The Youth World Show in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is one of the most anticipated events in the American Quarter Horse Association industry. As a youth, this show was a huge goal of mine, and I was grateful for the opportunity to participate during my final youth year. I was particularly excited to serve as the Congress Queen and experience this prestigious event from the awards team perspective. The journey to this show looked a little different: it was my first time traveling to a show while in medical school.
I left for the Youth World Show on Thursday evening after spending the morning in class. As I went through TSA, I noticed the agent taking a second look at my bags. Of course, I was thinking, Oh no—what did I accidentally pack? Then she looked at me and asked, “Is this a crown? And is this a matching dress in here? All of the crystals light up on my machine!” Needless to say, I made it through TSA and learned something new.
It was roughly 1 am when I got into my hotel room in Oklahoma City, and a quick turnaround to get ready for the first set of awards the next morning. Despite the long travel day, getting back into the show environment made it all worth it.
Getting to see the joy and awe that comes with awarding a World Champion is something I’ll never forget. There is something incredibly special about standing in the arena and watching an exhibitor realize that all of their hard work has paid off. It was especially rewarding to see how much everyone had progressed throughout the year, particularly those who had attended the Level 1 Championship shows or exhibitors I have watched compete throughout the year. Seeing them come together at the World Show and watching their hard work come to fruition was one of my favorite parts of the experience.
Amid presenting awards, I had the pleasure of running into Ohio Quarter Horse Association CEO Justin Billings and presenting awards alongside him for the OQHA-sponsored 14–18 Ranch Riding class. It was so great to see Justin, and it reminded me just how close we are to the 2026 All American Quarter Horse Congress!
Another aspect of this show that I thoroughly enjoyed was watching local spectators come out and experience the show. I loved answering their questions and teaching them about our industry. There is something special about introducing someone to the beauty and prestige that makes this sport so unique.
One particularly memorable class I had the opportunity to present was the Level 1 Champion of Champions Aged Geldings. The class included exhibitors from Israel, China, and Canada. It was so cool to see exhibitors competing from all across the world! On a similar note, the barrel racing was won by a young woman from Panama. Seeing exhibitors from across the globe come together was such a reminder of just how far-reaching the American Quarter Horse Association has become.
As I made my way home after a wonderful weekend at the Youth World, I found myself incredibly grateful for all of the opportunities this year as Congress Queen has given me. Balancing medical school certainly makes my life look a little different, but I have come to realize that these experiences are not independent of one another. I am incredibly grateful to represent an industry that has given me so much and for the people who have made this experience so unforgettable.
Ashlyn Gonzalves
2025 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen
