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Allie's Journal February 2009 The journey began as a crazy thought
stirred around in my brother’s head. We were on our way to a show one day and my brother said unexpectedly, “I
think you should be the Congress Queen!” My mother’s eyes were filled with sheer excitement, and the wheels began
to turn! “Oh how great that would be! That would be so great for our area, that would inspire so many of our 4-H kids.
What an honor to be the queen, to travel all over, and meet so many people! Think of all the connections that you could make,”
she said. As we traveled to our show, my thoughts too became overwhelmed with the joy of being crowned the queen of such a
large organization. I imagined myself being presented a new horse trailer, a pink manure spreader, thousands of dollars worth
of gifts, fancy outfits, and all kinds of other prizes. That is when I decided that I was going to achieve this goal. My
first step in this plan was too become the OMI queen! I went to our monthly meeting and filled out an application.
Over the summer, I performed a horsemanship pattern, and took a test. At our December meeting, it was announced that I was
going to be the 2009 OMI Queen. We decided to have our banquet at the Red Pig in Ottawa, Ohio on February15, and then I was
to be crowned. The banquet was lovely, filled with people all excited to get their awards and to fill their stomachs! Jessica
Robbins did a great job filling me in on queenly duties and what a queen needs throughout the season. After her educational
speech she presented me with a crown and Angie Bush placed the sash around me! It was the moment I had been waiting for! As
the queen I started my queenly duties directly after the crowning. I posed for pictures and passed out the awards. I received
all kinds of gifts from the members of our association. It felt like Christmas all over again!
I thanked everyone and took all my things home. The next day I wrote out all of my thank you cards and got them sent out in
the mail. I received many useful things that I am so grateful for! The week to come would be my next queenly obligation. The
Findlay swap meet was an all day event on that Sunday, February 20th. There were horse enthusiasts of all kinds,
busily unloading their goods to sell. I went to the OMI booth and gathered membership application forms, show bills and information
about OMI to pass out to everyone with a smile on my face. I also had a basket filled with pens and suckers to give to anyone
who wanted them. I met all kinds of happy horse owners, first time 4-Hers, and experienced big show winners. Some of them
knew of OMI, and others did not, some from this area and others willing to make it over our way. Either way they all were
kind, and thankful for the information. The day was a success; I passed out almost all of the information that they had. I
also went around and got quiet a few sponsors from the participating booths! A great big thank you went out to all of them!
There were many goods exchanged and everyone was pretty well tired from a long day. Over all my first duty was a blast! Looking
forward to the Bowling Green Swap Meet. March 2009 The
second queen duty was to go to the Bowling Green Swap meet. It was cold and rainy when we arrived that Sunday morning, but
many people came out to see what kind of treasures turned up. Again everyone was friendly, and gathered around to see what
kind of information I had to give them. I passed out show bills and membership forms, and talked about how they could join our association. At the swap meet there
is always a delicious concession stand that had warm soup, and hot chocolate to keep us warmed up. I met a rodeo queen
and we got our picture taken together, and she was very nice. She wished me good luck for the up coming Congress Queen Contest.
My next appearance will be at the All American Youth show! Hope to see you there!
May 2009
The All American Youth Horse Show was my third event that I attended as the OMI Queen. This
was the first horse show that I had the privilege of passing out the awards to the competitors. I arrived on Wednesday May
13th in the evening so I could be ready to go bright and early on Thursday morning. I spoke with Dale Ladow who gave me Vicki
Byrd’s number to see what they needed me to do and where. I was to arrive at 7:45 a.m. in the show office to meet with
the judges.
I was primped and curled looking very elegant in my queen outfit when I entered the office. I introduced
myself to the office workers and three sophisticated judges. They told me that they could use my assistance in the colosuim.
As we walked towards the show arena you could feel the energy floating about in the early morning! Everyone was excited to
show, even though the weather was slightly rainy. Horses were being lunged, coming to and from the barn, exhibitors were checking
patterns, dressing for their classes, and doing last minute touch ups. The smell of show sheen lingered through the air as
the horses were walked to the arenas. The show was about to begin.
The judges set their patterns, marked their
places and began the class. Each exhibitor showed their horse with enthusiasm and poise, even down to the 8& under walk
trot showmanship kids. I gave the announcer my name and information and proceeded to the arena with the first set of ribbons.
