The All American Quarter Horse Congress welcomed veterans from the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy for camaraderie, fellowship and some friendly competition on Friday during show’s Heroes On Horses event.
The competition was just one part of two days devoted to the veterans. The exhibitors and their horses were welcomed to the Celeste Center for a practice for their class on Thursday, and professional trainers from throughout the show world assisted them with encouraging words and tips to be more successful in their class.
Veterans were then welcomed Friday morning to a brunch held in their honor. Each exhibitor was introduced and received a token of appreciation for their service and their involvement in the competition.
In the afternoon, NSBA members, corporate sponsors and Congress Arena Team sponsors provided a colorful and patriotic Parade of Heroes as a way to thank the veterans for their service and recognize the sacrifices they have made. The Whitehall Police Color Guard provided the colors.
Following the procession, the veterans put their game faces on as they prepared for competition in the Heroes On Horses Assisted and Heroes On Horses Independent classes.
First Time’s A Charm For Jason Lupton
Until a few months ago, Jason Lupton had never ridden a horse before. That changed when his wife, Brandi, suggested that they both compete in the Heroes On Horses class at this year’s Congress. Jason showed Sun UR Lukin Fab in the Assisted Rider class, while Brandi showed the same mount in the Independent class. This was the first year for either spouse to compete at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.
“It’s really all Brandi’s doing,” Jason said. “I have always enjoyed being around the horses. I just hadn’t ridden them before. We had heard about the class and decided we wanted to do it, so we started practicing. I always like doing things with the veterans, so it was an easy decision to do this.
“Having this event is something that’s really important for us veterans. A lot of us are disabled now, and having this class allows us to do something that we can be competitive in. It’s a great program.”
Jason and Brandi, who live in Dunkirk, Ohio, both served in the Army in the Hunter Armory airfield in Savanna, Georgia. Jason has already set a goal to compete against Brandi in the Independent division next year.
A Rousing Ride for Rhonda Talbott
2022 was the third year that Rhonda Talbott, of Baltimore, Ohio, competed in the Heroes On Horses class at the Congress, and with a spectacular ride, she claimed the Congress championship title with MTC Easy Tiger.
“I had a couple of horses as a kid, but we sold them when I got older,” Rhonda said. “Today, I get my horse fix by volunteering at Breaking Free therapeutic center. I just love being around the horses – brushing them, talking to them and cleaning stalls and helping other people. Here at the Congress, Partners For Progress was so gracious to let me borrow ‘Jack’ for this class, and he was great.”
Rhonda served two tours in Germany as a petroleum supply specialist in the Army. For the past nine years, she has served as a peer support specialist for the Veteran Affairs Administration in Muskingum County. “I helped set up veterans with all the resources we can provide to them as they transition from active military life,” Rhonda said.
However, Rhonda has done much more for veterans in her community. “I organized a women’s veteran group, a veteran fishing group and another lady and I created a veteran’s garden called Urban Green where I volunteer with Muskingum County Soil and Water,” she explained.
“We have a general community garden where anyone can garden, but we wanted to create something special for veterans. We just received a grant, and we’re going to be setting up raised beds for veterans to garden, that will be wheel-chair accessible. We’re pretty excited about that.
“All of these things – gardening, fishing, and equine therapy – they are all ways to engage veterans in a positive, healthy way to help them overcome any issues they may be having. I know how much all of these things helped me, and I wanted to do the same thing for other veterans.”
Horses, especially, have had a positive impact on this veteran. “Horses help me slow my mind down and relax, and be in the moment,” she said. “The horses reflect what you give them, and they’ll tell you if they don’t like something. You develop that communication and trust with them, and they just ground you. I’ve learned that when I come here, I’m going to be nervous. But when I get in the arena, I remember why I’m here – to have fun and enjoy the moment.”
The Heroes On Horses event has become something Rhonda looks forward to. “That fact that we are able to get together, it’s great,” she said. “When we were in the military, we were all working together as a team, and this event is kind of like putting the team back together. I really enjoy getting to know the other veterans, and the kindness and support we get from the crowd as well as the veterans and their families is just great. Even the professionals who helped with our practice were great – they really helped me, and gave me a lot of confidence going into the class.”
Still, though, the horses are what draws Rhonda to the Heroes On Horses event at the Congress. “While the people are great – it’s the horses that are the best thing about this weekend,” she said. Rhonda proved this point by helping to prepare eight of the Partners For Progress horses for competition with their veteran and Equestrians With Disabilities riders while she was at the Congress this weekend.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 24. To view the complete show schedule, view the live video feed or see complete show results, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com or visit the Horse Show Tracker app.
