[Plumcreek]

Holy cow, you need a golf cart to get around? How many acres of ground does this show cover?
More than you want to walk in one day for the whole grounds, but the shopping and arenas are central and very walkable.

It sounds like the best newbie-spectator events and the best shopping days are separated by many days at this show. It takes more than one day to see this show?
Snork! It takes 3 days minimum to see everything. There are usually 'Congress Special" bargains at many vendors , just not the fire sales that occur on the last day.
I always go early for classes I like, and the booths are not sold out of the best stuff then.

If you were my travel agent (remembering that my gentle momma is in tow):

How many days at Congress are needed? Three (or four if you want to seriously watch long classes as well A large class can take hours with cuts, semi finals, and finals). We spent two weeks there spectating once - that was too much.

You'd rent the golf cart on Day 1 so as to get the lay of the land?
I like the golf cart idea day one to drive the whole grounds and get the lay of the land, barns, and schooling arenas, knowing that some central areas are prohibited to golf carts and scooters due to traffic jams. Day one is usually gawking day for first timers.

Would you put the Competition Watching Day first, and the "see the shops... see the rigs that you you can't buy" later? Depends on class schedules and day of the week. Shopping in the indoor mall areas on weekends can be a crush of people - do that on a weekday if possible. A good idea to not get too tired is scheduling half of each day to walk barns or shop, and half to sit and watch classes or schooling.

Perhaps, too, you need a native tour guide to take you on the Night Tour of the behind-the-scenes schooling.
Native guide would be useful - maybe a COTHer will be there to help you out the first day. Overnight schooling is usually in the 3 indoor show arenas, so not hard to find. (Also check in the Beef Barn for trail schooling, as I mentioned).

Remember to go through the Gilligan Barn to see the "in your face" stall set ups. My absolute favorite of all time was not expensive; Stanley Scott had retro used car dealership triangular flagging strands hung all over his stalls and a bit sign out front that said "Honest Stanley's Used Pleasure Horses".

No need for warning about the puppy tend. My mom is way to smart for that. If they had a cat tent, however, things would be different.

Good luck and have fun!

If you do not already have the entry book, here it is. Grounds map to print out is pg 20 - 21. (Barns have names not numbers, so confusing)
http://www.oqha.com/aaqhc/information

[Sparky]

We will be in the Ag-Hort building from the 12 through the 16th. If you're there on those dates, come find Dreamfield Stables and I'll give you a tour based on about 19 years of experience

[mvp]

We will be in the Ag-Hort building from the 12 through the 16th. If you're there on those dates, come find Dreamfield Stables and I'll give you a tour based on about 19 years of experience

Well, don't that just top all the kind advice given here?

My mom tends to look the gift horse in the mouth (knowing how much that gift costs....). But the offer of a tour? I'll do my best to shame her into the coming.

Many thanks, Sparky.

[Sparky]

You're very welcome. (And one of our clients owns the Sweet Shop--'nuff said!!) Hope to meet you soon
Just remember, we can't get in our stalls until Friday the 12th, but that first weekend of Congress is usually pretty mellow.

[WildBlue]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned: If you're planning to sit much and watch and don't come equipped with your own padding, the seats and bleachers get pretty uncomfortable after a while. I've seen people bring little foam pads or a folded blanket, which seems like a good idea.

I'll be a dissenting opinion on the golf cart. The venue isn't *that* big and there are already too many of the darn things in the way when you're trying to walk around. I mean, I can see it if your RV is parked waaaaay out and you're running back and forth getting horses ready, but the grounds are congested with just the competitors in carts.

[mvp]

My mom and I "got back." So we can sit on hard bleachers just fine. Actually, she gave me hers. Not cool. Is that how you'd repay a daughter who, decades after conception, would take you to QH Congress?

The golf cart would make her feel like a beloved VIP. She'd never consent, but if I just rented it and put her in it, I know she'd enjoy it.

Sometimes parents just don't know what is good for them and must be manhandled a bit.

[mvp]

Mommy is chickening out. That's what she does; it's her job in our family.

Friends don't want to go either

"No WP crap for me, thanks"

to

"Love to... can't afford to go and watch horses that I can't afford and buy stuff that I can't afford."

I'll keep trolling for some people who realize that they need there is a Grand Tour of North American horse shows and that one has not finished one's education without that.

But if nothing pans out, maybe I'll have to do this leg of the grand tour by my damn self.

[EquineLegalSolutions]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd love to have some raw video footage of the warm-up pen before the hunter-under-saddle classes. Can anyone oblige me? I want to show my eventing friends why I left the breed show world...

[AQHA4me]

Gee Rachael:
How do you think all your AQHA clients would feel if they read this post? The horse is very small, you of all people should know this. I get it that it's not for everyone, but feel that this is very hypocritical for you of all people to post. Just remember that there is abuse everywhere in the horse world, not just AQHA or USEF or eventing or ASBs or Walkers or whatever else.

[Plumcreek]

mvp, I went by myself the first time in the 70s - my aquaintance, who said she had gotten her ticket, did not show up at the airport, so I got on the plane and went. I met so many people, and was taken in by a bunch staying down the hall, who were from a different part of the country, knew Congress and the major players of the time well, and I hung out with them for a great 4 days. Just go. Congress is a major equine bucket list item, like WEF, the NCHA futurity, Devon, etc.

