My FIRST Time in New York City!! | Congress Week

Summary

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

---

Transcript

[A]

Welcome back to catching up with Katie. So this week, it's just me, Nate, and Matt back there with Ms. Moo. Abigail's not feeling very good today, so we were going to be talking about, you know, our New York trips, and we were gonna be talking about Congress and, like, all these things, and we still are. Moo is stepping in place of her mother, so.

[B]

Moop.

[A]

So Matt are. Or Nate. Sorry, y' all don't know.

[C]

Yeah, I am going to go ahead and address that. I was completely joking whenever I said that Nate and I were brothers. Although we do look very similar. I'm just always going to take advantage of an opportunity with somebody that I'll never see again. Hello? Yep, I'm in the middle of a podcast. All right, love. Always. Gotta at least make sure it's not an emergency.

[A]

True. Good husband. Good husband.

[C]

Never once has been.

[A]

He was supposed to be his bring his little bean today.

[C]

I shouldn't have even mentioned it, but.

[A]

Why would you tease us like that? He sent a text being like, do I bring her? And sent the cutest picture you've ever seen.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And then just didn't.

[C]

Halloween party.

[A]

Don't commit to something that.

[B]

That sounded like a committal.

[A]

There's a chance because I have dreamt of a day when Nate and Matt would come to one of my parties.

[C]

We have come to one of your parties.

[B]

That's the only one we haven't come to.

[C]

That is the only one that we just don't make.

[A]

They have never come to a Halloween party. And Matt, for whatever reason, just committed, and he's gonna break my heart. Anyway, for those that don't know, this is Matt. That's Nat. Nate. We just had this whole thing in the last episode where they confused y' all by saying that they were brothers. That was a lie. They are not. And then we talked about how the fact that no one knows who's who.

[C]

Mine's a little harsh.

[A]

Matt, Nate, if you would like to just call them mate.

[B]

What up, mate?

[C]

Nat, I do not like having the security of you being by my side, though.

[D]

I'm.

[A]

I'm by your side. Moo. Left.

[C]

Yeah. Where did she go? Oh, downstairs.

[A]

That someone left the door open.

[B]

Oh, no.

[C]

Is that, like, a something we should handle, or are we just going to let that ride?

[A]

I think. I think that gate's probably closed. She probably just stuck. She's probably just stuck on the stairs.

[C]

Yeah. All right. We probably make that ride.

[B]

Ride.

[A]

Moo has this. This urge to just destroy, like, everything. Um, the amount of, like, she'll get in the trash and she doesn't eat the trash. The amount of plastic bag turds that I found from her because she just eats so much of the bag.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, she.

[B]

She just wants to get into stuff.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So my cat is.

[A]

We were supposed to keep her because Abigail's not feeling good and I'm failing already, but that's fine. So.

[B]

Yeah, it's okay.

[A]

We did kind of touch on, you know, the Quarter Horse Congress. We have not touched on our New York trips, like, at all.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So is this your first time in New York?

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Really? I didn't know that. I feel like a. A traveled person like yourself would have. Would have been there by now.

[A]

Okay. But my. Okay. By traveled person, all the states I've been to have generally been for, like, horse events.

[C]

Texas, Ohio.

[A]

So I literally get to see the fairgrounds, some gas stations, and, like, a hotel.

[B]

Like, that's true.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm not like, a traveled person by any means.

[B]

We need to change that.

[A]

We went to a Sandals this past year. You know what I'm saying?

[B]

Wow. That's a resort.

[A]

But we did. So what happened with our New York trip, which was, like, just a day prior to your New York trip? We. We could have made it happen.

[C]

It was crazy because, like, everybody, like, everybody ended up being in New York, like, roughly the same weekend. Like, it was pretty weird, Carol, but.

[A]

We were there for a Facebook event, so. Facebook. This is the second time they've had me out to speak on, like, a panel. And we can. We can put a pickup of. Of my panel.

[C]

Did you look panely, like you wear a sport coat?

[A]

I wore, like, I. I very much stuck to my style.

[B]

She was on brand. Bless you. Bless you. Bless you. Now we don't do four.

[C]

Yeah, four is a little excessive. Four is moo. You're back.

[A]

So I very much stuck to on brand. Like, I wore. I didn't wear leggings. A lot of people accused me of wearing leggings. I did not. I wore black pants that I had my. My free bird boots over. And then I had on a white jacket with, like, I wore a turquoise necklace and, like, turquoise jewelry and did.

[C]

My hair turquoise made appearance.

[A]

And I did not wear sunglasses on my head.

[C]

Did you.

[B]

Did you like wearing that kind of mic?

[C]

You went dress up?

[A]

I loved that kind of mic.

[B]

I had a feeling you might.

[A]

I loved it. It was. There's a. I have another picture. I. I felt like Lizzie McGuire.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was a. It was like a skin toned, like, pop star.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, it was a moment. I loved it. I would wear that all.

[B]

We can get one. No, no, that can be your mic for the videos.

[A]

It was, it was cool. If you're on a stage cuz you're like, I should have a mic.

[C]

Right. But like you were giving a TED Talk.

[A]

Yeah. And so maybe we should do TED talks. They had me there and they asked me to be there. And Facebook, you know, is one of the primary social media outlets that I use for posting. Honestly, I think I post on there the most because you can do like photos, videos, stories, status posts, link things easier. Like I, I genuinely do post on Facebook probably the most. And they had me out to talk about like my experience working with brands through Facebook and so we were just answering questions and they, you know, used a couple of my videos that were brand branded content as like examples and then they had a brand on stage with me talking about from a brand's perspective. And it was Jones Road Beauty, which was really cool. So yeah, it was neat. The panel took like 30 minutes. I did not, I don't think, make a fool out of myself. And then the rest of the time we just, we had to go to a mixer the night before. That was like a part of it. But other than that we just had like the rest of the time to ourselves.

[C]

And I did see your New York street fit on social media. I mean I'd have picked you out for sure. Like, oh yeah, it's Katie.

[A]

I wore wide leg pants for the first time. I thought I looked more New York than.

[B]

Oh wait, I must have missed, I.

[C]

Must have missed that because I was, I thought you were in like full comfy clothes and like slippers.

