duo showed against 29 entries.
It was the second win for Fancy, who won the Amateur Ranch Rail on Thursday with Suzanne’s daughter, Tianna. “She’s not too bad for a broodmare who was out in the field a few years ago,” laughed Suzanne.
“My favorite part of the pattern was probably the extended trot down to the straight lope down to my stop and my turn, because she’s awesome in her turns. I really liked my left lead lop to the walk to walk over my poles. She doesn’t have a real huge stride, so she kind of has to reach to get over the poles. She’s usually really honest and tries.”
Suzanne showed two horses in the class and was top five with her second horse, Good Gravy. “I’ve been very lucky,” Suzanne said. “I had a little mistake with my dun horse, but he’s a super star in the making, I’m just learning.”
Alvin For The Level 1 Win
Steve Meadows and Seven S Crossfire won the Level 1 Ranch Trail for owner Kara Ann Bennett on Saturday in a monster-sized class that saw 121 show. Steve and Kara bought the five year old gelding while in cow horse training. “I just happened to see him and I called Kara and said I think I just found a great one,” Steve said.
“He’s Ranch and Heritage bred and came off Stuart Ranch in Waurik, Oklahoma. He came from the legendary breeding program of Terry Stuart Forst. He’s probably the most athletic horse I’ve ever ridden. We’re pretty excited, because he is doing the Ranch Challenge at the AQHA World Show. We’ve been showing him in the Versatility Cow work and he’s a true ranch horse in every sense of the word. We call him Alvin.”
Steve talked about his go aboard Alvin. “I was really happy with him because there were a lot of people in the stands today because it’s Saturday,” he said. “He’s Cow Horse bred, and they are like Border Collies - they see everything. For these horses, you can’t make them do it, it has to be about trust, and he trusted me and just floated over his lope overs, hit every mark, listened and never questioned anything. It was a cool go.”
Nailing The First NYATT Wins
The 2024 National Youth Activity Team Tournament, sponsored by NSBA’s Smart Points, got under way with two classes on Saturday. The remaining classes will take place on Sunday, October 20, with an awards ceremony following the classes.
NYATT Reining Champion
Calla Thomas and Great Pepto Pine became the first NYATT champions of the 2024 Congress when they won the NYATT Reining, with 30 entries. The duo represented the Michigan Quarter Horse Youth Association.
Calla has been showing Reining horses all of her life. “My parents are both horse trainers, so I’ve always been around it,” she said. “We raised my horse, and I showed him as a three year old in the futurities before we started showing in the Non-Pro and Youth classes. We travel all over to the NRHA shows, and I show in the Ranch classes too.”
Calla also won the Congress Youth Reining 14-18 this year, and previously won the NYATT Reining at the Congress in 2022. She and Great Pepto Pine were top ten at the AQHYA World Show this past year.
Calla said that she enjoys the NYATT events. “It’s a lot of fun cheering on my team mates,” she said. “I’ll be there cheering in like the Showmanship, even though I don’t really know what is happening. It’s a lot of fun being on a team.”
The top ten team placings in NYATT Reining were:
1st – Great Pepto Pine, Calla, Thomas, Michigan QHYA
2nd – Got Twisted In Vegas, Madison Rafacz, Florida QHYA
3rd – Pro Mis Q Ous, Stella Dorsey, Southern Ohio QHYA
4th – Itsmistertou, Sara Rose Jons, Texas QHYA
5th – JL Pistol Pete, Reed Selner, Illinois QHYA
6th – Bamn Bam, Sara McMahon, Florida QHYA
7th – Enterprizes At Nite, Addison Sawyer, North Carolina QHYA
8th – Blonde Addy Tude, Stella Dorsey, Southern Ohio QHYA
9th- Spook Royale, Avery Jacobs, Georgia QHYA
10th – Lil Whizkey Surprise, Kendall Lebo, Ohio Kentucky Indiana QHYA
NYATT Ranch Riding
Troy Dever and Shyne On Me were not only first-time champions but also repeat Congress champions on Saturday. They won the NYATT and NSBA portion of NYAT Ranch Riding with 23 shown, as well as the NSBA and AQHA Youth Level 1 Ranch Riding in a huge class with 91 shown. Troy represented the Texas Quarter Horse Youth Association.
“He’s a really good horse,” Troy said of ‘Cuda.’ “It went really good. I was worried about a couple of parts of it, but it came together really good. I’ve only got to work with him for a couple of weeks.
Top ten placings in the NYATT Ranch Riding included
1st – Shyne On Me, Troy Dever, Texas QHYA
2nd – Cognac N Diamonds, Sydney Klein, Ohio QHYA
3rd – Fancy Blue Roo, Quincy Clagg, North Carolina QHYA
4th – Iceforthechics, Oliva Stoudmire, Eastern Ohio QHYA
5th – Only Hot N Winning, Macey Belmont, Tri-State QHYA
6th – Ruff Shiner, Rosemary Hartman, Texas Texians QHYA
7th – Voodoo Doll, Ryan Jay Mau, Southern Ohio QHYA
8th – Roobie, Sydney Sargent, Kentucky QHYA
9th – Easter Icecapade, Rowdy Mullens, Tennessee QHYA
10th - Rebelvintage, Cole Guthro, Virginia QHYA
You can follow the team results on the Quarter Horse Congress website at https://quarterhorsecongress.net/results/24results/nyatt.html
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 27. This week, Reining classes conclude, Roping classes begin and classes for the Youth Equestrian Development Association will take place. On Friday, the Heroes On Horses parade honoring our nation’s veterans, as well as the Heroes On Horses class where veterans and military personnel may compete will be held. To learn more, please visit the Quarter Horse Congress website or visit the Horse Show Tracker app.