As they called back the exhibitors who had placed they each had a gleam of sheer excitement in their eyes. The kind of look
that says, “oh please let that first place ribbon by mine!” Each ribbon that I handed out brought back memories
from when I had won or placed at the Youth Show a few years back. It made me very emotional to think how hard these kids work
and how at that moment everyone can see how it has paid off.
The great part of going to the show even without
my horse, was to see all of the people I had met over the years. When I was out in that arena and handed a first place ribbon
to someone I knew, I had to fight back the tears of joy! There was such a friendly and happy atmosphere at the show that it
was a true pleasure to be there. Now being on the other side of the fence, it is amazing the amount of work the show committee
does to run such a great show. Starting from assigning stalls, making a show bill, getting people checked in, dragging the
arena, and starting the show on time. Making sure the right ribbons are at the right place at the right time, working the
gates calling for the classes, there is so much to keep track of! The communication between these people must be down to a
science!
On top of all that we were lucky to have a place to go where delicious homemade food was waiting for
us. The Ohio Horse Council had donated or prepared food for all of the workers at the show, and they invited me to come back
and join them. I met some very kind people with a deep passion for youth and horses. I spoke with the announcer of the show
and his wife, and they were very sweet and helpful. His wife helped judge the Congress Queen interviews years ago and was
very eager to help me when I asked for tips. All of the Ohio Horse Council members present and the judges complimented me
on my queen outfits and wished me the best of luck at my competition. Then back to work we went! In between classes I was
able to sit with the judges and ask questions about the rule book and the show. They discussed their likes and dislikes and
the reasoning behind it. I felt very privileged to sit with such knowledgeable horse people, not often do you get an opportunity
like that.
The days were long, and I thought of the many hours that I have spent in the colosseum. It always looks
the same but the weather, events, and people are always changing. My youth show experience went very well. I have made many
new acqauintences, and enjoyed being the one to hand the youth exhibitors their awards. I want to thank the judges, announcer,
Vicki Byrd, and all of the other workers for making me feel so welcome at the show. My next event will be the OMIQHA show
on June 27th and 28th at the Findlay College Western farm in Findlay, Ohio. Hope to see you there.
June 2009 The Findlay OMI show was a success. Exhibitor numbers for our show
have gone up because of our date change. The show was held at the Findlay college Western Farm on the weekend of June 27th
and 28th. I passed out mini bucks to all of the contestants who placed first through sixth for use at the concession
stand. At the show I had my picture taken with Amy Masters and Stacy Westfall, and I thought that was outstanding! All
of the OMI youth are doing a fantastic job and working hard to get those points to qualify for the Congress Team! Keep up
the Good work kids! I want to thank all of the show management and the OMI members for making the show run so smoothly, I
had a wonderful experience. My next appearance will be at the Regional four horse show in Columbus,
Ohio
July 2009 On July 16th - 19th I was parading around at the AQHA Regional
Four Experience. First off I had an amazing time. The entries were about the same as last year, it was a very good turn out.
It is a different experience being behind the scenes compared to showing my horse. It takes a very strong, smart, and dedicated
person to work in the office, coordinate the awards and the timing with announcements between the arenas. I think that everyone
at the show did a great job! On Saturday of the show I met the Ohio Queen, the Eastern Ohio
Queen, the Michigan Queen, the Ontario Queen, and the Eastern Kentucky Queen. I had some time
to talk with each of them and discuss outfits, studying habits, Interview skills and about them personally! I am very excited
to meet up with them again and spend time together at the Congress. All of the girls are so sweet! After the end of the show
they put on a pizza and ice cream social. They did a silent and live auction, sold raffle tickets and gave out door prizes.
One of the more interesting things that they had was a water dunking tank. It made the younger youth kids happy to cool off
in the warm and humid weather. The party guests bid on a few ladies to later be dunked, including Kelly Diaz; who puts on
the Congress Queen competition. Also there was the 2009 Congress Queen Jessica West, whom I thoroughly enjoyed queening
with! I had my pictures taken with the queens which will go in my scrap book. Each year I love going to the Regional Four
Show and this year was even more fun than the last! I will be helping out at the Buckeye Western Horse Extravaganza on July
25th and 26th and I’m looking forward to it!