[A]

Well, yeah, I wore. Because I forgot tennis shoes. Big mistake.

[C]

Maybe that's the photo.

[A]

I'm saying huge mistake.

[B]

Forgets tennis shoes in New York.

[A]

Huge mistake. Huge.

[C]

Because Nate and I clocked, what was it, 12 and a half miles?

[B]

No, we walked 13 miles and like 29,000 steps in a half a day.

[A]

Could have gone and bought some. And I'm like, I was there for a day. I'm not going to go buy a new pair of tennis shoes.

[C]

I went by jeans because it was cold. I only had shorts.

[A]

Well, that was just poor, poor planning on your part.

[B]

Well, so was the shoes.

[A]

I, I had these like, cuz you know, the children, the youths these days, they go for like a wide leg look on their pants. Yeah, I'm from the skinny jean era. I'm very much more comfortable in a skinny jean. I don't Know why. But from Target, I found these wide leg pants. They were comfy. They were like a blue jean material. And I wore those with ugg slip ons, which I don't know if those are in or not, but that's what I had. And just like a. A T shirt and my sunglasses on my head. So I mean, I mean, that's the.

[C]

Beauty of New York, though, is that you can be invisible. Like, you can really probably go out there or whatever and just nobody would care.

[B]

You could have been barefoot. Nobody would even thought anything.

[A]

I did learn my lesson. We went to Times Square. That's where that picture was that you saw. And we. I'm not well traveled. Like, I'm really not. Like I said, if I've gone anywhere, I'm not street smart. I don't know things. And so all these people were dressed in costumes. And this guy in a terrible hulk costume, like, not even a good one, came over and like waved to Abigail because I was taking a picture of Abigail and he was like, come here. Like, he had this, like, riz about him, honestly.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And so she just like took a picture with him. And then he held up a thing being like, give me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And we were like, we do not have any cash. Like, I'm so sorry.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And we walked off and he was like, cussing us out a little bit. Hey, y'.

[C]

All.

[D]

We just pulled these out of the oven and had to share because they're just too good not to. I've been using wild grain for years now, and it has been a game changer in our household. Wild grain is the first baked from frozen subscription box for sourdough bread, artisanal pastries, and fresh pastas. Everything goes from the freezer to the table in less than 25 minutes, which means less cleanup, less hassle trying to plan, plan things. I'm not a good cook, but these make me look so good at dinner time. What I love most is that they partner with small bakeries and pasta makers from around the country. So you're supporting local artisans while getting delicious food. And unlike store bought bread, wild grain uses simple ingredients and slow fermentation. So it's actually easier on your belly and packed with nutrients. Now, we did have the apple cider donuts, the pumpkin cinnamon biscuits in in this house, but they didn't last very long. But this is my staple favorite, the sourdough bread rolls.

[A]

Perfect to share with friends.

[D]

A fall treat. So good. The best part is though, that you can fully customize your box with breads, pastas pastries. And with every order, Wild Grain donates two meals to the nonprofit of your choice. So if you want to check it out, just click the link in my description and use my code.

[A]

Katie. Katie.

[D]

Van's like, you'll get $30 off of.

[A]

Your first box, plus free croissants for life.

[D]

Trust me, you don't want to miss their seasonal goodies. But even their non seasonal goodies.

[A]

Very good.

[D]

Okay, I'm gonna eat my bread. But then back to the video.

[C]

They got card readers.

[A]

I know. Well, we were just like, we don't have anything and, like, left. Because I knew he was gonna pull up like Venmo.

[B]

Yeah. You. He probably ruined his day.

[A]

He. And if I was going to do that, I would have done, like, the Statue of Liberty on stilts, you know?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Not the whole, like, why would I.

[C]

Yeah, I think I saw him, too. He was like, 4 foot 8.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm like, why do I want the whole.

[B]

He was shorter than Abigail.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Why do I want the Hulk when I'm in. What?

[B]

Yeah. You could have gone Spider Man.

[A]

I would have done Spider Man. I would have done the Statue of Liberty on Stiltsky.

[C]

Like, there's others that I wouldn't even think about going. And I get. We saw. We went to New. Nate and I both been New York on school trips, but. And we saw the Statue of Liberty then. But I didn't think about. We weren't even in that area, though. But I didn't think about seeing that. We saw the American. What was it?

[B]

The American Museum of Natural History.

[A]

I would have gone. I've gone to.

[C]

That's where my heart.

[B]

You got to start going with us.

[A]

Yeah, I would have.

[B]

We are adventurous.

[A]

I love museums. I love. I'm a sign reader.

[B]

Oh, you would have loved this.

[A]

I'm a sign reader. I like to like. It takes me a minute.

[C]

Well, actually, now. Now. Now, that is not us. Well, the lady at the desk was like. She asked us how long. Like, how many days of a pass we wanted, and she was like, it's going to take you two days to get through all this thing. Nate and I clocked everything in probably an hour and a half.

[A]

But you didn't read a single sign then.

[B]

I read a few signs.

[C]

Read a few signs.

[B]

We. We knew going in what was important to us and what we actually wanted.

[C]

We observed it all.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

But we. We really looked into it.

[A]

I would go to the same museum two days in a row. Like, I.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I. I don't think I've Been to anything. We went to Chicago and so we went to, like, the Smithsonian. Is that where the Smithsonian is? I think it is, because that's where, like, I don't know, sue, the, the T. Rex is.

[C]

There was a T. Rex in this museum, and I've never seen dinosaur bones like that. Like, they had a bronchiosaurus as well, and I've never seen dinosaur.

[A]

We went to a couple of different museums in Chicago, and then I'm sure there is one in Chicago on a school trip. I went to Washington, D.C. and did quite a few museums there. I want to go again, though. I love museums. I love learning.

[B]

Yeah, we. It was really cool to see a T. Rex.

[C]

It was really cool to do it on our own.

[A]

Is Chicago the Smithsonian or which one is that?

[B]

I think D.C. is the Smithsonian.

[A]

Okay, D.C. i went to the Smithsonian. Which one's in Chicago then? Because I went to one there.

[B]

There's a bunch. There's the Field Museum.

[A]

That's what it was. Okay, The Field Museum. Yeah, that's for sure.

[B]

It's a natural history museum.

