Around the Rings – 2023 PQHA Mid Summer Madness
All Photos credit: AE Photography
The Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association just wrapped up its Mid Summer Madness Show at Centre County Grange Fairgrounds in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, July 12-16, 2023, with $21,000 in cash and prizes!
Addison Meilleur and her horse, Carson
Judges were Rob Meneely, Andrea Simons, Karen Graham, Garth Gooding, Jimmy Daurio, and Dean Ross.
Once again, at the end of the show, a random youth exhibitor was chosen to have her show tab picked up, and this time, An Equine Production’s team randomly chose Addison Meilleur!
Addison has this to say, “I am very grateful for Mike and Cindy’s generous donation to encourage youth participation at PQHA shows throughout the year. I do pre bedding at shows to help pay for my show expenses and show clothes, so Mike and Cindy’s donation is helping me save money for show clothes!”
This event marks the second time this year members of the Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association have paid the tab of a random youth exhibitor this year, thanks to the generosity of Mike and Cindy VanElswyk.
See how this all started, and where this will happen next, here: Paying It Forward – Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Style | Equine Chronicle
-
- AE Photography
The 5th Annual John Ackerman Memorial Costume Class was another big hit, with the Scooby Doo team as the winners! This team is from the Alex Bryner Performance Horses barn, and here are the team members:
Mystery Machine (horse): Hez Rock Steady
Scooby Doo: Emily Vojtek
Fred: Alyssa Kladny
Velma: Brooke Backer
Daphne: Alexa Kozuch
Shaggy: Ainsley Kozuch
Ghost: Alyvia Kladny
22 riders participated Emily Barnes Memorial Non Pro Western Pleasure this year at the PQHA Mid Summer Madness, and what’s even more exciting than the results– the rest of the activity that was linked to this wonderful event.
Photo credit: AE Photography
Final show results of the 2023 Emily Barnes Memorial Non Pro Western Pleasure
1st: Kelly Goldinger and Home Made Cookie $1200
2nd: Alexandria Hults and HP Good Investment $700
3rd: Beth Lepping and Best Made Machine $500
4th: Pamela Jones and Chasing Batterflies $400
5th: Tiffany Pattison and Nothin Too It $325
6th: tie Tammy Conroy and RV Is Always Lazy $250
7th: tie The Whos Who and Michelle Monteith $250
8th: No Doubt I’m Chill and Samuel David Latta $200
9th: Earn an Invitation and Addison Gray $175
10th: I’ve Been Mooned and Sarah Rosciti $150
11th: Only The Best Chocolate and Madison Staub $75
The event is named for Emily Barnes, a client of Donnie Recchiuti’s who passed away in December of 2020 when she was only 35 years old after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer. Every year, organizers, including Donnie Recchiuti and Michelle Sipiorski, work with exhibitors, and Emily’s parents, George and Mindy Barnes, to raise money for a cause they knew Emily would love, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Michelle explains that Emily and her parents were customers of Donnie’s, and they still have horses for her parents. “They never really had a memorial for Emily when she died, because it happened during COVID; having this class keeps her memory alive.”
In 2021 they started the class and raised over $4200 to donate to St. Jude. “In 2022, we doubled that with a total of $8402!!” says Michelle.
This year, the total raised was a whopping $10,105, with $4225 paid out, and riders paying back $2100 in winnings. This resulted in $7,890 total raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Michelle.
In addition, breedings were donated by Sarah Recchiuti and Kelsey Tumey to raise funds, and during the show, Jim Lamoreau raised $850 facilitating a corn hole tournament.
Jim collected $5 and gave each participant a chance to toss 3 sacks into the ringer – if 3 tosses were made, the person’s name went onto the board for the championship round at 7 PM Saturday.
The winner of the championship took home $200, the rest of the money was donated back to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Kenny Lakins won the corn hole tournament,” says Michelle. “We know all the money goes to the kids and the families that stay at St Jude, that makes a huge difference to them. We couldn’t ask for better friends and people in the horse show community.”
To learn more about the Emily Barnes Memorial, follow their page on Facebook!
The PQHA Princesses were also crowned at the show! Congratulations to Brooklyn Brubaker, Della Hubbell, and Willa Ulmer!
High Point Champions
Click below for more results – thank you to An Equine Production!
Circuit Awards and High Points: 2023+PQHA+Mid+Summer+Madness_circuit
Circuit one complete results: 2023+PQHA+Mid+Summer+Madness_SC+1
Circuit two complete results: 2023+PQHA+Mid+Summer+Madness_SC+2
Link to scribe sheets: PQHA Mid Summer Madness — An Equine Production
A big thank you also goes out to AE Photography for a great group of candid photos! You can see them below, and if you’d like to see your photos for purchase, you can visit: Ashleigh Brown | 2023 Mid Summer Madness (aephotographyzenfolio.com)
