Equine Affaire Press Room

LONDON, OH, January 26, 2022 – For equestrians, spring is a time for setting new riding goals, plotting out fresh adventures with horses and learning new skills to apply on the trail, in the show pen or in the barn aisle. And guess what? You can accomplish all that and more by attending Equine Affaire in Ohio! On April 7-10, 2022, the nation’s premiere equine exposition and equestrian gathering will return, live and in-person, to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. Boasting a full schedule of educational clinics, a plethora of special features and immersive activities as well as multiple exciting competitions, Equine Affaire is the ultimate destination for equestrians and horse lovers of all ages. Tickets for this amazing event are on sale now at equineaffaire.com!

Advance general admission tickets for Equine Affaire are just $15 per day for adults or $50 for a four-day pass. Tickets for children, ages 7-10, are $8 per day. Children six and under are admitted for free. For the price of general admission, attendees can enjoy shopping at the nation’s largest horse-related trade show; participating in activities and events in all theme pavilions; attending all competitions, such as the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition, the International Liberty Horse Association Freestyle and the Mustang TIP Challenge; and watching all clinics, seminars and demonstrations. Hours for Equine Affaire are Thursday through Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm, and Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm. Separate tickets are required for Fantasia, Equine Affaire’s signature musical celebration of the horse, which will take place at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Fantasia tickets are also on sale now and range from $14 to $25. Purchase your tickets for Equine Affaire and Fantasia online today at equineaffaire.com!

Part of Equine Affaire’s mission is to offer unparalleled learning opportunities through educational clinics, sessions and demonstrations hosted by some of the nation’s top equine professionals. This year, equestrians can look forward to learning from featured general trainers Craig Cameron, Warwick Schiller, Lynn Palm, Jim Thomas, and JR Robles (colt starting & reined cow horse). Other discipline-specific presenters include Jeff Cook and Michael Burnett (hunter/jumper), Liz Austin and Stephen Hayes (dressage), Kevin Oliver (reining and trail), Kristin Weaver-Brown (barrel racing), Lynn Palm (Western dressage), Bob Giles (driving), Luke Gingerich (liberty and bridleless riding), Simon Cocozza (core strengthening & yoga for horses), Gary Lane (easy gaited horses), Stephanie Lockhart-Hayes (working equitation), Jerry Paulsen (equine-assisted activities), Jenny Vidbel O’Donnell (liberty), Maggie Herlensky (sidesaddle), Fred Win (para equestrian), Paul Garrison (mules), Caleb Carinci-Asch (lunging), 6^th Ohio Mounted Buglers & 2^nd Cavalry Brigade (mounted cavalry), Mini Doves (miniature horse drill team) and the Young Guns Drill Team (drill team). More clinicians will be announced in the coming months, so stay tuned to equineaffaire.com or follow us on social media @EquineAffaire for updates.

In addition to education, Equine Affaire is the place to shop for all things equine. The trade show boasts more than 400 vendors across four buildings, ensuring that equestrians from all disciplines and walks of life can find the items and services they need as well as the products they want. Many clinicians will also have booths of their own in the trade show, giving attendees the opportunity to meet-and-greet, ask questions and purchase products. For a full list of vendors who will be in attendance, visit equineaffaire.com, click the “Ohio” event, click “Attend” and then “Exhibitors.” And don’t miss the Marketplace Consignment Shop! Nestled into the northwest corner of the Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center, the Marketplace Consignment Shop is the perfect place to hunt for bargains on tack, apparel, riding gear, training equipment, stable and barn equipment and more. Or if you’re looking to downsize or declutter your tack room, consider consigning! With an easy consignment process, affordable fees and friendly staff to sell your items for you, displaying your items at the Marketplace Consignment Shop is a no-stress way to clean out your barn, trailer or tack room. To learn more about signing up to consign, visit equineaffaire.com, click the “Ohio” event, “Participate” and then “Marketplace Consignment Shop.”

