Congress Fulfills a Lifelong Dream – Remembering Gordie Londo
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386 – October, 2016
by Jan Johnson
Just the word “Congress” to any given Quarter Horse person brings on a rush! For the shopper, it’s “what will I find that I just have to have?”For the judges,it’s “a long week, but a privilege.” For the showman, it’s a rush of “maybe this year….maybe the honor of being a Congress Champion.” And so it has been for many years.
The Congress was also the crowning destination back in 1984; more than 30 years ago. Those were the days of weekend shows with full schedules. There were no multiple judge shows. The schedule was showmanship, switch tack to hunt seat, switch back to western, day after day. Most states had a grueling schedule of weekend shows that lasted all summer and Michigan was no exception. State Championships meant everything. Besides a State Championship, being named to the Congress Youth Team was just one of the many goals for so many kids. For those who didn’t make the team, Columbus, Ohio was just a short drive from the state border. It was a trip almost all Michigan Quarter Horse people made every year to cheer on the team, do some shopping, watch some demonstrations & enjoy the big classes.
Gordie Londo, a well-known Michigan horse trainer, had been hired to judge the prestigious Congress the fall of ‘84. It was the first time he had been invited & he looked forward to the opportunity. His daughters, Kerry & Jill, were excited for him, but for Kerry, this would also mean another year she was unable to get to show there. Her dream was for the biggest Quarter Horse win of all…being named Congress Champion. Her best friend, Debbie Pusz, already had a Congress win under her belt in showmanship with Miss Chick Win 5 years earlier. Kerry was glad for her friend, but someday, she would love to have one of those trophies of her own. Debbie and Kerry were both the same age and their passion for horses & showing were very much the same. Ever since Kerry could remember, she and Debbie were always butting heads in their youth classes, but thankfully, the friendship topped the competitive aspect of their relationship. For that year, Kerry worked on trying to not let thoughts of the Congress consume her. She was mostly relieved that her dad was well enough after his surgery to be able to show again and, yes, get back into the show ring to judge horse shows. The Congress win for Kerry could wait…for now. Her dad was more important. His open heart surgery the previous year had been a real setback. It had been a long year of recovery for Gordie. He had always been a successful horse trainer, having multiple big wins & always having a stallion to stand. Little did anyone know that Gordie
did not have the full percentage of his heart function after this major procedure, but he wouldn’t give up his livelihood. His life was providing for his wife and daughters and training horses. He just couldn’t give up. The thought of not showing horses was not even a passing thought for Kerry. She had shown horses ever since she could remember. Her dad would get better and she would have her shot at the Congress another year
386 – October, 2016
