Listen Here
By Sydnie Schaffer
schaffers@findlay.edu
The sound of hooves echo through the barns and arenas of the Ohio Expo Center each October, where thousands gather for the All American Quarter Horse Congress; the world’s largest single-breed horse show. For students from the University of Findlay, the month-long event isn’t just a competition, but a classroom unlike any other.
Founded in 1967 by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association, the Congress draws more than 650,000 visitors each year, bringing together riders, trainers, and fans from across the country. Students in Findlay’s western equestrian program spend months preparing to compete, assist trainers, and work behind the scenes; gaining hands-on experience in nearly every corner of the industry.
“We had a large number of students involved this year,” said Brandon Morin, Findlay’s western riding instructor and owner of Morin Performance Horses. “Some showed horses, others worked for trainers, helped with the Congress Super Sale, or assisted in the trail arena. We even had four students bring four UF horses to compete in the Ranch Riding judging competition.”
That level of involvement doesn’t happen overnight. Preparation for the show begins long before students ever arrive in Columbus.
“As a horse trainer, I feel like preparation never stops when getting a horse ready for the Congress,” Morin said. “We had multiple instructors and students showing, and they’d been preparing all year. On the internship side, Spencer Zimmerman had been organizing student internships for months with everything from horse training to running the show arena.”
“Some of the biggest challenges are scheduling and logistics,” Morin said. “With everyone back and forth to Columbus for a whole month, students still have to stay caught up on their classes. It’s common to run on little sleep and catch the ‘Congress crud.’ This horse show is a 24/7 production and the show must go on.”
Despite the long days, the payoff is worth it. Competing and working at the Congress gives students real-world exposure to the western performance horse industry.
“The Congress is a great way for students to get hands-on experience,” Morin said. “They get to be involved with the biggest horse show in the world and you can’t do that just anywhere. It’s great for networking and job experience.”
For students like Hayley Mertz and Paige Fiume, that experience translates directly into their future careers. By managing horses, observing top trainers, and representing Findlay in the ring, they gain confidence and professionalism that can’t be taught in a classroom.
Findlay’s proximity to the Congress, just a short drive from campus, is another advantage.
“We’re lucky to have the Congress basically in our backyard,” Morin said. “The entire western performance horse industry convenes in Columbus, and our students can see literally all parts of the industry at one event. You can’t turn the corner without seeing someone from UF.”
The Congress also serves as a powerful recruiting tool for the university.
“We even run a commercial in the arenas and on the livestream,” Morin said. “It’s been really successful for recruitment and getting our program’s name out there.”
As the University of Findlay looks ahead, its involvement in the Congress continues to grow.
“We’ll keep offering students the ability to work and show at the Congress,” Morin said. “It’s valuable real-life experience, and having it so close to home makes for lots of opportunities to be involved.”
