Let’s first rewind back to 2009, where I attended my favorite part of Congress: the Congress Queen autograph signing session in Congress Hall. I was 9 years old and in awe of all the queens with their big crowns and sparkly outfits. I was beyond excited to have my mom, Denise, take pictures of me with all the queens and get their signatures, and to eventually watch one of the ladies be crowned as the new Congress Queen. And to top it off, I got a picture with THE 2008 Congress Queen, Jessica West. Scrapbooking was a favorite activity of mine during that stage in my life, so, naturally, I had to make a pink, queen themed page to put in my scrapbook after my mom developed the pictures off of her camera. As I made that special page in my scrapbook, I was setting a goal to my future self to achieve my dream of becoming the Congress Queen someday. Fast forward to 2019, right before attending my first queen competition representing Pennsylvania, I accidentally came across this scrapbook stashed away in my childhood toy cubby. Little did I know that I was about to meet the Congress Queen that planted this seed of excitement years ago now as one of the Queen Committee Members in the competition I was about to begin.
Fast forward to 2021, I was the 1st Runner Up in the Congress Queen competition and was so excited to have come back my second year and improved. Being so close to winning, I knew I wanted to go into my third year competing with no regrets of not studying, preparing, or riding enough. With that I committed this last year to polishing my interview skills, practicing horsemanship with my horse, Max, and studying that daunting AQHA Rulebook for hours and hours and hours. I am so thankful to have had two of my dear friends, Tiana Domingos and Morgan McCarthy-Warda Jennings, serving as my accountability partners throughout the year. This last year was both exciting and challenging. I was finishing up my last year of college, lost my beloved grandmother and a few heart horses, and started my first full-time job. Through the highs and lows, these ladies stood beside me and kept me focused on my goal of winning the Congress Queen title. Without their support, push, and encouragement, I would not be here writing my first ever Congress Queen blog. Thank you Tiana and Morgan for absolutely everything.
After a year of preparation, I was filled with excitement and a splash of nerves as we left for Columbus, Ohio on October 4th. I was excited to meet so many new friends, visit with old friends, and to make Pennsylvania proud. Queen week had begun!
Wednesday morning, I woke up and started checking off my last minute to do’s! I practiced horsemanship with Max, got my hat freshly cleaned and shaped by Rods, helped my dad, Jeff, pick out new boots for the dinner that evening, and caught up with some old friends. My parents then helped me move ALL of my luggage into the hotel where the queen festivities took place. I visited the Queen Team (Elaine Wells, Jaymie Drury, Brittany Barker-Hostetler, and Jessica Elsass) to pick up my new PA sash and goodie bag full of awesome items donated by some of our generous sponsors. Then it was time to get ready to queen!
Wednesday evening, we had the pleasure of dining with Congress and OQHA officials, our interview judges, our sponsors, the queens and their special guests. New this year, during our introductions, we had to pull 2 fun “Get to Know You” questions! The question I pulled was what is my favorite movie, and that is a no brainer… of course “Elf”! I know nearly every line of that movie and may or may not start watching it as soon as Halloween is over! We also took part in a fun ice breaker activity where all the queens have a unique fact about them on a sheet, and the people at the dinner have to guess which fact goes to which queen! My fun fact was that I am a proud owner of a 1913 Ford Model T that my grandfather remodeled and gifted to me to continue showing and carrying on this legacy of his. The Queen Team also shared pictures of all of the queens as young girls riding horses. The dinner is a wonderful way to get to know all the incredible women competing for the title.
After dinner, all of the girls grab the gifts that they brought to share with the other queens while the Queen Committee goes over the contest rules and schedule. This year, my gifts were a nod to Pennsylvania. I proudly wore my PSU pajamas (even in Ohio State territory!), gave everyone an American Flag pin since the first US flag was made in Philadelphia, Hershey chocolate bars, chocolate that I make at my job, and homemade whoopie pies since the recipe is argued to have originated from the PA Amish community. I included my secret family recipe for the Whoopie Pies because they were a late night snack hit amongst the girls.