[A]

So we. I, I don't know that Jonathan's necessarily like a sign reader. It would take.

[B]

They got big dinos there too.

[C]

Yeah, I'm a big observer. Like, I don't like. I'll look at the sign and get some information.

[A]

Come on, move. Come on.

[B]

Yeah, I'd like to.

[A]

Come on.

[C]

I like to. I want to just observe what I'm actually looking at.

[B]

Yeah, I'd like. I like to see the things the real. I mean, part of the reason why we were like, hey, we need to go to this museum, is because one, there was a parking garage underneath it. That was easy. You could park all day in New York. Okay, that's easy peasy. It's like 40 bucks. Yeah, I'm like this. We're going to struggle elsewhere. Two, we had to go to the bathroom really bad, and I wasn't quite sure where you go to the bathroom in New York, so we bought tickets to the museum.

[A]

Okay. Is it a thing where. Cuz, I mean, you know, down. Down here. If you pull in somewhere, like, they'll just let you go to the bathroom.

[B]

No, I don't.

[A]

I feel that vibe.

[C]

That was a hard. I have been rejected. Stuff like, hey, y' all have bathrooms. Like, we gotta buy something. They do that in New Orleans. I mean, like, you know, generally bigger city places, and if there was any.

[B]

Place you're gonna get yelled at, it'd be, oh, yeah, you get yelled at.

[A]

New York. I. I will Say, everybody we encountered was lovely. Very nice.

[B]

Yeah, very nice.

[A]

We didn't have the stereotypical.

[B]

It's just like, fast and loud.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

We didn't have anybody that you would have thought, like, you know, the stereotype of New York being rude or being whatever. We didn't really experience that. Like, our waiters were all nice. Our, like, anybody that we met in an establishment, Like. Like, they were all. All very kind. We didn't really speak with a whole lot of just, like, people on the street.

[C]

It is cool to, like. Like, I'm a big people watcher, and I'll listen to other people's conversations just haphazardly if I'm sitting. Like, the. The highlight of Nate and I's New York trip for me was we stood outside a coffee shop for probably 45 minutes and didn't do a thing.

[B]

Just stood.

[C]

But we just stood and watched. And just like, we're chilling against the building every time. I've been. Has always been an itinerary. Like, you know, three to four, we're gonna do this four to five. I hate that. I would much rather just stay home than go do that. Like, just to be able to go to New York City. And Nate and I'd be like, what do you want to do? Sit down.

[B]

We're standing out there and he's like, well, what do you want to do? I said, you know what? We could do whatever. We're adults.

[C]

It was pretty. It was like, I've. I've traveled and, like, I've done stuff. Like, I've done hunting trips and stuff by myself, but that was like, really, like, hey, like, we're 30 year old guys. Like, we could literally go do whatever we wanted.

[A]

I don't think you'll have said, though, like, what your purpose was of going.

[C]

We did to go. We went to go shoot a. A music video in py, which was like an hour and a half outside of the city.

[B]

Again, that's not how you say it is Poughkeepsie Py.

[C]

That's what it was. I knew it was the. I knew it was the rhythm. The cadence was right. Poughkeepsie spelled Pokeepsie. But we went there and. Which also, also, honestly, that place was really, really cool. Like, if I. In hindsight, Nate and I talked about if we were ever to do that again, like, we would probably fly into New Haven, Connecticut.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Which is a lot more of a sleepy, little chill, fall, Halloween village vibe. You would love New Haven, Connecticut. You would vacation if you went to New Haven, Connecticut. You would say, jonathan, we have to vacation.

[B]

If you have legitimately, if you have a free weekend over the next three weekends, we should go on a Friday and come back on a Sunday or.

[C]

Any three day stretch because so, so.

[A]

Here'S how this, here's how this next month is going to go. Okay. So we actually, we do have, I think the first weekend of November is free. But that's like our only free weekend of the whole month. And we're trying to get this barn built. The second weekend is the world show. Third weekend, what?

[B]

The first of November is a Saturday.

[A]

I'm in, I'm, I'm in Texas. I'm at the high showcase.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. And then the next week we're here. The next weekend we are in Oklahoma.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then the next one is like Thanksgiving weekend. Like we'll have family in town.

[C]

Thanksgiving in New Haven?

[A]

Well, we host Thanksgiving at my home.

[C]

So yeah, you know, everybody can fit for themselves. One year like 40 people.

[A]

And then I think, I think that last weekend we actually are here. But Jonathan, I guarantee is not going to be available. I guarantee he's going to be somewhere hunting.

[C]

But next.

[B]

Well, we can just go us three.

[C]

That's true.

[B]

Just zip up, go eat at a couple cool places and come back.

[C]

It is worth it. Like next time I need the pilot's license. Well, I can do Spirit. I'm just going to start flying Spirit because I have a buddy who's a huge Yankees fan and he flies to New York like seven times a year. Like one time he straight up flew to New York for like $50. One time you don't take a bag. If you don't take a bag.

[A]

I was gonna say, isn't that how those airlines get you though? Is like. Yes, they're cheap.

[B]

You can't take any.

[A]

You got to pay anything, everything.

[B]

You better wear it all.

[C]

If you're, you know, for. Hey, let's just go for a little weekend. Jean, pack everything in like that camera bag.

[A]

Like if you're going for like the.

[B]

Day, I would legitimately fly up on a Friday and fly back on the Sunday.

[C]

Yeah. And I could that fast. That amount of clothes in a camera bag.

[A]

Or like I was saying, if you had to like wear everything.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe, maybe you get a little, A little like one of those grocery bags that are reusable. Pick up one of those when you get there. That's your new suitcase. Then when you get back to the airport, dress up and go home.

[C]

But anyway, that's what we Were there for. And we ate at this restaurant that would, like. We have already made plans to. Or in the works of making plans to try to get another little weekend back up there to go eat at that restaurant.

[A]

Yeah, I want to. Okay. So we went to a French restaurant, which we were just trying to find somewhere cute. And it was beautiful. It was the most beautiful little restaurant. We were there with Abra as well. A lot of people were like, who's. I forget who's Abra? Abra is like my brand relations manager and she runs. She and her husband, like, run my merch store. And like, she basically just handles, like, so much. It's insane, actually. And so she went with me because she handles all correspondence with Facebook and things like that for me. Well, so we were trying to find, like, some cute little place to, you know, take a picture and. And sit outside and whatnot. And we found it. It was the cutest. And it was a French restaurant. So I'm trying. I want to say either. Do either of you know French?

