Podcast Summary: Katie Van Slyke – Katching Up With Katie

Episode Title: My FIRST Time in New York City!! | Congress Week
Date: October 29, 2025
Host: Katie Van Slyke
Guests: Nate (B), Matt (C), and cameo mentions of Abigail and others

Overview

In this lively and conversational episode, Katie Van Slyke sits down with friends Nate and Matt for an unfiltered chat about her first-ever trip to New York City, adventures at the Quarter Horse Congress, farm life quirks, and creative plans for future travels. The group shares honest travel stories, farm and horse show behind-the-scenes, and candid reflections on work-life balance, content creation, and authenticity. Laughter, playful banter, and some hilarious detours into fashion, Broadway, and cosplay make this a welcoming listen for fans and newcomers alike.

Main Themes and Key Segments

1. Setting the Scene & Cast Intros

• 00:00–02:51
  • Katie explains Abigail is out sick, so it’s just her with Nate, Matt, and Ms. Moo (Katie’s mischievous dog) making occasional appearances.
  • Playful confusion about names: "Matt and Nate – just call them 'Mate.'"
    “We just had this whole thing last episode where they confused y’all by saying they were brothers. That was a lie.” (01:30, Katie)
  • Mood is friendly and informal, with plenty of pet stories setting the stage.

2. Katie's First New York City Experience

• 03:09–10:01
  • Katie shares this was her first real visit to NYC, primarily for a Facebook brand panel event.
  • She jokes about her narrow “travelled person” credentials, explaining most previous trips were for horse shows ("I literally get to see the fairgrounds, some gas stations, and like, a hotel." – 03:25, Katie).
  • Relays her panel fashion: on-brand boots, turquoise jewelry, wide-leg Target pants—no leggings!
    “I loved that kind of mic. It was like a skin-toned, pop star… I felt like Lizzie McGuire.” (04:57, Katie)
  • Reflections on Facebook as her main platform for brand work, with Jones Road Beauty as the panel's brand representative.
• Notable Quote:
  “Honestly, I think I post on [Facebook] the most because you can do photos, videos, stories... I genuinely do post on Facebook probably the most.” (05:22, Katie)

3. Travel Mishaps & Classic NYC Moments

• 10:05–13:55
  • Forgets tennis shoes; walks 13 miles in comfy but impractical shoes.
  • Times Square learning curve: snapped a picture with a costumed Hulk, only to be chased for payment (which they didn’t have).
    “He held up a thing being like, ‘Give me…’, we were like, we do not have any cash, I’m so sorry.” (08:47, Katie)
  • The group riff on the various street performers and the surprises of public interactions in NYC.
  • Katie and the guys share their approaches to museums: Katie likes to read every sign (“I’m a sign reader.” – 11:41), while Nate and Matt speedwalk, observing highlights only.
  • Discussion on bathroom access in NYC (“If there was any place you’re gonna get yelled at, it’d be [New York].” –14:15, Matt)

4. Reflecting on NYC Vibes

• 14:16–18:49
  • Disproving stereotypes: “Everybody we encountered was lovely. Very nice.” (14:19, Katie)
  • Highlights of standing outside a coffee shop just people-watching and soaking up the city, preferring spontaneous over heavily scheduled trips.
  • Nate and Matt’s trip involved shooting a music video in Poughkeepsie; they rave about New Haven, CT as a chill, autumnal destination.
  • Banter about fitting in short, impromptu NYC trips—experimenting with budget airlines and the art of minimalist packing.

5. Foodie Finds & Cultural Highlights

• 18:49–22:03
  • Katie’s French steakhouse experience (“Bushel” – tries French pronunciation). Matt and Nate would rather let the chef bring them surprise dishes, while Katie sticks to “plain steak” as a picky eater.
  • Attempts to visit a manga store (clarifying the difference between manga and anime).
  • Matt’s expressive fashion choices: painted nails inspired by anime, with a comedic aside about navigating public opinion and parental reactions (“My father’s house, church and the bank.” – 22:48, Matt).

6. Broadway & The Joys of Live Theater

• 25:29–29:03
  • Katie relives seeing “Wicked” on Broadway—a dream experience for her, less so for Abigail.
    “I loved it. I didn’t even go to the bathroom. I just sat there and waited…” (26:17, Katie)
  • Nate and Matt describe the emotional power of live vocals (“That’s what made me cry.” –27:57, Matt)
  • Katie compares the stage version to the movie and discusses differences in depth, pacing, and emotional resonance.

