My first facebook auction, all proceeds going to NC4K, didn’t go as well as I had hoped. (not going to lie) Lagrange Leather was kind enough to donate a pair of amazing Childhood Cancer Awareness boots, and I wasn’t sure how to raise the money they warrant. I decided on the auction feeling like a raffle wouldn’t go as well. But I am not so sure now! Although, I am $300 closer to my $10,000 goal and I’m ready for my next one!

Headed home to Ohio this weekend for a short trip to the Southern Ohio Madness! I have never been to the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington and it was incredible. I got lost several times (lol!) and made the long trek to the Harris Leather & Silver hauler only once at this show! It was good to see Dr. Scott Meyers of Ohio Quarter Horse, along with several others I hadn’t seen in a long time!
This was also another weekend I got to spend with Kelsey Dorka, the 2017 Ohio Quarter Horse Queen. She’s turned into an excellent friend and I Iook forward to sharing a room with her after so many trips alone.
I also got to see and spend time with another queen: the 2017 Southern Ohio Quarter Horse Queen, Mindy Barr. She is incredibly well spoken for her young age and I was really impressed by her confidence and poise around the show. She will be another one to watch this coming October!
The Madness show was a total success with tons of entries, huge classes, and incredible All Around prizes given away. One of the highlighted events of the weekend was The Equine Chronicle Novice Horse Western Pleasure class that saw Aaron Moses ride It’s A Pretty Thing to a $15,000 payday for owner, Amy Gumz…. Buuuut that wasn’t the only big money class of the weekend, The Maiden Horse 3-year-old and Over Western Pleasure class saw another $15,000 check won by Dave Archer riding The Silver Foxx for owner Eric Mendrysa.

We presented awards and gave away all our big checks with Gordon from the Equine Chronicle, and while walking around to the vendors we all got to me the famous Trent from Greeley Hat Works! He was just here for the first couple days in the Rods booth. Typically, he works with the Rodeo Queens but he gave me a custom hat and fitted all our heads with his hat shaper tool. Guess which one is my head…. The tiny misshapen one of course! Hahaha! I can’t wait to get my gorgeous hat and possibly one that I can wear all day without taking off! (who knew?!)
Thank you, Judd Paul, for inviting me to the show and thank you Mindy Barr for sharing your queen spotlight with me!
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​The final, and my favorite Level 1 Championship show, has come to a close. I got to see all my usual friends and catch up with so many amazing people. I got to see Nick Nixon for a day while he worked the gate as a volunteer with NCQHA. It was also really nice to hear Eric’s usual voice calling to people to “GET IN THE PEN!” lol! He doesn’t really say stuff like that. I am the only one who is chronically late enough every show to ALWAYS be yelling to “hold the gate!” for me.
The weather cleared up for this show too! I actually showed at this show last year, which was a funny experience for me, but it had rained every day except the first day and it was not a very fun experience.

The Martinganza earlier in the year had brought me closer to Reaghan Griffin (Instagram famous as @equestrianbliss) and her super cool red gelding Elliot. She came up early to the horse show and was spending all that time by herself- so I spent lots of time with her. I got to watch her ride some and enjoyed meeting her dog, Nemo. Rea is such a great girl and I know she will go far. **UPDATE here: later she got her letter in the mail qualifying her for the AQHA World Show, SOOO proud of her. **
There was a moment at this show, I’m not sure if it was being in such a familiar place, or being with familiar people (which is so unusual while you’re on the road) … but there was a moment at this show when I teared up. I looked up into the bleachers and my mom was there clapping for me as the announced “Amy Brown the All American Congress Queen…” nobody takes notice of this moment, but it really is unlike anything you’ve ever felt. And I know how much this year, small in the scheme of my whole life, but so huge in impact... I know how much this year means.
After countless “how many horses are in this class?”-es and “what time is lunch?”-es this show was really sad for me having to let go all the people I had spent so much time with over the course of the last month. All the AQHA employees that made all three Level 1 Championships special for every exhibitor and person attending… I felt like I was part of their team after dinners with them and long hours spent looking over the rail. I can’t thank them all enough for including me in everything, and making me feel truly special. ​