[C]

I'm sure I can.

[A]

I wanted to see how bad my French pronunciation of it is. Yeah, so in French it's the butcher. So it was a steakhouse. It was amazing. But it was called, like, bushel. That sound.

[C]

That sounded great to me.

[B]

Doesn't sound crazy to me.

[C]

This sounded great. So way better than I could have ever said it.

[A]

Say it. Bow Cherry.

[C]

I'd have to see it. I'd have to, like, see the word.

[B]

Yeah, let me see if I can pull this up.

[A]

But it was really, really good. The only thing is, it was that type of restaurant where a picky eater like me is not welcome. You know, like, they wanted to give you everything. The way that the chef prepared it. I had to beg them to put the sauce on the side.

[C]

No, no, dude, give me. I. I don't even want to order. I want you to come in and just bring what you think I should have.

[A]

They would have loved you. They would have loved you. Cuz I got. I got a filet and it. All their stuff had, like, you know, sauces and all kinds of stuff on. I was like, please. We've been walking forever. It was like a mile. We've been walking forever. Just please can I have a plain steak?

[B]

Yeah. Busier. You said it correctly.

[A]

Bus.

[C]

Yeah, I like that. Yeah. Even. Even if that's wrong, I like that.

[B]

It is.

[A]

I was gonna say Jonathan, like, let's go to that Bow Cherry place.

[C]

We did try to go to a manga store. Manga. Manga.

[B]

Pretty sure it's Maya Manga, I think.

[C]

But we went anime, like the written version. So you have manga and then anime is create is the televised animated version of the manga.

[B]

Manga is the book version of the.

[C]

Kind of like comic books.

[A]

Okay. Now also, as you're being really expressive with your hands.

[C]

Yeah, I kind of messed this up.

[A]

Let me talk about the nails.

[C]

I don't know, there's something about like having a really pretty wife and a daughter and, you know, I've got a job and it's like I've got nobody left to impress. Like nobody. And so now I feel like I have permission to just, you know, be expressive. Go try different things. Try all different things.

[A]

Usually you go black. What made you go blue and red?

[C]

Anime. I was really feeling my Lord Tingan from Demon Slayer vibes and I just wanted to try it out. I've got a little one off festival.

[A]

Show and you're keeping your hands down now. You need to be showing them during that.

[C]

I've got a little one off festival show in Texas this weekend and I'm so excited to try these out.

[B]

P Phoenix23 4 hours ago said I love Matt's nails painted. They look awesome.

[A]

And it's so funny because a lot of people were blaming on like, what a girl, dad.

[C]

I'm like, lily had nothing to do with it. And as a matter of fact, she was a. She inhibited this. She was a hindrance in getting this done. I literally had Maddie paint them for you. Well, she did the first time and then I had to go to the bank and then I took them off because not that I care what anybody thinks and there has been times that I don't take them off, but in this particular sense, I need to be like professional and locked in, you know.

[B]

Is that your like threshold? The bank and church, like.

[C]

Oh, but like anywhere. And my father's. My father's house, church and the bank.

[B]

Does he know?

[C]

Oh, yeah. Like there has been times about the nails.

[B]

Yeah, your father, does he know about this?

[C]

There has been times, like long.

[B]

Well, he does. Now generally you have.

[C]

This would be the safest place to talk about anything.

[A]

Generally you have like just black and they're kind of like not perfectly done and it's cool. Just one hand. Yeah, that's generally what you do.

[C]

I've been. I don't know, I've just been the. A buddy of mine paints his nails and he also has a wife and two kids and I don't know, I've just been kind of. He inspired me. I just been like Man, I can do this. Sure. And if I don't like it and take it off.

[B]

Sure. That is true.

[C]

There's just been things that like I've been trying everything. You know, I've gotten a tattoo. I'm not recently, but I'll do tattoos. I'll do Eerie's pierced. I've tried to. I really wanted to pierce my nose for a little bit, but you could.

[A]

Pull off a ring.

[C]

I know, but see, that's again the thing. Like, there's a threshold and piercings are hard to have thresholds with because you.

[A]

Gotta let them heal. So you have to leave them in for a while.

[C]

Like when I was in the army.

[A]

You have your ears pierced, though.

[C]

Yeah, but I've had these pierced three times. Cause I had. I was in the army and I was over there for like 11 months. And so I was just looking for something to do and I. We got. We ordered an at home ear piercing kit and so I pierced my ears. But you can't have piercings in, in uniform. So I kept having to take them out every day. Like, I pierced them and I would take them out of the men.

[A]

Oh, like the worst time to.

[C]

Yeah. So I did that for like a week and obviously that was no good.

[A]

Gotcha.

[C]

And then the second time I just bit on a belt and my buddy.

[A]

Was like, it's not that bad.

[C]

Well, they were healed up and he had to push them back through when I got home from being deployed.

[A]

Oh, he just used blunt earrings.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

He just put.

[A]

There's specific earrings you use for the piercing that are like sharp.

[C]

Yeah, we pierced him through and then I had some black studs and then we wanted to get them re pierced. And so he was just like, dude, the sound though, when it broke that cartilage barrier was enough to make everybody.

[A]

Go cartilage down here.

[B]

What is.

[C]

Whatever it is.

[B]

What does that sound like?

[A]

Don't.

[C]

Like if you were to take a, like a pan, like a, like a pen and push it through cardboard, like. Yeah, like that.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Okay. Anyway. Yeah, so our trips, I think were. Were both very fun. They were short. I would like to go back to New York with like Jonathan and maybe like a Christmas, you know, I think it'd be cool.

[C]

Christmas in New York would be cool.

[B]

It would be cool.

[A]

I think it'd be cool to do and not have like an. Like you said, like not have an agenda. Like, we very much had places we had to be.

[C]

See that big Christmas tree?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Did y' all see any like movie stuff or like, things that you wanted to see.

[A]

Well, we. We did go to Broadway. We went and watched a Broadway show.

[C]

Oh, really?