Equine Affaire is also home to a plethora of fun activities and immersive equine experiences. Check out the Breed Pavilion and Horse & Farm Exhibits to network with breed representatives, learn about new breeds, connect with industry professionals, watch educational demonstrations and more. Ready to find your next horse? Shop (or adopt!) a horse at Equine Affaire by visiting the For Sale stalls and the Adoption Affaire, which showcases horses for adoption from a variety of horse rescues and sanctuaries. Love cheering for talented horses and riders? On Friday, April 8, check out the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition, the Mustang Heritage Foundation Trainer Incentive Program (TIP) Challenge and the International Liberty Horse Association (LHA) Freestyle Competition! With three competitions going on throughout the day, there’s no telling what kind of amazing feats you’ll witness as horses and their partners work together to accomplish their goals. The ILHA Finals and Mustang TIP Challenge Parts 2 and 3 will take place on Saturday, April 9. For those new to the horse industry, be sure to visit the Equine Fundamentals Forum in the Celeste Center. Beneficial for all ages, the EFF is filled with fun presentations and informative, hands-on interactive displays designed to educate and enthrall. And if you’re ready to ride a horse for the first time, or for the first time in a long time, sign up with the Ohio Haflinger Association in the Breed Pavilion for your chance to ride a Haflinger during Equine Affaire. Finally, Equine Affaire is partnering with A Horse for Heroes to offer veterans, active duty and first responders the opportunity to experience the effects of equine-assisted activities and therapies firsthand. To sign up, visit the Operation Horses and Heroes, Inc. booth in the Breed Pavilion, which will be in the Voinovich Complex. This free activity will take place Friday, April 8^th, and Sunday, April 9^th.

Finish off your day at Equine Affaire by attending one of just three performances of the Fantasia, sponsored by Absorbine®! Beloved by horse lovers of all ages, Fantasia is an equine extravaganza dedicated to showcasing the beauty, elegance and grace of horses of a variety of breeds and disciplines. This year’s show will feature drill teams, garrocha, reining freestyles, liberty acts, driving routines and more. Tickets are going fast, so don’t miss your opportunity to see the show! You can purchase your tickets online at equineaffaire.com or by calling the Equine Affaire office at (740) 845-0085, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday.

Ready to plan your trip? Check out our list of host hotels on equineaffaire.com (select the Ohio event, then “Attend” and “Host Hotels”) to find the perfect place for you. When making reservations, make sure to mention that you’re attending Equine Affaire to receive a special discounted rate. Please note that the Ohio Expo Center charges for parking. Interested in volunteering at Equine Affaire? Register online by 2/25/22 to volunteer, and you could earn free admission!

Equine Affaire gratefully acknowledges its generous sponsors, including Absorbine, sponsor of Fantasia; Farnam, sponsor of the Courtesy Shopping Bag; Rod’s Western Palace, sponsor of the Rod’s Arena; US Equestrian, sponsor of the US Equestrian Arena; and Wahl, sponsor of the Wahl demo ring. To learn more about Equine Affaire, visit our website, www.equineaffaire.com. You can also call our main office at (740) 845-0085, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday, and follow Equine Affaire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram via @equineaffaire. We’ll see you in Ohio!

LONDON, OH, January 10, 2022 – It’s the start of a brand-new year, and there’s no better time to invest in your equestrian education and improve your riding abilities. With Equine Affaire’s Ride with a Pro clinic program, you can do both! As North America’s premiere equine exposition and equestrian gathering, Equine Affaire hosts more than 150 educational sessions, clinics and demonstrations presented by world champions, national champions, Olympians, popular equestrian TV personalities, professional equestrian performers and other top industry professionals. Ride with a Pro enables equestrians just like you to participate in these clinics and learn firsthand from some of the industry’s best teachers, trainers and coaches. Get a leg up on your riding goals and make plans now to attend and participate in Equine Affaire, which will take place April 7-10, 2022, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio. Apply by February 11, 2022, for your chance to Ride with a Pro at Equine Affaire!

This year, many of our clinicians are looking for selected horses and riders to participate in their clinics during the 2022 Equine Affaire in Ohio. This is your chance to ride with and learn from clinicians such as Craig Cameron (general training & horsemanship), Warwick Schiller (general training & horsemanship), Lynn Palm (general training & horsemanship), JR Robles (colt starting & reined cow horse) and Jim Thomas (general training & horsemanship). Other discipline-specific clinicians who are also seeking horses and riders include Jeff Cook (hunter/jumper), Liz Austin and Stephen Hayes (dressage), Kevin Oliver (reining and trail), Kristin Weaver-Brown (barrel racing), Lynn Palm (Western dressage), Bob Giles (driving), Luke Gingerich (liberty), Simon Cocozza (core strengthening & yoga for horses) and Paul Garrison (mules). More clinicians will be announced in the coming months, so stay tuned to equineaffaire.com or follow us on social media @EquineAffaire.

Ready to learn how to apply? Visit equineaffaire.com (select the Ohio event, click “Participate” and then “Ride with a Pro”) or you can contact Lori Helsel at lhelsel@equineaffaire.com or by calling (740) 845-0085, ext. 107. Fees for clinics range from $75-$225. All clinic fees include participation in the clinic, admission to Equine Affaire on the day of the clinic and twenty-four hours of stabling for your horse. All applications are due by February 11, 2022.

In addition to offering educational sessions to benefit horse and rider, Equine Affaire is home to the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition. This exciting competition gives equestrians the opportunity to demonstrate their partnerships with their horses and test their abilities by riding through an obstacle course filled with versatility-themed tasks such as crossing bridges, carrying barrels, leaping obstacles, opening gates, riding through balloon arches and more. Riders will race the clock and compete for $5,500 in prize money and other awards, not to mention the title of 2022 Versatile Horse & Rider Champion! Riders must be at least 18 years old to apply. The competition will take place on Friday, April 8, in the coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center. For application materials and other details, visit equineaffaire.com and select the Ohio event, click “Participate” and then click “Versatile Horse & Rider Competition.” Apply by February 15, 2022!

Tickets for Equine Affaire and Fantasia are on sale now through equineaffaire.com, or by calling the main office. If you’re ready to plan your trip to Ohio as a participant, a competitor or an attendee, visit our website for host hotels, location and event hours, health and safety guidelines and other important information. For questions or ticket orders, call our office at (740) 845-0085 any time from 9:00 am-5:00 pm EST, Monday-Friday. We’ll see you at Equine Affaire!

SPRINGFIELD, MA, November 22, 2021 – On November 11, 2021, the doors to the Eastern States Exposition swung open wide to welcome back crowds of excited horse lovers for the 61^st annual Equine Affaire! After taking a brief hiatus from live events due to the global pandemic, North America’s premiere equine exposition and equestrian gathering returned to W. Springfield, Mass., for its first in-person event since 2019. Spanning four days and featuring educational clinics, exciting competitions, a massive trade show and a plethora of networking opportunities for equine professionals, the 2021 Equine Affaire in Massachusetts was a roaring success.

“The whole staff was excited to get back to the Eastern States Exposition for Equine Affaire in Massachusetts,” said Coagi Long, president of Equine Affaire. “Everyone who attended was as enthusiastic as we were at the chance to be there in person to celebrate our love for horses with each other, especially after a year away. What’s so great about the horse is its ability to bring people together, no matter where they come from or what discipline they ride, and Equine Affaire is the perfect outlet for that togetherness.”

Since 1994, Equine Affaire’s mission has been to elevate the equestrian experience – and part of that mission includes providing continuing education to equestrians and horse lovers of all disciplines. At this year’s event, clinicians provided ample learning opportunities with a robust schedule of educational clinics, seminars and demonstrations. Headliners included American cowboy Ken McNabb, elite reining and liberty practitioner Dan James, world-class showman Lynn Palm and internationally recognized natural horseman JR Robles. Many more clinicians taught discipline-specific sessions, including Lendon Gray (dressage), Jim Wofford (eventing), Rita Timanaro (hunter/jumper), Bryan Penquite (reining and ranch horse), Stephen Hayes (dressage), Bob Giles (driving), Lynn Palm (Western dressage), Shaina Humphrey (hunter under saddle), Ed Dabney (trail and general horsemanship), Anita Howe (easy gaited horses), Karen Rohlf (biomechanics), Luke Reinbold (trail obstacles), Wendy Murdoch (Surefoot, Murdoch Method), Steven Stevens (general horsemanship), Sharon Wilsie (Horse Speak^®), Fred Win (para reining), the Diamond D Cowgirls (drill teams) and others. With sessions spanning a wealth of disciplines, there was a clinic available for riders of all skill levels and interests throughout the weekend.

On Thursday night of the event, Fantasia opened with the first of three breathtaking performances. Sponsored by Absorbine, Fantasia is Equine Affaire’s signature musical celebration of the horse and a beloved tradition for many Equine Affaire attendees. Its much-anticipated return to the coliseum did not disappoint. On Thursday evening, the show began with the National Anthem, performed by Melissa Serra. Overcome with emotion, Serra paused for a moment during her performance. That’s when the entire crowd chose to lift their voices and sing with her — turning an already meaningful moment into an especially beautiful and fitting tribute for Veterans Day. Highlights from this year’s Fantasia included a tribute to wounded soldiers from para-reiner Fred Win; a beautiful long-line demonstration by Katharina Gasser with Habano the Andalusian; a drill-team routine by the Diamond D Cowgirls; Jenny Vidbel’s 16-horse liberty routine; a stunning bridleless reining and liberty routine from Luke Gingerich; and a beautiful multi-costumed performance by Shawn Drentwett and Ricco the Friesian.

On Friday, November 12, fourteen horse-and-rider pairs vied for top honors in the 2021 Versatile Horse and Rider Competition, sponsored by Nutrena. Attendees enjoyed spending the afternoon cheering on their favorite competitors with Ed Dabney as judge and Luke Reinbold as emcee. Defending their titles as the Massachusetts Versatile Horse & Rider Champions from 2019, Danelle Osinchuk and Slip Me a Dual Pep, a 21-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding, emerged as the winners with a high score of 76. There was a tie for second place between Brenda Hanson and Rob West. Rob West and Moonshine Lady won the tiebreaker and took second place. Third place went to Brenda Hanson and Ace, who won the 2019 Ohio Versatile Horse & Rider Competition. April Baronas and Que Sera Sera won fourth, and Jackie Rappel and Beckett’s Hickory Doc (Roanie) came in fifth. For full results, visit equineaffaire.com/press.

New this year, the International Liberty Horse Association hosted a two-part invitational freestyle competition during Equine Affaire. Founded by Dan and Elizabeth James, ILHA is dedicated to promoting the discipline of liberty training. In this special competition, select competitors performed freestyle liberty routines with their equine partners. Compulsories took place on Saturday, November 13, and the finals occurred on Sunday, November 14. The horses and their handlers competed in three divisions: youth, non pro and pro. Jolina Dhue and Nemo won the youth championship with a score of 58.50. The non pro championship went to Meredith Vallillo and Cricket with a score of 171.50, while the pro champions were Elliot Holtzman and Wallapeno with a score of 174.0. For full results, please visit https://ilha.allsportsequine.com/results/11909/classes/13318.html. The ILHA will also host a competition at the 2021 Equine Affaire in Ohio.

Equine Affaire is home to North America’s largest horse-related trade show, giving attendees the opportunity to shop for everything from supplements to saddles to show clothes. This year, the trade show included the Marketplace Consignment Shop. Featured in the Mallary North, the Marketplace was the perfect place for attendees to consign items they no longer needed or wanted and then browse for bargains galore. Attendees consigned items such as equestrian apparel, tack and equine apparel, riding gear and accessories, training equipment, stable equipment and more. This was the first year of the Marketplace in Massachusetts, and attendees jumped at the chance to buy and sell gently used items. The Marketplace will also take place at the 2021 Equine Affaire in Ohio.

One of the biggest draws of Equine Affaire is the opportunity to interact with horse breeds from all over the world. The Horse & Farm Exhibits and the Breed Pavilion were a popular destination throughout the weekend and included breeds as familiar as the American Quarter Horse and as exciting and diverse as the Friesian, the Fjord and the Icelandic horse. Visitors also had the opportunity to meet the very first Menorcan horses to set foot in the United States, courtesy of PR Menorcan Horses. First recognized in 1989, the Menorcan horse is a breed indigenous to the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. These beautiful black horses are most often used to perform Menorcan dressage during traditional festivals on the island. In addition to being featured in the Breed Pavilion, the Menorcan horses performed in several breed demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Another new feature this year included the official Equine Affaire Mechanical Horse! Housed in the Equine Fundamentals Forum, this fun purple pony is part of a new initiative to raise funds for a special Equine Affaire scholarship fund. The mechanical horse was also the feature of a social media campaign via the official Equine Affaire Facebook page. For three weeks, Equine Affaire’s fans voted for their favorite name for the horse in a two-part naming contest. The Prince-inspired moniker, Purple Rein, came out on top! Be sure to visit Purple Rein at a future Equine Affaire for pony rides and contribute to the Equine Affaire scholarship fund.

Equine Affaire wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors. Thank you to Absorbine®, sponsor of Fantasia; US Equestrian, sponsor of the Coliseum arena; Farnam, sponsor of the Courtesy Shopping Bag; Horizon Structures, the official barn of Equine Affaire; GGT, sponsor of the Mallary & Young Arenas; Nutrena, sponsor of the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition; Cowboy Magic, sponsor of presentations by Ken McNabb; and Mane N Tail, sponsor of presentations by Dan James.

Did you miss out on this year’s Equine Affaire? Save the dates! Join us April 7-10, 2022, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio, for the 2021 Equine Affaire in Ohio. Equine Affaire in Massachusetts will return to the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, Mass., on November 10-13, 2022. We can’t wait to see you at Equine Affaire! Visit us online at equineaffaire.com for updates. If you have questions, call our office at (740) 845-0085 any time from 9:00 am-5:00 pm EST, Monday-Friday. For fun contests, photos, videos and event updates, follow Equine Affaire on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter via @equineaffaire.

DANELLE OSINCHUK & MAGIC DEFEND THEIR TITLE AS VERSATILE HORSE & RIDER CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to the 2021 MA Versatile Horse & Rider Competition Champions, Danelle Osinchuk and Slip Me A Dual Pep! Danelle and “Magic” also won the 2019 MA Versatile Horse & Rider Competition. Danelle and Magic are long-time partners who enjoy competing in O.H.I.O EXCA events and versatility competitions. Together, they’ve earned multiple year-end championships in stock horse events and are leading the buckle series in O.H.I.O EXCA in the intermediate and non-pro divisions this year. Danelle and Magic won the 2021 MA VHRC with a high score of 76.

There was a tie for second place between Brenda Hanson and Rob West. Rob West and Moonshine Lady won the tiebreaker and took second place. Third place went to Brenda Hanson and Ace, who won the 2019 OH Versatile Horse & Rider Competition. April Baronas and Que Sera Sera won fourth, and Jackie Rappel and Beckett’s Hickory Doc (Roanie) came in fifth. Congratulations to all our amazing competitors, and special thanks to our judge, Ed Dabney, and emcee, Luke Reinbold, and our sponsor, Nutrena!

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The competition was held in the Coliseum at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, on Friday, November 12, 2021, from 1:00-5:00pm EST. For more information, visit https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-participate/mass-compete/mass-versatile-horse-rider-competition/.

 

THE FACES OF THE 2021 VERSATILE HORSE AND RIDER COMPETITION

In just two days, eighteen competitors will enter the coliseum at the Eastern States Exposition to participate in the 2021 Versatile Horse and Rider Competition! Sponsored by Nutrena, this year’s competition features an exciting obstacle race and $5,500 in cash and other prizes. In this post, meet the final two competitors who will join the race at Equine Affaire! (Check out Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 to meet more of the competitors.)

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 Brenda Hanson

Horse: Ace, 10-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding

Brenda Hanson and Ace are no strangers to the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition. This power couple were the 2019 VHRC Champions. They’ve also won the reserve championship twice and placed in the top 5 three times!

Brenda and Ace

Jessica Knapp

Horse: River of Dreams, 10-year-old Holsteiner/Welsh cross gelding

Jessica and “River” have been working together for six years in the hunter/jumper discipline. In 2020, they earned championships in both the 2’3 hunter and the 2’3 equitation divisions of their local show circuit. Jessica says River is a brave and curious horse who likes new challenges and different venues. The pair competed in the 2019 VHRC and are looking forward to competing again this year.

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Don’t miss the excitement! Admission to the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition is included with every general admission ticket to Equine Affaire. The competition will be held in the Coliseum at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, on Friday, November 12, 2021, from 1:00-5:00pm EST. For more information, visit https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-participate/mass-compete/mass-versatile-horse-rider-competition/.