On July 26, 2009, The Buckeye Western Horse show had a wet and sloppy start. Because of the rain the
show was cancelled on Thursday and resumed again on Friday. I appeared on Saturday morning
to help pass out the NSBA awards the sky was cloudy but there was sunshine here and there and everyone was excited to be able
to show. Even with the rain they had a good turn out. I sat and talked with some of the show managers who seemed very excited
for me and the congress queen competition. I also had my picture taken by a nice gentleman who is an amateur photographer
right in the Findlay area, the pictures turned out beautiful. By the end of the show the arena was dry and the sun was shining.
I felt more and more like a queen at every event that I attended. Also a nice woman came up to me and asked me about the show.
She also was from the Findlay area and had never been to a horse show before. I did my very best to spark her interest in
the Quarter horse association, and told her as much as I could about the classes from my knowledge of the rule book.
She was very grateful and enjoyed the show tremendously. Next years buckeye show will be at the Western Farm at Findlay Equestrian
College. My next appearance will be at the Amateur Show in Springfield, Ohio August 22, and 23.
August
2009 August 23rd, 2009: The
day of the Amateur show has arrived, with a long car ride starting at 6:30 a.m. I arrived just fifteen minutes before my good
friend Lyndsie Testa, the Ohio Queen. I was so excited to see her, and glad that I was able to spend the day queening with
her. We sat and visited in the office while showmanship was going on. We had a great view through the office window to judge
the patterns and talk about the gorgeous outfits. To our surprise another queen showed up Miss Jennifer Stevens the Eastern
Ohio Quarter Horse Queen. For the awards we handed out neon colored grain scoops and matching spray
bottles. We had a wonderful time and had started a wonderful friendship from meeting at the All American Youth Show,
the Ohio State Fair and The AQHA Regional Four Experience.
During the course of the show the exhibitors were stopped to play games, the amateur equitation riders endured a three
legged race! What fun that was to watch. As we sat and waited for the each class to finish we discussed our excitement
and nerves for the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Nearly two months away, we chatted about outfits to
be made and finished and of our studying habits! There was also a delicious spaghetti dinner that the Ohio Amateur association
sponsored, with garlic bread and salad! Thanks Ohio Amateur Association for such a fantastic
show! Next time I’ll be in my Queen attire will be for the Congress. Hope to see everyone there! Have a safe trip and
Good luck to all of the Contestants. October 2009 October 11th - 23rd: The Quarter Horse Congress has finally
arrived!! Exhibitors and participants are showing or shopping, visiting with friends from all over the country that they haven’t
seen since last year’s Congress! The move in went smooth and I had a few days to ride my horse study my note cards and
get into the queen groove. Being a contestant for the Congress Queen meant a lot of publicity, promotion and lifetime experience
I was never going to forget. The first day I went up to the queen booth to receive more fundraiser tickets to win a pair of
Lagrange boots. The proceeds went directly to an Oklahoma facility that gives each woman with breast cancer an opportunity to meet with a dietician. A healthy lifestyle and diet
is very important in the fight against breast cancer. I was honored to be able to participate in such an amazing cause. From
there I went down to the awards office and signed up for my classes in which I had to hand out awards for at least 2 classes.
My first class was that evening, and how lucky I was to be able to hand out awards with the 2008 queen Miss Jessica West.
I was able to spend some good quality time with Jess to ask her all about the competition and what I needed to know. Over
the next few days I continued to pass out a few awards, sell tickets, study, and ride my horse. On Wednesday the 14th
we officially moved into our hotel and the queen competition was about to get started. My mother and I made numerous trips
to the truck to unload all of my things into the hotel and with each trip I was recognizing more and more of the girls. I
was so thrilled that the day was finally here. Once I was situated I began to wonder who my room mate was going to be and
what she was like. I called down to the office and they told me her name was Miss Cecelia Purtee. The adventure was about
to begin! Cece is the Kentucky Quarter Horse queen, when she arrived I helped her move her things in. She is a very sweet
girl with a pageant background and a Public Speaking award. I was amazed, and knew she would have the interview down pat.
The evening went on with our cocktail party where we were all asked a question to answer in a one minute time period.
Luckily I had been practicing my interviewing skills and was asked a question that I had just the right answer for. What a
great way to kick off the competition. For our dinner I was joined by my mother, and father, and my fiancé. We sat
with Lyndsie Testa the Ohio Queen and her family and also Jamie Farren the West Virginia Queen, and her mother.
After the cocktail party we had a pajama party, introduction, went over the rules and had a gift exchange. We drew
our numbers for the interview and the queen’s horsemanship. I was 5th for the interview and last 19th
for the horsemanship. The interview went very well, when it was complete we had lunch up in the Cleveland room with
all of the contestants. Later we went back to the fairgrounds where we began to say thank you to all of our vendors. That
evening most everyone began to cram for the test. Friday morning at 8:30 we headed up to take the dreaded test, everyone
sat patiently as the tests were past out. I felt that it went really well, and that I was going to do well. Before I rode
my horse I had to get fitted for the fashion show. My vender was Sean Ryan. They had the coolest stuff around, although everyone’s
outfits were stunning! On Friday afternoon I went out a practiced with my horse. Initially we didn’t even know if we
were going to be able to make it because 2 to 3 weeks before the Congress my horse decided that he was going to come up lame.
So my fiancé diligently worked night and day to make him sound. With all efforts combined including many prayers,
he was sound the day before we left. Praise the Lord! Friday evening all of the girls met up in the Cleveland room for
our Fashion Show modeling walk practice. That was a blast we went from 0 confidence to no problem, point me
to the runway!!! The following morning we had queens’ horsemanship practice from 4:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.
I had an opportunity to scope out the competition; everyone was looking pretty good, and all the girls looked like they
had been working very hard! That evening the contest took place in the Celeste, nerves were tense and noses shined, hats
shaped and cleaned, and ready to go. I felt pretty good about my pattern but the best part were the people
who were there to support me. It brings tears to my eyes, I was the last one to complete the pattern and I had the loudest
cheers of all of the contestants! Thank you everyone who came to support me and cheer me on! Patterns and rail work went well
and we would know the results on Monday! Sunday was Fashion Show all of the girls met down at the Corral restroom to
get hair and make up done. The show was to start at 12:00p.m. Miss Monica Day was our announcer as we strutted up the runway
in our attire. She read the description and the price for all of our models including Dr. Scott Meyers! The fashion show also
had breast cancer survivors who were the true highlights of the event! Following our runway appearance we had an autograph
signing from 3p.m. to 5p.m. Feelings of a true role model and almost celebrity came over me as each adoring young child came
through for my autograph. What a day and what an experience and the best was yet to come! Finally the day we had all
been waiting for, Monday October 19th, 2009. The pressure was mostly off; all we had to do now is look pretty for
the evening gown ceremony. We spent most of the day preparing in our rooms catching up on much needed beauty rest, it
is exhausting being a queen! I would like to thank Lyndsie Testa’s mother for showing me the proper way to put faux
eyelashes on. The entire time I was there we had the opportunity to wear faux eyelashes! We met at 7:00 at the Queens booth
to take our group photos; it was the last time that all of the 2009 contestants would meet together! The anxiety grew as the
minutes drew closer and closer to 8:00 when the ceremony would start. We walked out with the ring stewards individually by
association. Lucky for me I was escorted by Ken Seimer, a long time friend that I have shown horses with since I was about
11 years old. Once we were all seated they thanked the Tri-chairman and the Ohio quarter horse association for another great year at the congress.There was a
color guard presentation and then the National Anthem. The results were in! I had placed and 3rd in the queen’s
horsemanship and 5th on the written test! What an amazing experience, I was thrilled. Just short of a Reserve Champion
jacket that I have been dreaming about since I was a child. but I had the love and support of my entire family and
community that made me feel as though I had won it anyway. I want to send out a big Congratulations to all of the contestants
and especially to Miss Ashley Cook! She will be a phenomenal queen. Thanks everyone for all of your support through my year
of being the OMI Queen I couldn’t have done it without you, and I hope I made you all proud! Thank you OMI for
the opportunity, I enjoyed representing our association, and thanks for the clothing allowance and congress pass.
Thank you to all of my sponsors, every little bit made my congress experience the most wonderful that it could be! Words
alone cannot express the gratitude that I have for my parents Jim and Lisa Maag for helping me to
chase a dream. I could not have even attempted to persue this dream with out their passion and support. All of my
dreams as a child working hard to complete one goal at a time, what ever I thought was impossible they always were
two steps ahead. I want to thank them for openning my eyes and teaching me that anything is possible if you truely
believe. . . . I also hope to encourage and educate girls about this competition and the amazing opportunity that
they could endure, because I truely had the experience of a lifetime. Thank you, Allie Maag
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