[A]

So we went. Did you do.

[C]

We've never talked about our New York trip. This is it.

[B]

This is actually it.

[A]

Okay. I don't mean to speak ill of the people not here.

[C]

Which one did you see?

[A]

Abigail did not appreciate.

[C]

She didn't seem like a Broadway girl, though.

[A]

The Broadway experience really the way I did. So we went and saw Wicked.

[C]

I did, too. I'm all about a Broadway experience. Fantastic show.

[B]

I haven't seen Wicked on Broadway, though.

[C]

Fantastic. It's the only Broadway show I've seen.

[A]

I love it. And so we went and saw Wicked, and she wanted to leave it. Intermission.

[B]

Oh, my.

[C]

I was crying. I was crying in intermission.

[A]

I loved it. I didn't even go to the bathroom. Like, I just sat there and waited and I. I don't know. I feel like I just have. I just have a appreciation for, like, the vocals and the, like, I don't know.

[B]

Performance.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, it was awesome. And to see all the same people being used in the production as different characters and, like, I don't know, it was really, really neat. And I will say, having watched the movie, I could see how, like, I don't get mad at me, people. I like the movie better because it gave so much more depth into the story because they would, like, elaborate, because one movie was the first half. So the whole play is, like three hours long. Right. And there was definitely pieces of. Of a play that I could appreciate more than the movie. But, you know, there was just a lot of rushed pieces where I'm like, we're going back and forth with emotions so fast. Like, especially in the second part where I was like. I could definitely see how. And that movie's not even out yet. I could definitely see how they're going to, like, expand on that and expand on the storyline and make it feel less rushed. Yeah, I don't know. That's kind of my take on that.

[C]

But I think the difference in. I think that you could have that opinion without offending real theater appreciative people. But I think that the. The beauty of theater that you don't get on screen is, like, in that moment, like, the people on stage really have to do the most to hold your attention and really project their voice. And really, like. Like, that performance is, like, right there. Like, you know, if somebody fell off the stage, like, that would happen.

[A]

The vocals were insane.

[C]

It was. That's what made me cry.

[B]

They are insane.

[A]

Like, yeah, unreal.

[B]

Unreal. A different caliber.

[A]

It's. It's kind of crazy. And we were there on a freaking Wednesday. Like, I don't know. I didn't look in the thing to see if those were those. The understudies. Were those the. The actual people, Even if they weren't, like, the normal participants and they were, like, the week. I don't. I don't know how that works on Broadway.

[C]

I really don't know. I'm sure they would have, like, one or two rotations.

[A]

Even if they weren't the main person, the quality was still, like, insane.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

And so, yeah, that. That was really, really cool. I enjoyed that thoroughly. I want to go see the Lion King on Broadway.

[B]

Really good.

[A]

I want to go see.

[B]

Really good.

[A]

There was another one. What was the other one? I wanted to go see?

[C]

I'm sure I do.

[A]

Like, Death Becomes her. And I've heard that's a really good one on Broadway. I love that movie.

[B]

Anyway, I've seen the Lion King and.

[C]

Waitress, the Cursed Child.

[A]

I tried to get them to go see that, and neither one of them were on board.

[C]

Yeah, I would have been.

[A]

Because it's two. It's two events.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You have to go see one during the day and then one at night.

[B]

Let's do it.

[A]

I wanted to go see it.

[B]

Spirit Christmas special in New York. Big tree.

[A]

Is it going to happen like the fall special has happened?

[B]

Well, see, well, I. I mean, I'm in a traveling mood lately, so you could say, oh, yeah, let's just go.

[A]

Okay. We have. We have, like, see how many weeks. We have nine weeks left before I'm locked down.

[B]

Nine weeks. What's in nine weeks?

[A]

You know what's in nine weeks?

[B]

Let's see what's new in calendar today? One, two, three, four.

[A]

You know what's in nine weeks, in your heart, you're trying to.

[B]

Seven, eight.

[C]

What's nine weeks? Christmas.

[B]

Yeah, nine weeks is Christmas. Exactly.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So you mean ten weeks.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Ten weeks is New Year's Day.

[A]

In ten weeks. Exactly. It's Raven safe date.

[B]

So we need to go in, like, seven. Like, seven weeks from now. We could be in New York, see the big tree.

[C]

I was wondering where that whole trail was going.

[B]

Film the Christmas special.

[A]

You didn't put together anything.

[C]

I was like. I mean, falling season was the last thing on my mind. I thought they were gonna be like, I don't know. You. I don't know.

[A]

That's what. I won't leave for, like, four months.

[C]

Well, then that's why we need to go ahead and get it in.

[B]

Yeah. What about the weekend after Thanksgiving?

[C]

What's. What's the. I think we should lower our standards for the Christmas special and just go to New York and just have a free freaking fantastic time. And then we document that.

[A]

We all say that, and then we don't document anything.

[B]

No, that this would. The purpose of the trip would be do the fun stuff and document.

[C]

Right.

[B]

That would be the whole purpose.

[A]

But that's the hard part, is that we'd almost. Like, everybody wears GoPros with the fact that we became friends with y' all because now we want to do things with y' all instead of you being the ones filming us.

[C]

I can turn that off real quick, though.

[A]

We have to turn that.

[C]

I can turn that friendship line on.

[A]

We have to then have now people come film y' all instead of y' all filming us.

[B]

Well, if we plan for the weekend after Thanksgiving, we can arrange that, like, the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th of December.

[C]

That, and everybody has a chest mount.

[B]

Two weeks.

[A]

Me and Abigail were talking about that, like, the. The weirdness of which the working relationship is when you're making content and you're experiencing things because, like, it's hard because you want, like, okay, like, for a sec. For instance, swapping to kind of, like, Congress this past week, we were talking about how that's, like, such a weird thing because, like, we want to be able to just be in the moment and, like, it's a cool thing happening that everyone's a part of. And so you want to just be like, ah. But then you're having to, like, yeah, I feel that, like, take content, and you're like, shoot, this is only gonna happen. Like, we. You know, and so it's a. It's a weird balance.

[C]

I have to be like. And that's why there's. There's a lot of things that, like, we went to Universal, like, Nate taking a photo. Like. Like, really is like, okay, I should probably take a photo. Like, if he hadn't done that, I can't tell you if I'd have one.

