Quarter Horse Congress Hunters

[sandsarita]

On iequine.com they are live streaming the classes going on. Right now they are starting with the novice amateur and youth working hunter, which is the entry level for the rider going on. This is followed by the Amateur working hunter and then the Senior Working Hunter, which has some of the top quarter horses competing with the trainers.

Tomorrow am is the inexperienced horses, the green and progressive classes, which is our first year and second year green. Except sometimes you will see some horses if not most do both their first year. Then there is the 5 yo and under horses WH, and some equitation o/f. There is a complete schedule on the AQHA Congress website.

Of note, even though this is aa championship show, you do not have to qualify, so you will see all levels there.

[lotc2005]

You do not have to qualify for the hunter classes at the Congress. You are correct, you will see all levels there. You must, however, qualify for both the Youth and the Open World Show.

[RoughOut]

http://www.iequine.com/events/2016/10/the-all-american-quarter-horse-congress/video_feeds/celeste-center-625

here’s a link for anyone wanting to watch!

[sandsarita]

They are moving on to the more accomplished riders and horses now. Some very nice rides currently in the amateur

[RoughOut]

I agree, there are some nice forward rounds going on. Its fun to watch!

[bamboopole]

Congress

Our QH customers like to go to Congress because the prizes are terrific and the show is impressive. Also tends to be easy to get a prize in the hunters if you have good hunter experience at USHJA shows.

[whbar158]

The horses are much more forward than I was expecting, was really thinking they would be loping around, I know I’m watching less experienced riders but it’s really not that bad, I see some really honest steady horses going.

[sandsarita]

The thing is the lines are still set at 12’ strides. So just like with any hunters, they have to get it in the correct number or they have no chance of placing. There are some horses and riders there that I know show quite a bit on the hunter circuit. It is getting more common for them to cross over back and forth. Plus, most are dedicated hunters. They won’t be doing any other classes here but those.

[bamboopole]

[QUOTE=sandsarita;8894493]
It is getting more common for them to cross over back and forth. Plus, most are dedicated hunters. They won’t be doing any other classes here but those.[/QUOTE] We had a horse that could do over fences and flat at Congress. Retired this summer. One in a million.

[lmlacross]

I only watched for a little while and saw some lovely trips.

[Nuggets]

It’s a tough show - you only get one trip in the arena to school, and not only is it days before you show, it’s run like a judged class, so no do-overs in the spooky corners. And there’s a big flapping tent between the warm up area and the show area, perfect for unnerving horses right before they go in!

But it’s an incredible experience, and everyone should try it at least once.

[mvp]

[QUOTE=Nuggets;8895018]
It’s a tough show - you only get one trip in the arena to school, and not only is it days before you show, it’s run like a judged class, so no do-overs in the spooky corners. And there’s a big flapping tent between the warm up area and the show area, perfect for unnerving horses right before they go in!

But it’s an incredible experience, and everyone should try it at least once. ??[/QUOTE]

Been to the Congress once. The horses are unbelievably broke and tolerant. The chaos and crowds at those shows (getting to the ring and the warm up rings) are way beyond what you’d see at a USEF hunter/jumper show. And the horses do their job amid that anyway.

I came home impressed and humbled by those horses. I can’t tell whether it’s breeding for a great mind or good training that makes those AQHAs tune all else out and listen to their rider. But they raised the bar for me.

Also, the equitation tests I saw there took an impressive page from the Breed Show book: Riders were asked to do things that we usually don’t see until you get to Big Eq, if then. I’m thinking of cantering slaloms among cones and changing leads every four strides or so. The riders also had to be dead accurate with respect to where they made transitions. Again, you don’t see those things asked of horses in USEF or USDF dressage tests until they are farther along.

[OldLadyYoungOTTB]

I watched some of it yesterday as well–it was really fun to watch!

[Calling_Duck]

When will the results be posted for the hunter/jumper classes?

[Nuggets]

[QUOTE=Calling Duck;8895533]
When will the results be posted for the hunter/jumper classes?[/QUOTE]

They’re posted - Working Hunter is at the bottom of the list, Eq Over Fences is in the middle. I don’t think Hunter Hack classes are done yet.

http://www.quarterhorsecongress.com/results/2016-horse-show-results

[Against_All_Odds1]

[QUOTE=RoughOut;8893582]
http://www.iequine.com/events/2016/10/the-all-american-quarter-horse-congress/video_feeds/celeste-center-625

here’s a link for anyone wanting to watch![/QUOTE]

Thank you! I’m not getting any work done today lol. My barn mates show at Congress but they all do WP. I had no idea this was also going on there!

[Belmont]

[QUOTE=whbar158;8894375]
The horses are much more forward than I was expecting, was really thinking they would be loping around, I know I’m watching less experienced riders but it’s really not that bad, I see some really honest steady horses going.[/QUOTE]

Dave Miller is from my area. When he comes to the H/J shows he usually sweeps the classes. His horses are always forward and gorgeous jumpers. Not to mention he and his whole team are turned out to the 9s!

[sandsarita]

I used to live down there! Rode with a lady in Wimberley because he moved to the area just as I was leaving and no QH hunter trainers to be found. Really good guy with professional setup. The turnout helps when one of his customers designs hunt seat clothes :).

Was able to watch a decent amount this weekend, but not today. Dang work got in the way. But my barn is having a good show so far, and some friends have had great placings.

That place is a madhouse. Some horses do great there, and other’s don’t. Still remember having a horse kicking up above my head walking up to the show pen, and then as soon as she got too the pen put her head down and placed in a tough class. Some horses have their minds blown. As a hunter you only have 2 days there to get settled in, almost no arena time, and the place is a madhouse. No place to lunge or ride without a million other people in the pen with you. You can wait in line for hours to lunge one horse. So you end up riding in the middle of the night and end up sick half the time. Which is why I am skipping this year for the World Show. That and I don’t have to take as much time off from work.

[roseymare]

Glad to see the nice words for the QH hunters

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=handwalk;8894081]
Our QH customers like to go to Congress because the prizes are terrific and the show is impressive. Also tends to be easy to get a prize in the hunters if you have good hunter experience at USHJA shows.[/QUOTE]

I’ve been wanting to go for a few years but the QH shows in my area never offer any o/f classes, just western and hunter under saddle

Is it safe to assume if you regularly pin at A or AA shows you’d likely be competitive at a QH show?

ETA - just saw that you don’t have to qualify for Congress?!