Monday proved to be a very good day for several exhibitors at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Champions were named in the final Small Fry, Longe Line and Over Fences events.
Flying High On Over Fences Wins
Monday saw several champions crowned in over fences classes at the Congress.
Morgan Ratkowski has had a very eventful year. She got married in May, and her faithful equine partner, Better Buy The Minit, or Murray, was part of the ceremony. On Monday, he carried her to her third 2018 Congress championship.
“We’ve had some really good years, but it’s going to be hard to top this year,” Morgan said. “I think this makes eight Congress titles and four world championships we’ve won together.” The duo had a rough start to their trip to the Congress, however. “We went to Lakeside Arena in Kentucky to do a pre-Congress warm up show, and he stepped on something and got a stone bruise and didn’t get to show. Then he got a piece of wood stuck in his neck and had to get stitches. But he’s still Mr Perfect.”
Morgan and Murray also won AQHA and NSBA divisions of Amateur Equitation Over Fences and Amateur Working Hunter.
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Youth Equitation Over Fences saw Haleigh Holiday and Dee Lucks Detail win the AQHA as well as NSBA titles.
“This is my first Congress title. It’s really special to me because its probably my last Congress with him,” Haleigh said.
“I might bring him to some smaller shows around New York but I won’t be bringing him to the bigger shows any more. He’ll always have a special place in my heart. I do have another horse that I’ll start showing.”.
In the Level 1 Youth Hunter Hack, Two years ago, Isabel Evans won the NSBA Small Fry Hunt Seat Equitation and placed third overall. On Monday, she won the Level 1 Youth Hunter Hack with One Last Laugh with a horse she has had less than six months.
“We’ve only had my horse for four months,” Isabel said. “Her name is Giggles. We did a lot of practicing and jumping to get ready for the Congress.”
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Just Money Hungry and Isabella Erwin ended the Congress on a high note when they won the NSBA Youth Hunter Hack 14-18 and were reserve champion overall.
“My horse is Just Money Hungry. We call him Debit,” Isabella said. “I got him just after the Congress two years ago. It’s our second Congress champion together – we won the Level 1 Youth Working Hunter here last year. We’re done until December. We’re going to show in Tampa.”
Final Fry
The youngest exhibitors of the Congress concluded their portion of the show on Monday with Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation titles. Familiar faces took top honors, as both classes saw repeat 2018 champions.
Kenzie Bracken and Styles Sophisticated showed their way to their second 2018 Congress and NSBA championship in Small Fry Hunter Under Saddle. “That was a lot of fun,” Kenzie said. “It was a great way finish.”
In the Small Fry Hunt Seat Equitation, Dana Moody and Cudda Invited Me won the top Congress and NSBA award. Like Kenzie, Dana thought the class was fun and she didn’t appear nervous.
“She is also really good at gymnastics. She was second out of 8,000 girls at this huge meet in Chicago. I don’t know if it is the gymnastics or the horse showing but she doesn’t get rattled,” noted her father.icing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Longe Line Concludes With Repeat Champions
With Monday’s Open Western and Hunter Longe Line classes, the Longe Line division of the Congress came to an end with repeat champions in both classes.
In the Western Longe Line, Kenny Lakins showed The Best Cowgirl to the unanimous win in the NSBA and Southern Belle Breeders divisions for Stanley and Susan Scott. And just as in the Non-Pro, the Scott’s How Do U Figer took reserve, this time with Kathie Kennedy on the lead.
“I’ve showed her three times,” Kenny said, “and she’s been excellent every time. We were third at the Tom Powers, won the NSBA and now won here. I love everything about her. She’s so easy to longe. It’s just so natural for her and she’s so great minded. Nancy (Ditty) did all the work on her and did a great job with her. I hope I get to ride her.” The Best Cowgirl is by RL Best Of Sudden.
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Kathie Kennedy did a quick change between Western and Hunter Longe Line classes to take the lead of Al Be Addictive, and led the Allocate Your Assets yearling to a second NSBA and Southern Belle Breeders championship for owner Sunny Nagengast.
“I saw her at the NSBA World Show and just loved her,” Kathy said. “She’s big, beautiful and she can trot and lope. I really wanted to show her but originally I had committed to another horse. But it worked out that I got to show her. She’s a great filly.”
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 28. Tuesday’s schedule includes Halter Geldings, Hunter Hack, Pleasure Driving and Junior Western Pleasure, along with Junior Western Riding and the finals of the Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddles Stakes-Limited division.
To view the complete show results, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com, and the view the live video feed go to nationalsportsbroadcasting.com/congress/.
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