[A]

We didn't. We didn't document universe, which we knew that. We went into that saying, yeah, this is a fun, fun event. Day off. This wasn't. We. We didn't mean for it to be, you know.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Like. Like a content day. What we should do is next year, when we go to that horse show, we should do two days. One day's a fun day. One day's a content day.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Or we can just, like, isn't. Doesn't DJI make a. Like a magnetic.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Cam that.

[A]

Honestly, that's what that type of a day is when we need, like, either GoPros or those little glasses or, like.

[C]

We can do, like, that magnetic. That completely negates having, like, a full chest rig or whatever. And you can just snap that on and go about your day.

[A]

Right? Because, like, we. I struggle. They. They laugh at me all the time. I struggle with being YouTubey.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, you're very segmenty.

[A]

I struggle with click, you know, doing clickbaity stuff. I don't want to do it. I don't want to do things that are. I don't know.

[C]

YouTubey.

[A]

That's the only. Like, they're not YouTubing.

[C]

No. Nice. Enjoyable.

[A]

But, you know, like, kitschy. Like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I struggle with being like.

[C]

Like, let's drop a 100 bowling balls from a hundred feet.

[A]

That's not what this is.

[C]

Stuff like that.

[A]

Like, that would be not what this is. We don't do that.

[C]

Let's drop a hundred goats from 100ft onto a trampoline. I'd watch that. What's up, y'?

[B]

All?

[C]

I'm Katie, and today, big pan out. We're taking a hundred goats and dropping them from a hundred feet onto trampoline. That would be wild. Y' all would have. Y' all would have, like, would not be ready for that. And we would. We wouldn't even make the thumbnail even close to that video. It would be something like you've always seen. And then you click on that and you're like, whoa.

[A]

And that would be the last day of Katie on. On social media.

[B]

So she has to reel us back in.

[A]

Sometimes. There's. There's a lot of ideas that I'm just like, I don't think so.

[C]

The idea room gets crazy.

[A]

So we. We kind of refrained from talking about Congress the other day with Rebecca as much. So Rebecca came when you were there because you were there for the first couple of days. So that was Denver's first time showing. He won the open for performance halter. And then you left before the next event, basically, which was the. The meet and greet. And we don't really have any footage of the beginning of that meet and greet.

[B]

Here we go.

[A]

Because someone was. Was pretty late and.

[B]

There was a time change.

[C]

Yes, there is a time change.

[A]

Yes, for sure.

[B]

Didn't. Here's the thing. It wasn't that I. And this is. I'm speaking now directly to Waze and Google Maps. When I Say, I want to arrive at a place by a certain time. Please account for, oh, you know, I'm crossing into a different time zone. So the night before I knew it was in a different time, I said, I want to arrive in Columbus by 10:15am so both Google Maps and Way said you need to leave at 4:40am.

[A]

Which is insane because you had to go through, like, Cincinnati during rush hour.

[C]

Yeah, that's why I always drive at night.

[B]

So I'm like, okay, I will leave at 4:40am Actually left around 4:30am and I make it about 3/4 the way through Kentucky, and the arrival time jumps an hour.

[C]

That is odd.

[B]

You didn't do the math when I was planning my route.

[C]

I think Apple Maps does the math.

[B]

Apple Maps is the only one that does the math.

[C]

And this is. And I will retract my previous statement when we were talking about Waze a few episodes ago. I think Waze is great for, like, local travel, but long distance, it's too much information.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Entirely too much information.

[A]

Was it you who just figured out that, like, the time that Apple gives you, like, on your phone, when you go to dude navigation, they're always going to give you the longest route. You just click, click it, and then it'll show you, like, shortest route.

[B]

Yeah. Really?

[A]

Because.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, mine usually gives me the shortest. It just depends. It'll. It'll give me, like, sometimes I don't think Apple is the best because it'll give me, like, the least inconvenient.

[A]

I'm like, no, it's six and a half hours.

[B]

It was only five and a half for me.

[A]

Yeah, well, yeah, you're.

[C]

Now I don't know where I had gotten eight hours from. Something completely else. I don't really know where I had gotten eight hours from. Because I was telling him that. Because I called. Because we were talking about that when we were discussing the drive, and it ended up being like, five and a half hours or something.

[B]

Yeah, it was eight from New York.

[C]

That's probably what it was. Yeah.

[A]

Gotcha. So, Nate. And then you stayed, like, the freaking long haul. Like.

[B]

Yeah, like five or six days.

[A]

And we almost thought we were gonna have to stay an extra day.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Which I was. I was thankful that y' all were all like.

[B]

And honestly here for it. I'm still nervous about that.

[A]

No, they are. Okay. So here's what happened. So Denver doesn't have an rom, which is a register of merit. So he doesn't have. He only has, like, three performance points in an AQHA sanctioned class. Because everything he's shown in has been, like, a futurity. It hasn't been just like, the junior Western pleasure at an AQHA show, which is how you get points. And so he had. He had to have had an R O M or show in a performance class at the show that he's showing performance halter, which is the Congress. So he had to show in a performance class. So he showed in the. Again, it wasn't a sanctioned class. It was a maturity, so it didn't count.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he had to show in something else. This is where I think they messed up. So we had gone up to ask, like, hey, does Denver have to show in an amateur class to show in the amateur performance halter? Since he's, like, already shown in the open performance, like, you know, and they're like, yeah, he has to show it in amateur class. We're like, okay. And they're like, he doesn't have to. You don't gotta try. Like, you just have to show up and then head out. Like. Like, you could literally scratch or not scratch. You can, like, dq. Like, that's right.

[C]

Right.