The next morning was interview day. The Interview can be very intimidating, but the panel we had this year were amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed learning about their professions and perspectives they had on our industry. The second half of the day we had the privilege of thanking our generous sponsors. I loved walking through Congress Hall and the Annex getting pictures with vendors, cute dogs, and excited kiddos! Sarah Johnson, our incredible queen photographer, was able to capture some of these special moments.
Friday was set to be a busy day, and Friday morning was THE TEST! After a long night of studying and taking the test in the morning, I felt a huge sense of relief. NO MORE STUDYING! I quickly got ready for the Queening day ahead. First thing, the queens were invited to attend the Heroes on Horseback ceremony and reception. It is an honor to be a part of such an incredible event and to honor those men and women who served for the freedom we have in this country. Thank you to those who have served and currently are serving to defend our freedoms. After that, we continued to thank our generous sponsors, do some fun Congress shopping, and then got ready for our surprise Experience Columbus Trip. Our trip was to make our own candles! I loved being able to spend a relaxing evening with all of the ladies after the busiest 3 days. I made a dreamsicle candle and will say it is my favorite candle, not including the BEST Aubrey’s Handmade Candles that I have at home!
Saturday morning was horsemanship… AND of course the temperature dropped (in typical Congress fashion). Thankfully, Max, my 17 year old gelding, has been through it all. Not much excites Max other than feeding time! That morning, I practiced my pattern with my trainer, Alex Bryner, who always helps polish my horsemanship position and pattern navigation. Thank you Alex for all of your help over the last few years! I also wore a necklace my grandmother gave me as a good luck charm and to know my grandmother was right there beside me. It served me well, as Max and I laid out one of our best horsemanship patterns! The ride brought tears to my eyes because this was the last time I planned to bring him out to Congress due to his age and nearing his happy years of retirement. I am so thankful for my show partner and best friend.
Now the fun part! The competition was over and I was SO proud of how I did in each part of the competition thus far, but there were also nerves for the results that were to come later that evening. Village Spa did an amazing job on my hair (as they always do… Thank you!) This was my favorite part of the competition, finally being able to wear our beautiful evening gowns!
I blinked and suddenly it was the crowning ceremony festivities… I was so thankful to have shared my last year of competing with 10 incredible ladies that I now consider friends. We all gathered at the Queen Booth for pictures prior to the start of the dac Freestyle Reining. Sarah worked her magic once again to capture all the laughter and beauty of the evening. We all then made our way to the Coliseum and watched half of the exhilarating, fun, and unique freestyle performances. As we made our way downstairs to line up for the awards ceremony during the intermission, I was overcome with emotion. I began reflecting on all the people that were a part of my queening journey over the last 3 years and had this overwhelming sense of gratitude. I remember waiting in line and praying, thanking God for the people this experience has brought into my life, for the woman I’ve grown into, and to assure Him that I knew my grandmother was with me every step of the way. “Mommom” told me the year before as 1st Runner Up that she knew I was going to be the Congress Queen, and little did I know that she was right…
Carey Cooper escorted me to my spot on the red carpet in the middle of the Coliseum.
Before the results were announced, I took a deep breath and was present at that moment, burning it into my memory. I took it all in… And then the results began… 3rd place in the interview… champion in the Written Exam which made all of my late nights studying SO WORTH IT… and 3rd place horsemanship… Next to me standing was Sarah Beth Felker, representing South Carolina, and I had the privilege of queening with her since my first year! Our placings were back to back and we both knew we did well but had to wait for the overall results. 2nd Runner Up was Jessica Blevins from Indiana… Sarah Beth and I exchanged a few words of excitement for one another and hand in hand as we waited…. And the next moments were ones that I can’t put into words… Hearing my name announced as the 2022 Congress Queen is something I still can’t quite believe… an absolute dream come true! It was so special to share that moment with Darcy as she placed the beautiful tiara on my head and the Queen Team as they helped me with my sash, trophy, flowers, and to process what was happening! Thank you to Carey Cooper for taking me on my first walk as Queen and for helping me with my first duty as Queen pulling the winning ticket! I was then loaded onto the back of the dac truck, (of course using the tallest stool you can find!) and I was driven around the Coliseum waving to a cheering crowd full of my horse show family… I remember looking around at the packed stands and telling myself this was real life. Undoubtedly, the best day of my life.