7. Content Creation vs. Being in the Moment

• 31:22–33:17
  • Group discusses the strange challenge of balancing content capture with simply enjoying experiences, both at horse shows and on vacations.
  • Katie’s resistance to “YouTubey” or clickbaity content:
    “I struggle with being YouTubey… I struggle with clickbaity stuff. I don’t want to do it.” (33:06, Katie)
  • Light-hearted brainstorming about filming a “Christmas special” in NYC, debating the logistics of documenting vs. experiencing.

8. Quarter Horse Congress: Behind the Scenes

• 34:30–46:16
  • Recap of Denver’s (Katie’s horse) first major Congress showing: event logistics, rule confusion, and the nail-biting process of ensuring eligibility.
  • Matt and Nate’s reactions to experiencing Congress for the first time—they expected something bigger, described it as “smaller than I imagined” (44:51, Nate) but appreciated the scale of the event.
  • Shifts in shopping/vendor area size over the years, Puppy Alley controversy, and nostalgia for the “shoulder to shoulder” crowds of previous shows.
  • Katie’s meet-and-greet at Congress credited with drawing more spectators and boosting vendor fortunes.

9. Musings on Expanding Horse Show Formats and Classes

• 50:05–52:08
  • Discussion about the challenges of adding new classes, the versatility of Quarter Horses, and the difficulties of scheduling at these massive, multi-week events.
  • Musings about Liberty classes and the limitations of in-hand or command-based events at Quarter Horse shows:
    “There’s a lot of classes that the American Paint Horse and the Appaloosa will offer that we don’t. In-hand trail, a lot more in-hand classes.” (52:01, Katie)

10. Fun Moments, Fashion, and Wrap-up

• 43:46–54:28
  • The crew shows off show-shopping finds (Matt’s new vest, Katie reminisces about past purchases).
  • Inside jokes about future holiday trips and making documentary-style content.
  • Plan to cover more Congress stories (especially with Abigail) in the next episode.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We just had this whole thing in the last episode where they confused y’all by saying they were brothers. That was a lie.” (01:30)
• “I loved that kind of mic. It was like a skin-toned, pop star… I felt like Lizzie McGuire.” (04:57)
• “He held up a thing being like, ‘Give me…’, we were like, we do not have any cash, I’m so sorry.” (08:47)
• “I’m a sign reader. I like to like. It takes me a minute.” (11:41)
• “Everybody we encountered was lovely. Very nice.” (14:19)
• “Let’s drop a hundred goats from 100ft onto a trampoline.” (33:39, Matt, playing with clickbait YouTuber culture)
• “I struggle with being YouTubey… I just don’t want to do it.” (33:06, Katie)
• “I loved it. I didn’t even go to the bathroom. I just sat there and waited…” (26:17, Katie discussing Wicked)
• “The vocals were insane. Unreal. A different caliber.” (28:02, Group on Broadway talent)
• “We told him to have a budget for Congress shopping, and he looked at this vest every day and didn’t get it until the last… And then he finally went in and got it.” (44:04)
• “It usually fluctuates between like 18 and 20,000 horses on the property for the show.” (49:09)

Episode Milestones & Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |------------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:51 | Cast intros, lighthearted banter | | 03:09–06:26 | Katie’s NYC panel event with Facebook | | 06:26–13:55 | NYC mishaps, Times Square, museums | | 14:16–18:49 | NYC local color, chill travel preferences | | 18:49–22:03 | NYC food, French restaurant, fashion | | 25:29–29:03 | Broadway/Wicked discussion | | 31:22–33:17 | Content vs. in-the-moment tension | | 34:30–46:16 | Congress recap, horse show logistics | | 50:05–52:08 | Horse show format musings | | 52:08–54:28 | Wrap-up, future topics, more Congress stories|

Tone & Takeaways

The episode feels like sitting in a friend's living room—honest, unrehearsed, at times meandering, but always warm and genuinely funny. Katie and her crew offer listeners an affectionate, behind-the-scenes look at country life, horse worlds, friendship, city travels, and the relatable choreography of modern content creation.

Whether you’re a city slicker, horse show regular, or homebody, there’s something here for you—plus plenty of inspiration to go on your own adventures (just don’t forget comfy shoes).

Suggestions for Next Episode:

• More behind-the-scenes stories with Abigail (especially at Congress)
• Deeper dive into balancing content creation and authenticity
• Farm and animal updates, ranch routines, and meet the animals