[A]

So we were like, what's the earliest amateur class that we could possibly go in? And they were like, you could do novice. And we were, like, on a stallion. And they were like, yeah. And we were like, I don't think so, but they let me enter.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I was like, okay. So I did the amateur Western writing, or I entered him in the amateur Western writing, the novice. So that was, like, the next day. And I was like, I'll just trot him through. Like, I won't mess him up. Like, I'll literally just trot him through and dq. So then the next morning, I had been, like, scrounging everywhere to try to find chaps. Like, I had my hat and I had my shirt, but I was trying to find chaps, trying to find things that would work, which I did. We were ready. If we had to get a text the next morning, we see that you've entered a stallion in a novice class, and that is prohibited. And I'm like, no, yeah, yeah, we know that. We were told at the show office that we could do that.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And so then we were like, crap, when's the next amateur class? Because at that point, if it was like anything, like, I would take him the barrels, right? I would go try. You know, who cares? And the earliest amateur class was Tuesday, so a couple days ago. And so we would have had to stay a day later. So I entered him into the amateur horsemanship and I was like, I'll just baby him through the pattern. So that's when I went and like practiced.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And had my stank face and all that good stuff. And everyone's like, why are you riding him like a horsemanship horse? I'm like, don't worry about it.

[C]

It's fine.

[A]

And then I went to go enter him because I had to go re enter after they were like, you can't show in this novice class. So I went to go re enter and this was after I had already shown, so I already knew I won and like, needed to maintain that.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah.

[A]

I go into the show office and they were like, oh, you don't have to. He showed in the open. Like, he showed in an open class. And I'm like, I'm so sorry, you're gonna have to go check with somebody. Like, I need you to go check with like three different people because we're leaving if that's the case. We're leaving like right now.

[C]

Right.

[B]

We will be hours away from here.

[A]

And so luckily, Justin Billings, who is like the CEO of Congress, like, he's Mr. Congress was there and they went and like asked and it was because he had not in the maturity, but he had shown in the the open Western riding, which was an AQHA sanctioned class.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That made him eligible for the performance.

[B]

Halter, which I thought he looked good in.

[A]

Yeah, it was his first time ever, so, you know, there was a lot to work on. And also, like, I didn't want to throw Aaron under the bus like when I made my post about it. Yeah, but that's not like Aaron's thing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, Aaron has shown in the Western riding only a handful of times and that was on like a finished western riding horse, not a baby who's never shown it before. And so, like, you know, for him being four years old, doing the full pattern one handed, he got all of his changes. He got the log. Like, sure. He was lucky. His lines were not very straight. So you could see after the change because he's used to changing direction, he would like dive instead of just going straight, making a nice corner. So there was definitely things to work on. But no, he did fantastic. So we couldn't be happier. But yeah, I almost showed Denver in the horsemanship and I kind of wish we did.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Excuse me.

[B]

Are they still doing.

[A]

Was Tuesday it already happened.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I kind of wish I did because I knew for a fact we wouldn't get back, you know, like, I knew we wouldn't get back in the finals or anything. Like, I would have done a very simplistic version of the pattern and I wouldn't have done the lead change. Like, I would have done, like a simple change. And like, his spins probably would have been slow and he would have just loped around like a pleasure horse and not done. Yeah, the horsemanship the way he probably could in the future and. But like, I wanted to wear my shirt real bad.

[B]

We could do like a mock event here.

[C]

You can.

[D]

I did.

[A]

So Kirsty Marie, who does the horse photos, like, she's done my past two photo shoots, so she's with child at the moment. And I texted her while we were at congress and I was like, when do you have to be not working? Like, when is your maternity leave? And she's like, girl, I get one. Do I get a maternity leave? And I was like, when do you not want to be taking pictures? And she's like, I really can't be taking pictures by February. I can maybe squeeze some into January. And I was like, well, before the end of the year, maybe we'll pop over to Texas and do a photo shoot with Denver in.

[B]

In the garb show.

[A]

Garb. You know, that would be fun. Just.

[B]

You should.

[A]

Just for it, you know, should.

[C]

So.

[A]

But that was. That was a wild, wild show. You're. You're wearing a little.

[B]

Oh, I'm. Check this out.

[C]

Yeah. Sick. I didn't even know. Did you just put that on or did you walk out of that?

[B]

I walked in with it on.

[A]

Oh, I didn't know that was his.

[C]

I really like that a lot. I want to expect that closer because we told him.

[A]

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.

[B]

Every day. Yeah.

[A]

And then. And then he finally went in and got it because it's a. Is it an STS or a double D?

[B]

What does that mean?

[A]

The brand Scully. Scully. That.

[B]

It's goalie.

[A]

That's a good brand. Like a long lasting, good quality.

[B]

I'll pass it down.

[A]

Yeah. So Matt got a leather jacket at the world show last year. You got to break it out again this year. No, you wore it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You wear it in Congress.

[A]

At Congress. Yeah.

[C]

It's actually just now time to bring it out again.

[A]

Yeah. What was Yalls like? I don't know. You've heard me talk about Congress. I feel like for the three years.

[C]

That we've known, it was exactly how I expected it.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

I got to be honest, it was smaller than I imagined.

[A]

Really? In what way?

[B]

I was more picturing in my head kind of like the fanfare of, like, a state fair.

[C]

I had more of an ocala vibe in my mind of just like.

[B]

Yeah, like, you were grandiose of it all.

[A]

Well, it's Ohio, right.

[B]

But I. I just had pictured. Congress is like, this is the biggest one. It would be grandiose, similar to, like, weck, but it was still big, and the shopping was really big and everything.

[A]

So I will say y' all experienced the classes that were niche. So, like, this week was amateur week. All. Almost all of them had over 100 entries in the class. You know what I'm saying? Like, so, like the. The performance Halter Stallions.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

One of the most niche classes of the whole show. You know what I'm saying? Like, there's going to be the least amount of people in it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The maturity, like, 10k limited, like. Like, it still had multiple cuts and had, like, almost 50 horses in it. But I will say there are definitely events like the youth events. I think the showmanship had over 100 people. Like, I don't know. The classes themselves, we were definitely in, like, some of the smaller.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Events.

[B]

I was thinking more like, kind of similar to, like, NWTF size as far as walking around and shopping.

[A]

It honestly used to be, like, that's.

[B]

What I had pictured in my mind.

[C]

Of, like, now the nwtf, you really do got to go, like, two days to really.

[A]

I will say, shopping wise, it used to be shoulder to shoulder, and it used to be like they had two warehouses right next to each other. Instead of having that second building that's kind of far away, they used to have it way more packed. I remember them having buses, like, in one where you can walk through buses. I remember them having, like, so many more trailers. I do think the shopping is smaller, and I don't know necessarily all the reasons for that, but one of the things that. And I'm. I'm happy to help in this way that I. I saw a lot of positive. I mean, there's always gonna be people that, like, hate on me or whatever. And, like.

