The youth teams in the Congress National Youth Activity Team Tournament had an early start to their day Sunday as NYATT Showmanship and NYATT Reining started the day at 7:00 a.m.
The competition actually began three weeks ago when the NYATT Ranch Riding classes were held. It was the first year for the contest to include a Ranch Riding division. Sarah Rose Jons piloted Inferno Joe to win the inaugural NYATT Youth Ranch Riding class, putting her youth team, the Texas Quarter Horse Youth Association, in an early lead in the contest.
In the NYATT Reining, Calla Thomas guided Great King Jack to a score of 217.5, which held through the contest to earn the Congress championship and points for her team, Michigan Quarter Horse Association.
Piper Kiphart rounded the cloverleaf the fastest in the NYATT Barrel Racing, aboard April Infamous, earning the Congress championship and points for her team, Eastern Ohio Quarter Horse Association.
Indiana Quarter Horse Association’s Kenzie Bracken and Styles Sophisticated brought home the Congress title and points in NYATT Showmanship.
Moving to the English events, Karly Humbert and UF My Legs R Lethal earned the NYATT Hunt Seat Equitation Congress title, bringing points to the Ohio Michigan Indiana Quarter Horse Association.
Gracie Robertson and Good As Ever were named Congress champions in NYATT Hunter Under Saddle, giving points to the North Carolina Quarter Horse Association.
Batterfly Kisses and Lola Knight earned the top spot in NYATT Western Pleasure, winning the Congress trophy as well as the points for North Carolina Quarter Horse Association
In the final event of the tournament, Libby Wilhelm guided Moonlightn to win the NYATT Horsemanship for her team, Texas Quarter Horse Association.
Teams are divided into Division 1 and Division 2 based on number of team members. The following are the final team standings for the 2023 NYATT tournament:
Division 1
Georgia Quarter Horse Association – 87 points
Indiana Quarter Horse Association – 64 points
Ohio Quarter Horse Association – 61 points
Michigan Quarter Horse Association – 53 points
Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association – 48 points
Ohio Michigan Indiana Quarter Horse Association – 46 points
North Carolina Quarter Horse Association – 44 points
Iowa Quarter Horse Association – 41 points
Ohio Kentucky Indiana Quarter Horse Association – 38 points
Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association – 36 points
Division 2
Florida Quarter Horse Association – 46 points
Michigan Great Lakes Quarter Horse Association – 40 points
Texas Quarter Horse Association Texans – 37 points
Eastern Ohio Quarter Horse Association – 36 points
Michigan Snaffle Bit Association - 23 points
Texas Quarter Horse Association Lonestar – 15 points
South Carolina Quarter Horse Association -14 points
Quebec Quarter Horse Association – 11 points
Mississippi Quarter Horse Association – 10 points
North Dakota Quarter Horse Association – 8 points
NSBA Foundation Envelope Challenge Trailer Giveaway
Also during the NYATT awards ceremony, the NSBA Foundation's Envelop Challenge trailer drawing was held. Donors were invited to pick an envelop online to make a donation to the Envelop Challenge, and any donor who made a donation of $100 or more was placed into a drawing for a brand new 4 Star trailer. The fundraiser has raised $70,300 toward the Susan Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund for the NSBA Foundation's Youth Of The Year award.
The trailer recipient is Robert Allison of Crossroads, Texas. A big thank you goes out to all who participated and made donations!
About Smart Points
The Congress National Youth Activity Team Tournament is sponsored annually by NSBA’s Smart Points. Youth NSBA members can earn Smart Points by enrolling in the Smart Points program and showing a licensed horse, and entering the corresponding NSBA entry fee in classes at their breed shows that offer Dual-Approved classes. Youth from Small Fry to Level 3 Youth can earn points that turn into a dollar value each year, which is placed into a special account for NSBA Youth members. When the member graduates out of the youth program, their total Smart Points account is paid to them and can be applied to college or trade school expenses.
About the Congress NYATT Tournament
Each Congress NYATT team represented a recognized state or regional Quarter Horse Association, and could consist of one to sixteen team members. Teams can choose up to two representatives to compete in NYATT Barrel Racing, NYATT Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle, Ranch Riding, Reining, Showmanship, Horsemanship and Western Pleasure. Individuals competed in their respective classes earning not only their own Congress titles, but also points toward their team’s standing in the tournament throughout the day.
Other Sunday Champions
Jamie English showed RS Hank WhyDoYouDrank to win the Two Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle stakes for owner Baylee Fleming.
“Katie Van Slyke Mabry, who raised him, apparently like Hank Williams Jr., laughed Jamie. “I followed him for a long time. Katie would put videos up of him as a long weanling and into his yearling year, and one day I just asked if he was for sale, and I’m so happy that she did. She’s been very supportive. Of course his barn name is Hank.
“He was a blast – so much fun to show. I showed him in the maiden events early on, and he’s improved through the year. He really hasn’t been to many horse shows, but he’s handled it all really well.
“Baylee hopefully will show him in the Non-Pro and Youth events next year.”
In the Limited division of the Two Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Stakes, Courtney Moses showed Hart To Hart to win the class as well as the Southern Belle Breeders portion of the class.
“She’s a Heart Stoppin, and we call her Lucy,” Courtney explained. “Cody (Conover) started her, then I bought her in July, and Kelby Hutchinson has really helped us put the finishing touches on her since we got here to the Congress. She’s beautiful and has great presence and jogs great.”
Unfortunately Courtney will have little time to enjoy her purchase. “She has a new owner, Kyra Lay, and so she’ll be going to new home,” Courtney said.
The 2023 All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 22. To view complete show results, please visit the Horse Show Tracker or quarterhorsecongress.com. You can also view the show’s live video feed at quarterhorsecongress.com/livestream.
