2024 MQHA Convention Program by Saddle Up! Magazine

2023 MICHIGAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION QUEEN Dear MQHA Members, I would first like to say thank you to all of the Michigan Quarter Horse Association for allowing me to be your 2023 MQHA Queen. This has been such an amazing experience, and I was honored to represent the association. I am currently a junior at Adrian College majoring inSecondary Education – specifically social studies. I ride on the Adrian College Stock Seat Equestrian Team, and I represent the team on our Student Athlete Advisory Committee. After graduation I hope to secure a teaching job in Michigan, then begin taking classes for my Masters Degree. My involvement in the Michigan Quarter Horse Association began at birth when I’d attend shows with my mom, but I began showing when I was three years old in the lead line classes. I occasionally volunteered to walk showmanship patterns for numerous years at the Easter Eggstravaganza Shows. In 2021 I was on the MQHA Team for my first ever Youth World Show, and was on the team again in 2022 for my final year showing in youth classes. This year while representing MQHA I have been able to travel to many shows and interact with lots of new people. I was able to attend the Level 1 East Championship Show in Wilmington, OH, the IHSA National Championship Show in Lexington, KY, the Spartan Spectacular in Mason, the Harbor Classic in Ludington, the Michigan 4-H State Horse Show in Lansing, the Branch County Fair, as well as the MQHA Breeders Futurity in Lansing. At the Harbor Classic we crowned our 2023 Princess, Karley Lewis and our 2023 Junior Princess, Madelynn Moyer. I absolutely loved working with them this year, and I’m so glad we were able to crown two amazing girls. The All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen Contest was an experience that I’ll never forget. I have dreamed of competing for Congress Queen for as long as I can remember, and I’m very thankful I was able to compete while representing MQHA. The group of girls I spent the week with during the contest were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and I have gained so many amazing friendships with them through this experience. I was thrilled to finish 4th place in the Queens Horsemanship on Kandycoated Goodness (Kya) who was attending her first ever Quarter Horse Congress. Congratulations to Jessica Blevins for being crowned the 2023 Congress Queen. She is such an amazing person, and I know she will be even more amazing as the 2023 Congress Queen. Thank you to the Queen Team, Jaymie Dury, Jessie Elsass, and Brittany Hostetler, for all of the work that they do to make this such an amazing and memorable experience. I’d also like to thank OQHA and all of the sponsors for the support they give to the Congress Queen Contest. There are so many people I would like to thank for their support this year. First, I’d like to thank my parents, Brett and Lori Bowers, for encouraging and supporting me throughout this entire experience. Thank you Kathy Christensen for organizing the MQHA Queen Contest and for guiding me through my time as MQHA Queen. Thank you Katherine West for answering any of the crazy questions I had this year. A big thank you to Warren, Laurie and Corrine English for sponsoring my Congress Queen Contest entry as well as all of my other sponsors – none of this would be possible without you! Thank you to Natoshia Kelly for allowing me to show Kya in the Queens Horsemanship, and to Travis and Nicole McColley for preparing me for the class as well. I’d also like to thank Dara, Dessa, and Dailey Weed for traveling to the Congress to make sure I looked the part, along with all of my other barn-mates for cheering me on. Lastly, I would like to thank all of the MQHA members who overall made me feel welcome as their Queen. Congratulations to everyone on all of their accomplishments in the 2023 show season. I wish everyone the best luck in 2024! It has been a pleasure representing you as the 2023 Michigan Quarter Horse Association Queen. Rachel Bowers, 2023 MQHA Queen

2023 Jr Princess Madelynn Moyer and 2023 Princess Karley Lewis . (2)

www.MiQuarterHorse.com

2023 MQHA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Welcome to the Convention! As we move forward into the new year of 2024, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate all of our exhibitors on their 2023 successes from the MQHA show season. We appreciate all of the dedication you show Michigan Quarter Horse by attending the shows and supporting this association. As I sign off as the 2023 President, it has been an honor to serve MQHA. A special thank you to our office staff and the Board of Directors for their time and talents. Good luck in 2024 and I wish all of our members the very best in the year to come.

Heather Dunigan Coe 2023 MQHA President

2024 HORSE SHOW CALENDAR *Dates Are Tentative* MQHA Easter Eggstravaganza Wed. April 3 – Sun. April 7 MSU Pavilion, East Lansing 6 judges - Contact MQHA *Blue Sky Circuit* Tue. May 14 – Sun. May 19 MSU Pavilion, East Lansing 8 judges – contact Tom Powers Tripfarm@aol.com Summer Series Friday. May 24 – Mon. May 27 Midland County Fairgrounds 5 judges – contact MQHA *Lisa Terry Memorial* Thurs. June 6 – Sun. June 9 Ingham Co. Fairgrounds, Mason Lisaterrymemorial@gmail.com

*Spartan Spectacular* Fri. June 28 – Sun. June 30 WMFA, Ludington Contact MQHA *Harbor Classic* Tue. July 2 – Sun. July 7 WMFA, Ludington Contact MQHA *Northern MI All Novice Show* Fri. July 26 – 1 judge *Northern MI QH Shows* Sat. July 27 – Sun. July 28 Midland County Fairgrounds 2 judges – Contact NMQHA Mary.short123@gmail.com

MQHA Futurity & Great Lakes Classic Thur. Sep. 12 – Sun. Sept. 15 MSU Pavilion, East Lansing 6 Judges – Contact MQHA Harvest Classic Fri. Nov. 15 – Sun. Nov. 17 MSU Pavilion, East Lansing 4 Judges – Contact MQHA

616.225.8211 mqha@hotmail.com www.miquarterhorse.com

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www.MiQuarterHorse.com

MQHA ALL AROUND 2023 GOTA B A HIT ~ GRACE GASPER

THAT BLUE ME AWAY ~ MEGAN MAHONEY

MS MAE FLASH ~ BRENDA HOWELL

MACS KOOL LEGACY ~ SUSAN FRANK

LUKES LAST SHINE ~ SAMANTHA GALLAGHER

KM ALWAYS INVITE ME ~ KARMEN POSTHUMUS

U AINT NO COWBOY ~ JULIE REINCKE

YOUR SO HOT ~ CORLINDA HUFFMAN

RAISE YUR GLASS ~ DIANA BRANNON

COOL LOOKIN LADYSMAN ~ TAYLIN COLLINS

TRUELY THE BEST ~ GINA JANKE

DONT NEED A MIRROR ~ BRYLEE BUNTING

GOOD N IRESISTABLE ~ EMMA COOK

INKRYMINATING ~ KENNEDY PEPLINSKI

SOUTHERN MOTION ~ CARSON BRUNNER

GOOD N IRESISTABLE ~ EMMA COOK

THE SOCIAL NETWORK ~ XANDREA SANDUSKY

DONT NEED A MIRROR ~ BRYLEE BUNTING

THE PRODUCTION LINE ~ MYAH CHAPUT

COOL LOOKIN LADYSMAN ~ TAYLIN COLLINS

SOUTHERN MOTION ~ CARSON BRUNNER

KM BEST N SLOW ~ TENNLEY KELTS

CRUZEN REAL GOOD ~ KARLY LEWIS

O WHATA HOT NVITE ~ CLARA COOK