2023 Congress Versatility Stakes Class Promises Excitement And Fun

Horses shown at the All American Quarter Horse Congress are the best of the best in their disciplines. Spectators are awed by the precision and flawlessness of the riders in the pattern classes, the beautiful self-carriage of the horses in the rail classes, and the excitement of the athletes in the timed events.

In an industry where specialization has become the name of the game, finding a horse that can both cross over and excel in all of those events seems next to impossible. But the first 22 horse and rider teams entered will have the opportunity to do just that with the return of the historic Congress Versatility, held as a grand finale event on the last Saturday (October 21st) of the Congress.

Open to horses three years old and over, participants will compete in Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, Ranch Riding, and Pole Bending. One horse may have two different riders. Between events, grooms will be welcomed into the arena to aid in a timed, five-minute tack and wardrobe change. To determine the winner, a four judge system will be used with the lowest score being dropped and Pole Bending serving as the overall tie breaker. That winner, thanks to $10,000 added money from Gerri Leigh Pratt, will walk away with a pocket full of cash.

“It’s such an exciting and different class than what we normally get to watch, so it’s a lot of fun. It really shows how versatile the Quarter Horse is–that one horse can do all of these events and do them well,” Pratt says, explaining she’d been an avid supporter “back in the day” and plans to be in the stands in person when the class is offered again this year.