The 2024 All American Quarter Horse Congress is heading into its final stretch as the show is now mid-way through its final week at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio. Several exhibitors and horses added to their accolades and new champions were crowned throughout the day.
A 'Patterned' Morning
Showmanship and Trail took up the morning and in Trail’s case the afternoon as pattern classes took center stage on Wednesday.
The Celeste Center saw Heidi Raser and Best Gift Yet crowned Amateur Select Showmanship champions while Taylor Foster and Shez Gotawaybout Her took the Amateur championship title.
Over in the Coliseum, nearly 100 runs of the Six Year Old and Older Maturity Open Trail Stakes took much of the day, with Sara Simons and Beyond Expectations besting the field for the championship and Will Knabenshue and PF Put It N Park earning the Limited division championship.
“I feel like I showed years ago,” laughed Sara. “I was draw 17. He didn’t touch a pole, and he went through with his ears up like he always does. When he’s on, he’s really, really special. Some days, it’s his day and obviously like any other horse, some days it’s not, but today he was on it.”
Beyond Expectations adds to an already decorated career. “I showed him at the APHA World and won the Western Riding and Trail, and he won the Level 2 Trail here at the Congress last year,” she explained.
Sara commented on the Tim Kimura-designed course, which challenged the Senior horses. “It was a very difficult course,” she said. “You just had to take it one thing at a time, and he did. There was a lot for the horses to look at. It was a long, grueling pattern but it was a fun pattern.”
Owner Lila Owen couldn’t be at the Congress to celebrate her horse’s win. “Lila is in a wedding in Italy,” Sara said.
Will Knabenshue showed Party Favours for owner Kara Sisco to win the Limited division of the class.
Melvin Yoder earned his first Congress championship in the Limited Division of the Three Year Old Trail Futurity aboard a horse that he has only worked with a little over two months. “I've waited 12 years for this. I wasn’t sure if this was going to happen – I didn’t watch any of the other horses go,” Melvin said. “There was a lot about the pattern that made me nervous. It was very tight in some spots, the side-pass, some lope offs. But she was great.”
He showed Whenyouknowyouknow, whose barn name is ‘Sloan.’ “She’s by Heart Stoppin and out of Whatwazshethinking,” he said. “She’s just been very easy. I brought her home from the NSBA World Show and started working with her. Bill and Dillon Hatten had her and said she needed to do the Trail, so we did. This was her maiden class.”
Sloane will show again on Saturday in the Novice Horse class.
Jason Gilliam showed That Look Llike Alot for Jarrett Cartee to win the Open division of the class.
Frank and Katy Jo Win Two Year Old Maiden Western Pleasure
The palomino gelding Frank The Tankk already had one Congress championship under his belt when he entered the Celeste Center on Wednesday, and he came out of the pen with the Congress championships in the Two Year Old Maiden Open Western Pleasure with Katy Jo Zuidema.
“Frank was awesome,” Katy Jo said. “We bought him around May this year from Rusty and Katie Green, and Karen Wood owns him. He’s a rock. He’s fun. He’s a wonderful jogger and a really strong loper and he’s just great minded. I love him. He’s my buddy. That was the most fun I’ve ever had showing a two year old. He’s not only physically mature but also mentally mature, so he’s so much fun to show.”
Katy Jo has many options for Frank’s future, but it will begin next month in Oklahoma City. “We’re going to go to the AQHA World Show for the two year old class,” she said. “I think he’s going to be an amazing lead changer, so we’re going to play with that. Nick and Carmen Mayabb live next door to us so we can work on that together. We might get him ready for the Versatility class. He’s also APHA registered so he’s triple registered between AQHA, APHA and PHBA, so the sky’s the limit.”
Frank is by Hay Goodlookn and was bred by Dr. Dorothy Murdock Hornback. He is from Hay Goodlookn's second foal crop.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 27. To view the show schedule, watch the live video feed or view complete show results, please visit quarterhorsecongress.com or the Horse Show Tracker app.
