By JANE HOUIN
Ohio Correspondent COLUMBUS, Ohio — For quarter horse lovers, the chill in the air means one thing: it’s time once again for Quarter Horse Congress – the world’s largest single-breed horse show which takes place in Columbus, Ohio each October.
The show will run this year from Oct. 2-25, with the ever-popular trade show opening on Oct. 8 and running for the remaining duration of the show. During it’s three-week run, more than 8,500 registered American Quarter Horses will make up for than 17,000 show entries, drawing more than 650,000 people to the Columbus area. That means big money for the Columbus area; it’s estimated that the show brings more than $110 million to the central Ohio economy.
The annual show takes place at the 360-acre Ohio Expo Center, where attendees are drawn not only to watching shows and the naming of prestigious Congress champions, as well as the shopping and gathering of friends and colleagues. This event is well-known as Ohio’s largest annual convention, and recognized internationally as one of the oldest and most distinguished shows in the quarter horse industry.
Far more than “just a horse show,” the event includes not only AQHA-approved shows and racing events, but also more than seven acres of equine-related commercial exhibits; a youth tournament, horse bowl; competitions in horse bowl, hippology, demonstrations and public speaking; collegiate and 4-H/FFA horse judging contests; educational demonstrations and lectures; a queen contest, the Super Sale horse auction, Million Dollar Stallion Avenue and the Professional Bull Rider tour at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus.
And this year, there are several changes in store. For the first-time, seven Southern Belle Breeders classes will be held in conjunction with four Congress Futurity classes and three Congress Stakes Classes. Those classes include both the two- and three-year old Western Pleasure Congress Futurities as well as the three-year-old Congress Futurities for both Non-Pro Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle. The included Congress Stakes classes are the two-year old Non-Pro Western Pleasure, as well as both the two-year old Hunter Under Saddle and three-year-old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle.
Stay updated online Also new this year, attendees and fans can keep up with the latest Congress news and happenings through the social media outlets of Facebook and Twitter at www.facebook.com/pages/Ohio-Quarter-Horse-Association and www.twitter.com/carlyoqha respectively. Both are designed to keep “followers” and “friends” updated on Congress deadlines, news and other items of interest.
Facebook is a privately owned and operated social networking website where users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school or region to connect and interact with other people. Facebook has overtaken MySpace as the largest social networking site and boasts more than 200 million active users worldwide.
Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send and read each others’ updates (known as “tweets”) in real time. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters, which are then displayed on the author’s profile page as well as delivered to other users (called “followers”) who subscribe to them – either by Web, text message or other external applications. Since its creation in 2006, it has rapidly grown to the third most popular social network.
But most attendees say that no matter how you describe it, whether online, in print or in person, the Congress is a show you have to experience to truly understand. The average attendee is a member of the AQHA and owns an average of 7.6 American Quarter Horses per household, with nearly 70 percent riding Western style and the remaining 30 percent riding English style.
And despite the differences in attendees equine disciplines or backgrounds, the one thing attendees have in common is that they love the convenience of shopping at this all-inclusive Quarter Horse smorgasbord. And the timing of the fast-approaching Christmas holidays doesn’t hurt the spending habits, either.
Over 250 vendors in seven acres of indoor shopping offer a range of products and services are offered at the Congress through commercial exhibitors. Shops are filled with equine artwork, home-décor, western fashion and jewelry. Trucks and trailers are available for purchase along with horse tack, and barn, stable and other horse-related equipment.
The Congress is founded and sponsored by the Ohio Quarter Horse Assoc., with the first congress being held in 1967 as an event to showcase and promote the American Quarter Horse while educating horse owners about the care, training and showing of horses. The show has continued under OQHA’s sponsorship for more than 40 years and is managed by the OQHA’s elected officers and directors as well as three elected Congress tri-chairmen.
Admission is based on a per vehicle fee, regardless of the number of vehicle occupants.
One-time admission is $25 per vehicle, with whole-show admission passes selling for $70 per vehicle.
Admission to the Congress Freestyle Reining performance on Oct. 9 requires an additional ticket.
Additional tickets are also required for the Congress Two-Year Old Masters on Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle on Oct. 23.
In addition, the PBR performances require separate admission as well, with cost dependent upon seating location within Nationwide Arena.
Those tickets are available through Ticketmaster outlets.
A schedule of events, including shows, workshops and demonstrations, is online at www.oqha.com/congress Published on Sept. 30, 2009 |
