AQHYA Region 10 Conference
On January 17th, I traveled to Madison, GA after being graciously invited by director Camdyn Evans to speak at the AQHYA Region 10 Conference. Region 10 is made up of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. I had a wonderful time sharing my journey through AQHYA and how those experiences ultimately led me to become the Congress Queen. It was incredibly rewarding to be surrounded by a group of passionate and hard-working youth. They asked thoughtful questions about balancing riding with college, stepping into leadership roles, and what some of my favorite parts of being Congress Queen have been. The region 10 AQHYA directors did a wonderful job in organizing this conference. I enjoyed hearing from an outstanding lineup of speakers, including former AQHYA President Abigail Nesmith, AQHA Director of Competition Scott Neuman, SCQHYA President Kaylee O’Neal, and collegiate coaches Vicki Merck of Clemson University and McKenzie Breuker of University of Georgia. Each brought a unique perspective on the opportunities available within our industry.
Georgia Quarter Horse Association Banquet
The Region 10 conference was followed by the Georgia Quarter Horse Association banquet, where I was honored to be invited as a special guest. The Big A and Stars & Stripes Show was my first major event as a queen, so being back in Georgia felt especially meaningful. The evening’s host, GQHA president Robin Barrow, kept everyone on their toes by presenting awards in an interactive way. Instead of the traditional format, the audience had to guess each exhibitor based on entertaining fun facts. By the end of the night, I felt like I knew a little something about each GQHA member in the room. To top off the trip, I woke up the next morning to a winter storm outside my hotel room window. Definitely not typical for Georgia and definitely not a fun drive home!
Ohio Quarter Horse Association Board Meeting and Affiliate Social Hour
My next trip took me north on February 7th for the Ohio Quarter Horse Association banquet. To save myself the long drive, I opted to fly in for the day, which meant a 3:30 a.m. wake-up call to get dressed and “queen ready” before my two flights. It was a rude awakening when I landed with a foot of snow on the ground and a ‘feels like’ of negative 7 (a drastic change from the Carolina coast). It was a sure sign I had arrived in Congress country when I was recognized as the queen as I was strolling out of the airport bathroom. From the airport, I headed straight to the first event on my agenda, which was the Ohio Quarter Horse Association open board meeting. Here, I was honored beside the 2025 Ohio Quarter Horse Association Queen Morgan Adkins. It was fascinating to learn more about the inner workings and finer details of such a strong association.
Next up was the affiliate social hour, where Ohio Michigan Indiana (OMIQHA), Eastern (EOQHA), Northern (NOQHA), and Southern (SOQHA) Ohio presented their year-end wards and welcomed new queens. I had the opportunity to crown 2026 EOQHA Queen Morgan Adkins, NOQHA Queen Addison Schliesser, and SOQHA Queen Grace Schroeck. It is always lovely to see my queen sisters and get to know the newly crowned queens.
Ohio Quarter Horse Association Banquet
After the affiliate social hour, it was time for a quick run-through of the evening program and a chance to test the mics and get a feel for the stage. The OQHA banquet is no joke! With the huge mound of prizes, grand stage, and tables set out for hundreds of guests – it was all a little surreal. After making sure we were all set, it was time to quickly get changed into my evening gown and begin the banquet. As the emcee for the evening, I had the privilege of welcoming everyone and guiding the program. It felt like being right at home handing out awards for OQHA. I enjoyed seeing everyone’s hard work come to fruition across all ages and disciplines, with my favorites being the lead line and the mountain trail (my first time learning about the class). After a few moments on the dance floor and time spent catching up with my fellow queens, it was off to bed before my early flight back to the Carolinas. The day was spent doing all things Ohio Quarter Horse and I had so much fun connecting with my community.
Triangle Wide Horseman’s Association Banquet
On February 21st, my travels brought me closer to home for the Triangle Wide Horseman’s Association Banquet. This local open show organization is where I first stepped into the show pen, and last year I had the privilege of volunteering there as South Carolina Quarter Horse Association Queen. I helped run the gate, pass out awards, and do anything else that needed to be done. Throughout the year, I also held basket raffles, led fun classes like the horseless egg-and-spoon, and organized “Quiz the Queen,” where exhibitors tried their best to stump me with questions from the AQHA rulebook. It was a full circle moment to come back as the Congress Queen and visit with the people that have supported me from day one. I had the privilege of presenting their year-end awards, and I did so while being reminded so much of where my journey began. I was incredibly surprised when I heard my name called during the awards ceremony and was honored with the spark plug award for my dedication to the club. The evening reinforced the vital role local clubs play in strengthening our equine industry, and I am so thankful to celebrate the accomplishments of 2025 across multiple organizations.
Ashlyn Gonzalves
2025 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen
