Youth News

With perfect weather, a beautiful course, and a worthy cause, the 4th annual  Congress Cup charity golf outing was one for the books as participants "Battled for the Buckle." Organized by the Ohio Quarter Horse Foundation and held at  Rattlesnake Ridge Golf Club in Sunbury, Ohio, the event not only provided a world-class experience, but also served as a means to generate funds for the annual Foundation scholarships. Rattlesnake Ridge provided the ideal backdrop for the day; a private course, renowned for its gorgeous landscapes and exceptional amenities. The outing saw a total of 20 registered teams and generous sponsorship support, both setting new records for the Congress Cup.  OQHF also welcomed special

OQHA members escaped the heat last week at IronGate Equestrian Center for the annual summer picnic. Held Monday, June 17, the picnic was once again a favorite event for members and their families, with well over 100 guests in attendance. Sharing good food and fellowship, the summer event provided an opportunity for folks to get out of the summer heat but still enjoy time with friends. After dinner, the Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association met and discussed their plans for the rest of the summer, including their upcoming trips to the YES Conference in Amarillo, Texas, and the AQHYA World Show in Oklahoma City, Okla. Youth members also held the drawing for their annual fundraiser; this year they held a raffle and raised

The 17th annual Ohio Quarter Horse Association Trail Ride took place on Saturday, June 15, at Creek Side Horse Park in Waynesburg, Ohio. This year’s event was a success, drawing over 1,000 entries and setting a new attendance record. Participants enjoyed a combination of trail ride and Mt Trail Challenge, exploring Ohio woodlands through guided and self-guided rides. Following the day’s activities, attendees gathered for meals, live music, and both silent and live auctions. OQHA CEO Justin Billings, OQHA Director Todd Salome, and OQHA Queen Sidney Hawk were present to support the event and assist with the awards ceremony. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to this unforgettable

Thank you to the OQHA Family for an unforgettable 2024 Banquet! Held at the Hilton Downtown Columbus on Saturday, February 3, the OQHA Annual Meetings and Awards Banquet was the most well-attended in association history. The Ohio Quarter Horse Association Board of Directors started the day with their annual meeting to review 2023 and plan for the new year, as well as install the newly elected and appointed directors. The AQHA Most Valuable Professional award was presented to Art O'Brien, voted on by his OQHA peers. The Ohio Amateur Quarter Horse Association and the Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association also met and discussed their year, as well as installed their new directors and officers. Following the conclusion

On Wednesday, October 4, Capitol Square got a taste of western culture when the All American Quarter Horse Congress paid a visit to the Ohio Statehouse, bringing four American Quarter Horses to the steps of the President William McKinley monument.  A press conference was held, featuring remarks from Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik, Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge, and Ohio Quarter Horse Association (OQHA) CEO Dr. Scott Myers. Also in attendance were NBC4 anchor Monica Day, Ohio Expo Center General Manager Virgil Strickler and Assistant General Manager Alicia Shoults, OQHA Executive Vice President of Operations Justin Billings, OQHA President

The Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association finished strong in Oklahoma City at this year’s AQHYA World Championship show! It was a big year for Ohio, and OQHYA sent 44 youth exhibitors and 61 horses. Ohio youth brought home a total of:             11  CHAMPION Titles             9 RESERVE CHAMPION Titles             8 BRONZE CHAMPION Titles             11 Top Five  Placings             37 Top Ten  Placings             57 Finalist Placings Here’s the breakdown:   Isabella D’Onofrio and IF IT AINT SOUTHERN:             WORLD CHAMPION: L3 Performance Geldings     Isabella D’Onofrio and WHATA MOONLITE RIDE:              RESERVE 14-18 ALL AROUND             WORLD CHAMPION: L3 Hunt Seat Equitation 14-18             RESERVE

In February, the OQHA Annual Meetings and Awards Banquet was held at the newly renovated Hilton Downtown Columbus, now the largest hotel in Ohio.   The Ohio Quarter Horse Association Board of Directors and members met for their annual meeting to recap the 2022 year and install the newly elected and appointed directors. During the meeting, Missy Thyfault was presented with the AQHA Most Valuable Professional award, voted on by her OQHA peers. The Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association and the Ohio Amateur Quarter Horse Association also met and presented their plans for the 2023 year.   Following the conclusion of the annual meetings, the Ohio affiliates sponsored a hospitality room to present awards and provide

The Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association finished strong in Oklahoma City at this year’s Ford AQHYA World Championship show! It was the 50 th anniversary for the youth world show, and OQHYA sent 39 youth exhibitors and 57 horses. Several members brought home championship titles this year. Among them:   Alexa Black and HUNTIN A HOT COWGIRL:             WORLD CHAMPION: L3 Performance Geldings             WORLD CHAMPION: L3 Huntseat Equitation 14-18          Emma Gore and KM GENUINELY BEST:             WORLD CHAMPION: L3 Showmanship 13 & Under             RESERVE CHAMPION: L3 Western Riding             WORLD CHAMPION: L3 Western Horsemanship 13 & Under             ALL AROUND HIGH POINT 13 & UNDER

The OQHA Annual Picnic was held last Monday, June 19th at Irongate Equestrian Center in Croton, Ohio. Over 150 members from all over the state gathered for a buffet-style dinner at 5:30pm, which featured hamburgers and hot dogs provided by IronGate and side dishes and desserts provided by members. IronGate also provided a beautiful candy bar for everyone to enjoy. Board meetings began at 7pm, after the OQHYA members sold tokens for their truck raffle. If you have not yet purchased your tokens for the truck raffle, please contact a youth member today! The next OQHA board meeting will be held August 15th at the OQHA office in Columbus, starting at 7pm. Stay up-to-date on all things OQHA by following the Facebook  and 

The Challenge, put on by the SOQHA Youth kicked off the 2022 Ohio show season.  With the addition of a L1 Youth WT division, $11,000 was given away to youth competing in the Scholarship Challenge.  There were fun classes and free photos by Ryan Geiger Photography. Show high points can be found on SOQHA.com/shows .  Exhibitors new to AQHA were welcomed with a gift.  We hope to see them at more shows this year. Challenge Winners  Small Fry Champion - $1000 - Starched Rockies & Gwen Toth  Reserve - $500 – Image Of You & Marley Tincher  L1 Youth Walk Trot Champion - $1000 – Hes A Lazy Lover & Anna Webb Reserve - $500 – Interesting Lady & Meghan Kaser L1 Youth Champion - $1000 – KM Vested In Bo & Abbey Zawisza