# congress poll



## kaykay (Aug 8, 2007)

Just for fun






I did no include oklahoma as I was told that was not a possibility at this time since the show is not big enough to pay for that big of a facility

these are the three i was told were under consideration


----------



## Belinda (Aug 8, 2007)

Kay

Not sure who told you that Ms. was being considered??? We were told that there is *NO WAY * to ever get our Dates there !!! So again not sure where the info is coming from.. I am Chair of the Classic Committee and I did not know we had put any facilitys on the table to Consider !! But then what is new..



: I heard that they are building a new place in IN. that is suppose to be very nice.. I thought we were still looking at Tulsa, we do not have to use the big areana as there is another one that is Air condition we could very well afford... If again the dates are open..

Dates and $$$$$$$$$$$$$ that is the big thing,, We have to be able to afford where ever we go. !! I know we would all like to show in the big fancy places with all the 21st century extras, but the bottom line is we have to be able to pay the Bill at the end of the show..

It is looking like we might have done alright this year $$ wise, so will keep you all posted...


----------



## kaykay (Aug 8, 2007)

i dont want to get anyone in trouble but that is what i was told at congress by a couple people but you know how that goes



: They did say that even using the smaller facililty it was still too much $$ to go to tulsa.

I was also told by someone here in ohio that spfld is going to book up pretty quick so if they wanted it they better hurry.

from what i hear indy sounds pretty promising but its not finished yet

I do know its getting pretty late so probably a decision would need to be made soon?

I have to say I think tulsa is a very bad idea. This will force some people to pick one or the other. I know it would work for bigger farms but smaller ones will have to choose between congress or nationals and my fear is nationals will win out. But thats just my opinion which is not worth squat LOL


----------



## Leeana (Aug 8, 2007)

nevermind ...


----------



## disneyhorse (Aug 8, 2007)

Leeana... Oklahoma is NOT on the west side of the United States! It is in pretty much the exact MIDDLE!!!

Pretty pretty please, whoever the Congress Gods are... move Congress to the MIDDLE of the United States!!!!!

Poor west coast people who show Nationals AND Congress have to drive soooooo far. Please make it fair to EVERYONE!



:



:



:

Andrea

PS for those trivia lovers...

The EXACT center of the United States is next to Lebanon, Kansas. Kansas happens to be the state exactly ABOVE Oklahoma... so THERE!


----------



## txminipinto (Aug 8, 2007)

AMEN ANDREA! :aktion033: :aktion033:

For those who care, I drive at least 3 hours to every show I attend. On average I drive 6 hours, and to Tulsa it takes me 8 hours. To drive to Gifford, IL 18 hours :new_shocked: . And I do at least 15 shows a year. My problem with the whole moving Congress and who's not going to come is those people only attend a handful of OUR shows a year. The rest of the time they are showing hackneys, welshes, and other ponies. Why are we making descisions that benefit one select group of individuals who don't support the registry YEAR round? East of the Mississippi is not centrally located. Sorry JMO.



:

I still think combining Nationals and Congress would be great - we could rent Tulsa, move Nationals to August, and everyone could take off at once(and I wouldn't have to hire barn help!). It's a pain in the butt for my employer for me to be gone a week 2 months in a row. If I could do it all at once, I would make their scheduling MUCH easier. :new_shocked:



:

And Leeana, I love ya but "WEST" is west of the Rockies and I'm not driving in that direction EITHER!



:


----------



## CLC Stables (Aug 8, 2007)

I like the idea of combining the National Show, it would be a WHOPPER of a show.

Leanna

I take some offense by your statements, and I think it was the fingers got to typing before thinking.

I am curious to know what you drive is to get to the Congress??? Then we can talk about driving half way across the country.

ROB


----------



## kaykay (Aug 8, 2007)

come on guys lighten up on leeanna!

Moving both National shows to the same state is just not right imo. Yes this would be great for people who train and handle for a living but it will do in us little guys. I realize I am just a very small fish and no one really cares if I stop attending Congress (I have attended 5 out of the last 6 i believe) but I do think it will affect Congress negatively in terms of attendance.

Rob for me to drive to tulsa is approx 16 hours. So probably add one or two on that for leeanna. I drove 5.5 hrs to congress so leeanna probably drove 6.5 to 7.

Also I could be wrong but I just dont think the office could handle two national shows back to back. That would probably involve hiring more help etc.


----------



## disneyhorse (Aug 8, 2007)

KayKay... Imagine driving 26 hours to Congress, then 24 hours to Nationals!!! I would LOVE to drive six hours to a National show!!!! Think of the horses... should spread out transportation so it's not so bad of a long trip for THEM!

Andrea


----------



## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Aug 8, 2007)

Ok the new pony person here with only one pony so far...(notice I did say SO FAR)





I do wish they would make it more inthe middle of the country but I realize finding a facility that wont bump you for larger shows is a HUGE issue.

We have a great one here but it is in ID however it is a National level facility or well they are on there way to making it that I should say.

It would be nice if it wasnt huge drives but I guess bottom line someone is always going to have to drive far diehards will show up no matter what the distance.


----------



## CLC Stables (Aug 8, 2007)

We are 30 hours and 33 hours.............so that is driving IMO

I WOULD love to have to drive 1/2 and be driving 16 hours and 7 hours.

