Congress

By Eliza

Here in Washington, D.C., October is Washington International Horse Show time. But out in much of the rest of the horse world, October is Congress time. Not Congress as in D.C., but the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. (In the Quarter Horse world, all you have to say is "Congress," though. No one will think you're talking about D.C.)

I am mainly an English horse show sort of person, but I have been to Congress quite a few times, and each time I have been amazed at the vastness of it. Not just the actual space--the Ohio Expo Center, in Columbus, which are so big that I have hiked for hours searching for my Jeep, lost in an ocean of duallies and flatbeds--but the many different kinds of Quarter Horses. Long, lean Quarter Horses who look like Thoroughbreds, competing in something called "English Pleasure." Bulldoggy, old-school Quarter Horses in roping competitions. Wide-eyed Rugged Lark Quarter Horses being ridden by three-year-old children.

If you're not used to breed shows, it's worthwhile to take the trip to Columbus. Congress is a world of its own. It even has its own queen. Watch the competitions live at http://envisionfilmvideo.com/live.html

The queen's blog: http://www.oqha.com/aaqhc/contests/congress-queen/blog