Same with WEG. I decided at the last minute, watching prices come down, to go. Found a roomate, with room, on the COTH classified, bought discounted tickets on COTH classified, decimated my airline miles account for last minute tickets, and went. Room mate turned out to be one of those encyclopedic source of knowledge people, reasonably sane, had a CAR, and we had a great time together. Met Peggy, and saw some fabulous barns.

[Plumcreek]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd love to have some raw video footage of the warm-up pen before the hunter-under-saddle classes. Can anyone oblige me? I want to show my eventing friends why I left the breed show world...

Congress is one place where you can see some GOOD riders on wonderful horses in the warm up HUS pen, along with everything else.

[mvp]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd love to have some raw video footage of the warm-up pen before the hunter-under-saddle classes. Can anyone oblige me? I want to show my eventing friends why I left the breed show world...

Congress is one place where you can see some wonderful GOOD riders and horses in the warm up HUS pen, along with everything else.

Yeah. Nothing wrong with hijacking threads in general, but I think you are barking up the wrong tree here.

As a newb, I think I'll see better and worse in the warm-up pens. But! I'd like a sherpa by my side to explain what I'm seeing. There's no reason that I-- coming mainly from English world-- would understand why the horses were being ridden as they are.

I assume that I'll see much better horses, training and riding at Congress than I have seen at my local AQHA or breed shows.

[propspony]

One of my very favorite things to do at congress is to just plant myself at the warm up rings and watch. I can stand there for hours! Of course you have people doing stupid things, but you also have the very best of the best out there. I've had quite a few "lightbulb" moments over the years just hanging out at the warm up pen. :-)

So... Sparky, in about 4 years when my little girl is ready to hit the wonderful world of QH working hunter. (an aside can I say that I am *SO* freakin' excited about the Huntfield stuff!?!) Will you guys help hold our hands/hoofs??? :-D

After all, a barn that comes with it's own sweet shop sounds like heaven to me!!! ;-p

[Sparky]

One of my very favorite things to do at congress is to just plant myself at the warm up rings and watch. I can stand there for hours! Of course you have people doing stupid things, but you also have the very best of the best out there. I've had quite a few "lightbulb" moments over the years just hanging out at the warm up pen. :-)

So... Sparky, in about 4 years when my little girl is ready to hit the wonderful world of QH working hunter. (an aside can I say that I am *SO* freakin' excited about the Huntfield stuff!?!) Will you guys help hold our hands/hoofs??? :-D

After all, a barn that comes with it's own sweet shop sounds like heaven to me!!! ;-p

This made me LOL! I will be going to Congress as long as they keep putting it on, although my daughter is looking at retiring in a few years, so I'll need a little bit of an excuse--your daughter would be a fine reason to attend! And thank you for being excited about the Huntfield derbies, because we are too. Come watch the finals in OKC in November

[propspony]

LOL! My daughter is a little Appendix filly out of my TB mare. ;-) But she likes sweets as much as any human child, so a barn with it's own pastry shop would be right up her alley too!

I'm keeping an eye on airfare to see if there's any bargains to be had for the Finals. I would LOVE to come see them. I've been watching the videos that have been posted. Hope they continue in the future! I've never been to the world show, and I hear that it is pretty darn cool.

[Sparky]

LOL! My daughter is a little Appendix filly out of my TB mare. ;-)

Well, there ya go--totally misunderstood that, but it's all good because I don't need much of an excuse to watch a QH hunter. She would like the Sweet Shop horsie treats I'm sure www.sweetnays.com
The world show is pretty cool, and well worth the trip.

[EquineLegalSolutions]

Gee Rachael:
How do you think all your AQHA clients would feel if they read this post? The horse is very small, you of all people should know this. I get it that it's not for everyone, but feel that this is very hypocritical for you of all people to post. Just remember that there is abuse everywhere in the horse world, not just AQHA or USEF or eventing or ASBs or Walkers or whatever else.

Funny, I never mentioned abuse. Rather, I was thinking of movement and head carriage... But thank you - your post made a great start for my latest editorial: http://equinelegalsolutions.blogspot...-insiders.html

PS - Apparently, I wasn't "barking up the wrong tree," as several folks sent me private messages offering to send warm-up pen footage.

[Plumcreek]

Sparky, what day is the Huntfield Derby Finals at the World Show? I know the draw party is Friday evening, but I am arriving Sat morning.

Propspony, the World Schedule has morphed a bit, with finals now scattered around, following near their preliminary go days, not all grouped at the end. Better schedule for many owners.

[TrakHack]

Sparky, what day is the Huntfield Derby Finals at the World Show? I know the draw party is Friday evening, but I am arriving Sat morning.

Propspony, the World Schedule has morphed a bit, with finals now scattered around, following near their preliminary go days, not all grouped at the end. Better schedule for many owners.

I'm not Sparky, If I'm reading the Preliminary schedule correctly, the Derby goes Saturday morning.

I'm in Nebraska and OKC is relatively close, so I may go for a few days, probably Thursday evening - Sunday morning.

[Sparky]

The Derby is Saturday Nov 10th. It has some time constraints so the start time is still being tweaked. Right now the jog is at 6:30 am with the first horse on course around 7. Depending on entries, it might have to be earlier ---everyone's being a good sport about it but the fact is we have to have that arena completely cleared out by 11!