November 6, 2007 — The 41st annual All American Quarter Horse Congress, held October 6-28, 2007, was by all standards a record-breaker.
Show organizers recently announced they received more than 20,400 entries for the event, with more than 18,700 entries actually competing in the show. The entries brought more than 9,000 horses to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio, during the three-week event, with as many as 5,688 horses on the grounds at one time.
Blessed with good weather for all but three of its 22 days, the Congress also saw excellent attendance numbers. The largest opening Saturday in the history of the show as recorded on Saturday, October 12, with 33,389 cars, trucks, buses and motor homes on the grounds at one time.
More than 330 event champions were named during the three-week event. The three largest pay checks of the event were: $100,000 presented to JR Reichert for Good Luck Girl, shown by Tina Kaven, winner of the Congress Masters Western Pleasure; $75,000 presented to Wayne and Judy Davis for WD Good Fellow, shown by Judy Davis, the winner of the Congress Masters Hunter Under Saddle; and $30,600 presented to Jimmy Pierce/Mark Schols, owners of RC Fancy Step, shown by Shawn W Flarida, the winner of the Congress Reining Futurity.
Grand championships were awarded to several horses and owners. Cooler Than All, owned by Donald R & Gwen Rice and shown by Buddy Laney, was named Grand Champion Stallion. Kids Keeping Cool, owned by Gerri Leigh Pratt and shown by Ross Roark took the Grand Champion Mare title, while Compounded, owned by Peter J Cofrancesco III and shown by Jeffrey Eldon Pait was named the Grand Champion Gelding. In the Amateur division Mr Ice Te, owned by Joanne Perry & Robert Wiese and shown by Joanne Perry Wiese were Grand Champion Stallion, while Pratt and Kids Keeping Cool repeated as Grand Champion Mare and Cofrancesco and Compounded repeated as Grand Champion Gelding. In the Youth Division, CRL Shesa Cool Coosa, owned by Lew Papendick and shown by Kristina Papendick took the Grand Champion Youth Mare award while Won And Only Fella, owned and shown by Tyler O’Neal were named Grand Champion Gelding.
In the High Point divisions, The Article and Karen Evans Mundy earned the High Point Open Horse title, with Vital Signs Are Good and Kristen Glover named Reserve High Point Open Horse. The two horses and owners swapped places for the High Point Amateur award, with Glover taking the title and Mundy taking the reserve award. The All Around Novice Amateur was Embrace This Legend and Andrea Adams. The High Point Select Amateur was Zita Codi with her horse, De Royalty.
The All Around Youth (overall) award went to Rockin Zip, Katy Lynn Krshka, while the reserve award was presented to Little Credit Needed and Lacy Watson. The High Point Youth 15-18 was Im Shy But Deluxe with Whitney Walquist. Krshka was the High Point Youth 12-14, while Watson was the High Point Youth 11 & Under.
The Congress also presented the All Around Novice Youth award in two age groups. Earning the 14-18 award was Movin Artfully and Melisa Doddridge, while the 13 & Under award was presented to One Bad Machine and Samantha Huff.
Shelly Campbell, representing the Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association, was named the 2007 Congress Queen. First runner up was Andrea Roddy, representing the Indiana Quarter Horse Association, and second runner up was Elizabeth Widmar, representing the Badger Quarter Horse Association.
River Cities Quarter Horse Association, representing states bordering the Ohio River and its tributaries, won the 2007 National Youth Activity Team Tournament. The team has members from Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress is sponsored annually by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association (OQHA). OQHA created the All American Quarter Horse Congress in 1967.
For more information about the 2008 All American Quarter Horse Congress, visit the Ohio Quarter Horse Web site at href=”http://www.oqha.com” target=”_blank”>www.oqha.com.