After my dac truck ride I was quickly ushered into a fancy enclosed John Deere gator by Jaymie and Lexy Ziemak to take me to the queen booth for pictures! Lexy called my parents to tell them where to meet us after they got out of the Coliseum since I left my phone with my dad. Thank you, Lexy, for being the calm to my incredible storm. As I walked with the Queen Team into Congress Hall, the first thing I asked Jessica was if she knew my score on the Written Exam! I am a proud nerd and after pouring my heart and soul into that test I had to know! Prior to the crowning ceremony, I told Jaymie the first thing I planned to do after the ceremony was get a FAMOUS SWEET SHOP Cinnamon Roll. After winning, Jaymie made sure to get me a fresh cinnamon roll to enjoy as we waited for my parents to get to the Queen Booth after all this excitement! Thank you Sweet Shop for all your support of the Queen’s Contest and for satisfying my sweet tooth throughout the show! As soon as I saw my mom and dad running towards me in tears, I was overcome with emotion. My parents knew all the work I put into this and went through all of the highs and lows with me throughout the process. I genuinely cannot thank my parents enough for their unwavering love and support of this journey. I love you Mom and Dad! We continued to take LOTS of pictures with my family, the Queen Posse, sponsors, friends, former Queens, and Darcy, Sarah Beth, Jessica, and Emily! I couldn’t stop smiling! I was then tasked to go back to the Coliseum to present my first classes at Congress for the freestyle classes! Afterwards I met my family at Shane Rux’s backdrop to get a picture with my trophies, Max, and my family and friends! It was so special to share this moment with all of them. I also ran into Shelly Boyle, the 2007 Congress Queen, and last Pennsylvania Congress Queen! That evening and for the remainder of the Congress I was humbled by the overwhelming amount of support and congratulations from my horse show friends and family. I received hundreds of messages and I extend a sincere thank you to each and every person who congratulated me. Specifically, one of my Pennsylvnaia youth, Kenidee Thomas, posted the sweetest video of the crowning ceremony from the webcam and her reaction to the results on Facebook. Thank you Kenidee for cheering me on and sharing this special moment!
Congress Queen duties started first thing at 8 am the next morning! I took a selfie with my BEAUTIFUL Montana Silversmiths crown in front of the awards office, had Rods help me put my new belt buckle on my belt, and I saw Darcy who gave me a congratulatory gift of earrings to match my new Berry Fit outfit and heartfelt card with advice she wanted to pass down to me. I am so thankful for the friendship I have with Darcy and I am honored to follow her amazing reign as Congress Queen. Thank you Darcy for all of your guidance and friendship as I transition into this new and exciting part of my life!
The first day was quite busy with all 3 arenas going on at once! Open Halter Mares, Small Fry, EWD, and Working Hunter were the first classes I awarded as the newly crowned Congress Queen. I conquered the skill of running in my queen skirt on Day 1 which came in handy for the rest of the show! I was able to meet the awards ladies, Jaymie, Ealine, Michelle, Mindy, Denise, and Dixie, all who welcomed me with open arms on my first day. They made sure I knew exactly what to do during the awards ceremonies, when I was needed for presentations in multiple arenas, and most importantly, where to get lunch and dinner! The Ring Stewards and Photographers were also so kind. They made sure I was facing the right way for the camera, that I didn’t need to do any heavy lifting of the awards tables, and that I always had a smile on my face, even during those late nights! Thank you all for being a special part of my memories at Congress.