[B]

Right.

[A]

We're, you know, saying mean things about, like, my meet and greet, you know, whatever. But I did see one of the positive responses to that was, like, well, this is what we need to get, like, vendor numbers back up. This is what we need to get spectator numbers back up. Because, I mean, There were probably 500 people those days, and I think a good portion of them came for that event. And then they ended up eating and shopping and.

[B]

Right, right.

[A]

Parking and you know, that kind of thing. So I think, I think over the last couple years that I've been. The vendors were better this year and like more of them. But when I used to go when I was like a middle schooler, it was like. And maybe it seemed grander because I was a middle school.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I don't know. But I remember it being multiple buildings and like. Okay. Not to say that this is a bad thing, that Puppy Alley's smaller. You know. You know, a lot of people there is controversy over Puppy Alley being like, you know, if it's backyard breeders or. It was a rescue this year. Like they had a rescue that worked with it. So a lot of the. The dogs in Puppy Alley were a rescue, but it used to be like this huge tent. It was every day of the week. It was like crazy numbers. So again, not to say that's a bad thing, that it's like smaller. Smaller. But that used to be bigger too.

[B]

I think going to W first skewed my perception.

[A]

But there's a lot less people at WECK too.

[B]

A lot less people. And the shopping is not as good. It's not as fun shopping at weg.

[A]

It's like brick and mortar stores there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like they're there all the time. It's not like a setup event, you know, but the.

[B]

The grandiose of the building.

[A]

Yes, yes, yes.

[B]

Skewed my mind to thinking, well, Congress is bigger, which.

[A]

It is.

[B]

It is.

[A]

It's just. It's the fairgrounds. It's not right.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Anything.

[B]

So I think that was the part that felt smaller, but everything else felt. I could see it was bigger. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. I think. I can't remember. The stats. I think usually fluctuates between like 18 and 20,000 horses.

[C]

Wow.

[A]

On the property for the show.

[B]

Wild.

[A]

I would have never said that because it's not. They're not there all at once. It's a five week long event.

[C]

That's also crazy.

[A]

And so it's like people come and there's like all the Rainers are there for the first week and a half, then they all leave. So there was a thousand horses right there or, you know, however many. And then all of the hunter saddle, frater people are coming in and they're bringing in their youth kids that are going to be there the next week and. But then they leave and all of the what? All of the barrel racing people and pole bending people come in and like so, yeah, it just.

[B]

Yeah, that's fun.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you think, do you think it'll ever grow to where more stuff will be going on at the same time to where it's less weeks, but more happening?

[A]

They added a week, I think. I think they're gonna. They added a week this year. I think they're gonna have. Because they've added a lot of ranch classes, so that's already happening. Where they are. Are adding classes which I think is needed to expand. I mean, the quarter horse itself is so versatile. So I think adding more ranch classes is important because that just expands the amount of availability to people. And you know, they've. They've expanded their walk trot classes, which again, I think is super important to have that like, ground level entrance into that big of a show, because it's very intimidating to go to a horse show. That large, that much pressure. And if you're not like a hundred percent locked in on loping or you're, you know, like, let's say your horses, your horse has limitations with its movement. You can go in and do the walk trot classes or, you know, I think that's super important. And they have EWD classes, which is equestrians with disabilities. And I think they are going to be expanding, hopefully the hunter classes to where there are some lower level jumping classes. There are some, like the, the versatility class. We've made a video on. Like, I think that's gonna be great. But again, yeah, like, they're. You're running into the, the problem of like, you're either going to have to have events going concurrently and add a, a whole building, or you're going to like, have to keep expanding the time.

[B]

Can you, can you teach horses to do things like, just off of vocal command? So, like, you're not riding them.

[A]

Sure. I mean, you are, but you're not. Yeah. Because there's like.

[B]

Could there be an event where you go out there, the horse is out there, you're not on the horse. Oh, it's free, ready to go.

[A]

I mean, that's basically what Liberty is.

[C]

They do that with dogs.

[B]

Yeah. So I'm saying like, where you like, you give them out and it lopes off and it's like going through the pattern and you're just giving vocal cues.

[A]

So I think that's basically what liberty is, which is a class that like Arabians do, miniature horses do. To my knowledge. I don't believe any quarter horse. Yeah, like, show will have that. There's a lot of classes that the American paint horse and the Appaloosa horse will offer that we don't like in hand trail like a lot more in hand classes. And I think the reason they don't offer that is because of the limitations of time and you know, like, like just you get to the point where you're going to have a two month long show when it's that big. But I do think for yearlings, for two year olds, the in hand stuff is really cool. I think. I don't think it'd be a bad thing to have. And you run into the issue not just with these big shows, but we're already putting so many classes into a four day show for the weekend shows. And it would be to work because people have to get off work. People like it's just gonna get to where the numbers are hard to maintain. Yeah. Every show has to be a six day show or you know.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And usually on a four day show you're showing everything twice so that you get the max amount of points that you can. Anyway, it's. I don't think there's a great answer for everything. Like yeah, you're, you know.

[B]

But I really have to pee.

[A]

Well, wrap up.

[B]

We can wrap.

[A]

But anyway.

[C]

Or I will put my pants on this camera.

[A]

We might talk more. We might talk a little bit more about Congress next week when Abigail's feeling better and hopefully he's back on the show. But because there was a lot of funny moments, I think that would be better if she was here. But I'm glad y' all enjoyed your first conversation.

[C]

Funniest person though. She's almost. It's what makes her funny is her disinterest in most things.

[A]

Like I really wanted. I can't even tell the story again.

[C]

Yeah, well, that's great. That's good because it gives us something to talk about next we'll have more.

[A]

So hope you all enjoyed this episode of us just gabbing. Matt in the hot seat again. This is Matt.

[C]

We'll start doing name tags. If Name tags are 100% necessary, we.

[A]

Can adapt to that and I hope y' all enjoyed. Let us know what you want us to talk about in the next episode and we'll see you then.

[C]

Bye bye. Peace out.

[A]

It was my last word.

[C]

Thanks for watching.