The three-week long event begins today and will continue through October 25th at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair in Columbus, Ohio. The Equine Chronicle is proud to be a longtime sponsor of the Congress and, most notably, the presenting sponsor of the Congress Masters 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure and Masters 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle premier events.

“Our goal as a show committee is to have the Survivors’ class be bigger than the Memorial class, and we’ve got a way to go.”

In the Trail arena, the numbers were up as well with 42 entries in Sr Trail. A combination of challenging obstacles including difficult wagon wheels, bridges, back-ups to gates, and serpentines gave riders and horses a workout for World Shows ahead.

Last year, the Fun In The Sun Extravaganza awarded $36,000 in money and prizes, which was paid to riders at the gate. This year, exhibitors will be competing for $50,000 in money and prizes!

Once the Halter classes are complete this afternoon, but not before 5:00 pm, the first portion of the Ranch Horse Challenge will begin. Horses of all breeds, ages, and genders will be judged in a typical Halter conformation class by four judges and a calcutta will take place. Tomorrow, the horses will return to compete in the Ranch Riding portion of the class, which will not begin before 3:00 pm. The Halter portion will count for 40% of the total score, and Ranch Riding will count for 60%.