I drive that far to a regular SHOW.

So sorry NO SYMPATHY.


----------



## Lewella (Aug 8, 2007)

There is a facility, with current CONGRESS DATES available, smack dab geographically in the middle of the country that everyone seems to keep overlooking. The Lancaster Events Center in Lincoln, NE is AIR CONDITIONED in the arena and has available air in the barns, showers are air conditioned, bath rooms are air conditioned, TONS of RV hookups WITH WATER! AND THE FACILITY IS EXPANDING! A bonding bill has been approved and another 400 stalls, more shower/restroom facilites, a roof over the outdoor arena, concrete between stalls in the existing barns and added parking (which is already extensive) are planned to be added.

The Area VI Club held a profitable Area VI National Show at this facility a few years back and the Great Plains Small Equine Association holds a show here each July. It is also the home of the Lancaster County Fair AND the Nebraska Horse Expo.

Restaurants, hotels - all much closer than at Gordyville. Plus it is truely the center of the country! Fair to everyone (and folks, I'm not plugging this facility because it is close to me because it isn't - it's an 8+ hour drive away!).

http://www.lancastereventcenter.com/


----------



## disneyhorse (Aug 9, 2007)

I would be happy with Nebraska





Andrea


----------



## kaykay (Aug 9, 2007)

i wasnt asking for sympathy!!

*Rob asked Leanna how far of a drive it was and I was answering for Leeanna!, because she lives about an hour and a half from me*

Heck I used to live 30 mins from Gordyville. Is that my fault??


----------



## Lisa Strass (Aug 9, 2007)

Lewella, Did you say AIR CONDITIONING centrally located?!!!!!! :aktion033: :bgrin


----------



## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Aug 9, 2007)

Quite frankly Lewella I cant see if the dates are available why this place in NE would not be considered sure would be more central to everyone and that might boost attendence which is something i would think everyone who attends would want.


----------



## SweetOpal (Aug 9, 2007)

After just getting home, It took me 48 hours exactly to get home from Gordyville, now I did stop for 4 hours to look at horses in Mo, and slept for 7 hours total on the trip. Nationals is 26 hours straight through with no sleeping, these are very long trips.

We drive 18 hours just to go to Oregon Gold. I for one would love to have the shows closer, I will still go regardless of where it is, really it is a National show and if I want to attend then I am going to drive!! It really gets tiresome hearing these poeple who have a 6 hour drive complain that they might have to drive 2 more hours.

I did vote for Gordyville at the convention given the other options. I think it is much harder than one thinks to figure out how to have a large show like this and have all the dates and facilities work together. I would be more than happy to drive to NE regardless of driving time if there was an AIR CONDITIONING GOD there. :new_shocked:


----------



## CLC Stables (Aug 9, 2007)

NOT UPSET here KAY.

I just HATE to hear, oh the drive is so far (in general not pinning it on anyone) when I hear that they drive 1/3 of what I do, I just really hate that excuse.

I had this discussion with Cathy Brubaker at the World Show though. THOSE PEOPLE FROM THE WEST who want to come to Congress, or Nationals for that matter WILL no matter where it is held.

I am one of those people. I go wherever...........I drive, I try not to complain and go with it.

I realize the pony country is back there, and I will go.

So I am NOT upset at anyone Kay, I just get touchy with the SO FAR TOO DRIVE thing.


----------



## kaykay (Aug 9, 2007)

thanks rob.

There is a lot to consider besides just the amount of drive time. Volunteers, office staff, expense

For me its not about the drive time but the money.

I heard the total number of horses this year was only 430. Until these numbers go up its going to be limiting on what facility they can afford. Kinda a catch 22 because it cant grow without moving to a new facility either

the person i talked to never mentioned NE as an option but who knows!


----------



## Boinky (Aug 9, 2007)

We are like Rob being here in Maine.. it's 30+ hours for us to go to Tulsa. Our REGULAR AMHR show's are all pretty much a minimum of 10 and usually more hours away. i'd LOVE to live in an area that everything was even 5 or 6 hours away! that would be like heaven!


----------



## Lewella (Aug 9, 2007)

> I heard the total number of horses this year was only 430. Until these numbers go up its going to be limiting on what facility they can afford. Kinda a catch 22 because it cant grow without moving to a new facility either


Cost is another advantage to using the Lancaster Events Center. The GPSEA Club is VERY small and the Area VI Club isn't much bigger but both clubs have had successful shows at this facility and even made money! Last year when GPSEA hosted the Area VI National Show and the show went extremely late on Sunday night the facility only charged the GPSEA club $100 for the extra night of use and the club then split that between those of us who were laying over the extra night. I think it came out to each of us paying about $2 per stall. This facility will bend over backwards to get and KEEP a show. The local papers will bend over backwards to do write ups for a show too - the 2006 Area VI National Show had huge numbers of spectators after the local newspaper did a feature on the show and Don Maas as the AMHR Breeder of the Year being one of he exhibitors.

Anyone who would be in favor of Congress being held at Lancaster Events Center in Nebraska please write your Area Director and let them know! Tracy Slagle is also collecting letters of support for this facility to bring to Convention and her email is [email protected]


----------

