The calendar may have changed months, but the competition continued to be deep and fierce in Ranch events at the All American Quarter Horse Congress on Tuesday. AQHA and NSBA Dual-Approved Junior Western Working Rail, Amateur Working Rail and Amateur Select Ranch Riding were joined by the Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes and Three Year Old Open Ranch Riding Futurity in the Ohio Expo Center’s Coliseum.
A Futurity Win For ‘Hopper’
John Roberts piloted Bet Boon Gone Blue to the duo’s second Congress championship, this time winning the Three Year Old Open Ranch Riding Futurity. They bested a field of 49 entries for the win and earned $7,307.01 for owner Marion Valerio.
“I’m just so proud of him,” John said of ‘Hopper.’ “This pen is small, so there are a lot of maneuvers to perform in a short space. For a three year old, it’s a lot of transitions really quick. It seems like you just get into a lope and then you have to break down for the next maneuver. But he’s doing really good. He’s probably my all time favorite.”
It was the third year for the Three Year Old Futurity class to be held at the Quarter Horse Congress, and John noted there are a few other venues that offer a Ranch Riding class specifically for this age group. “We had an All Age Three and Up class in Virginia, and there was a three year old class at the World Equestrian Center and one at the APHA World Show, so there are a few around,” he said. “This was my second year to show in this Three Year Old class at the Congress.”
The class win put Hopper’s earnings in 2024 to more than $16,000, however the duo isn’t finished with the 2024 Congress just yet. “We have about four or five more classes yet to go,” John said.
Madison Rafacz Earns Top Two Spots In Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes
Madison Rafacz not only won the Congress championship in the Non-Pro Ranch Riding Stakes class, she earned the top two spots with her horses Whizenboonsmal and Got Twisted In Vegas. She earned $6,777 for first and $4,879.44 for the reserve placing, earning more than $11,600 for an afternoon’s showing. She competed against 65 entries for the top two spots.
“I’ve been doing the Ranch classes since 2020,” Madison said. “Peter, or Whizenboonsmal, has been a great horse for me my entire career, starting in the Reining and switching over to the Ranch. He shows up every time and gives 100 percent. He’s quirky and fun and he’s a good boy. He’s 12 years old now.” Whizenboonsmal is by Peptoleap and out of She Whiz A Star.
Even though Madison has won Congress championships before, she notes it doesn’t get old. “Even though I’ve won here before, it’s still very exciting,” she said.
She also commented on her reserve champion mare. “I just started doing the Ranch classes last year with Got Twisted In Vegas. She’s seven, and we raised her on our farm. In fact we bought the mare that she’s out of and bought her. My dad (Mark Rafacz) and I trained her together and I just do the Ranch classes for fun with her. This is her last show because she’s going to have a foal next year by Down Right Amazing.”
Got Twisted In Vegas is by High Roller Whiz and out of Wimpys Dun Twistin.
Madison came to Ranch classes by accident. “Bud Lyon told my parents that Peter would be a good candidate for the Ranch classes, because he’s a good mover,” she explained. “So I tried it, and we were successful, so we worked harder to be more successful and it’s sort of snowballed. It’s become something we enjoy doing, and we do it with some of our other horses too.”
Steve Meadows Earns Second Congress With In Junior Western Rail
Steve Meadows gives credit to owner Courtney Dobbs Clagg for finding his 2024 Congress champion in Junior Working Western Rail, Old School Bluez. “Last year during the Three Year Old Ranch Riding Futurity, Josh Clagg called me and said that Courtney saw a three year old that she really liked. And he’s by Rooster (Gallo Del Cielo), and is bred the same way as Fancy Blue Roo, the horse that started it all for the Claggs,” Steve said.
“Cody Crow had him, and I asked if he was for sale, and he was, so we ended up buying him. We’re taking it slow, but he’s turning into a great horse. The Roosters, you don’t rush. They’re cow bred and they’re a little bit different than a lot of the other bloodlines. You kind of have to let it be their idea. But he really likes his job and he’s doing great. His barn name is Bluey.
“He’s not affected by anything – horses, traffic, nothing. Once you put him in a gear, he stays there and he doesn’t care. He’s a brilliant mover and he’s got a natural top line. At home, we spend a lot of time in the pasture and he just floats across the pasture. He’s Ranch and Heritage bred too and that means a lot. I think that he’s going to get to stay around for a long time.”
The Congress saw some other repeat champions on Tuesday including Moonlights Dream and Laska Anderson, who racked up their second Congress championship in Amateur Working Western Rail, and Iscream For Icecreme and Karen Johnson, who earned their second Congress NSBA championship in Amateur Select Ranch Riding.
The Congress Reining Futurity prelims and Level 1 Youth Reining, along with the Non-Pro Working Western Rail Stakes, Level 1 Senior Ranch Riding, Youth Working Western Rail and the Open Ranch Riding Stakes will be on Wednesday’s schedule at the Congress.
To view complete show results or to view the schedule, please visit quarterhorsecongress.com or check the Horse Show Tracker app.