The rest of Congress was a whirlwind and even more than what I had expected! There was a LOT of walking. I averaged about 15,000 steps a day and quickly made my way over to our amazing sponsor, Rod Patrick Boots, for my new pair of boots, and my Foot Relief Insoles. My boots and insoles rescued and saved my feet during Congress! Thank you! I also got fitted by Carolyn Berry for the outfits in the Queen Closet and was honored to wear some of her stunning pieces during my time at Congress. Thank you for making sure I always looked my best everyday and for adding the amazing storage pockets in my sash for my phone and Lipsense lipstick, Carolyn! Carolyn had the new Queen outfit fitted to me for my Queen photoshoot a few days after my crowning. Sarah is not only an amazing photographer, but is also a pro at getting us exclusive access to the park on the fairground to take Max for the most incredible photos I will cherish forever! Thank you Sarah!
The first 15 days as Congress Queen at the Congress were absolutely amazing. Being able to be behind the scenes with the hundreds of Don Bell Bronze Trophies and thousands of medallions that I had the honor of presenting was a dream. Being able to be a part of the talented riders and horse’s winning moments by putting on the beautiful neck ribbon (sometimes with the help of the rider if they are tall LOL) and handing the rider their trophy is an honor and will always give me goosebumps. Being a part of rider’s first Congress experience, first championship, first time placing, were all such special moments to me to witness their hard work pay off in the arena. This year as Queen, I had the privilege of awarding lots of trophies to friends of mine from Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania folks had an amazing show! The PA NYATT Team placed 5th overall and all our youth kids did well in their individual classes. I was so excited to present my youth kids their awards. Our Pennsylvania trainers also had a fantastic show like Alex Bryner, Taft Dickerson, and Jonathan Meilleur. I even presented awards to both of the previous PA Congress Queens, Shelly Boyle and Beckie Peskin! Go PA!! I also loved being able to award my dear friend, Morgan McCarthy-Warda Jennings, her first medallion in Pleasure Driving. Such a fun class!!
More highlights from the show… Meeting the Queen sisterhood… I met so many of the previous Congress Queens and they were so welcoming. I am honored to be a part of the Congress Queen Sisterhood, and appreciated all of their advice they have offered to ensure I have an amazing year ahead! Attending the Judging Contest Awards Ceremony… It was a privilege to recognize all the hard work these individuals put in for this contest. A special shout out to the Penn State Team for placing!... The Coughlin Automotive 2 YO Maiden Western Pleasure Class… It was so much fun to be a part of the drawing of the Coughlin Automotive Truck that was donated to the OQHA youth as a fundraiser and to draw the winning token! Congratulations Noah on your new truck, and thank you Coughlins!... Shorty Caboy Hat Giveaways…Shorty’s generously gave away numerous hats to random classes and helping to run the game that was to determine the winner of the hat, was a memory I will never forget…Pee Wee Barrels were the cutest thing to watch and listen to. There were kiddos announcing the class, dragging the ring, and running the barrels, and I even got a chance to ride in the tractor with Bruce, being the first Congress Queen to have done this! I loved seeing the involvement of the youth. I loved taking pictures with all of the kiddos at the shows and seeing their excitement when I talked to them about their horses. I believe in the power of influence and I want to inspire and excite the youth of our industry to get involved now. Vendors… Thank you to each and every sponsor of the Queen Contest. It was a pleasure getting to know all of you personally during the Congress and appreciate your generosity more than you could ever know. The people… thank you to everyone who has shared their American Quarter Horse story with me. I love hearing about how the American Quarter Horse has shaped people's lives.
October 2022 has been the greatest month of my life and it is all because of the American Quarter Horse and its community, all of you. I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every person I had the privilege of meeting at Congress for being a special part of my experience. The kindness that you have all shown me is something I will deeply cherish forever. Genuinely I believe the American Quarter Horse community is more than just that, we are a family… and that was proven time and time again during my time at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.
Thank you to the Ohio Quarter Horse Association and the All American Quarter Horse Congress for this once in a lifetime opportunity to be an advocate for our breed, industry, and show. Most importantly, thank you to the American Quarter Horse for this community and lifestyle we all love. I look forward to seeing many of you along my travels this year!
Thank you and the happiest of trails,
Miss Kylie Good
2022 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen
