The fifth annual New England Equine Affaire is scheduled to take place November 7-10, 2002 at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA, and the show will feature 50% more training clinics than were offered at previous events. “We’re developing a third large clinic arena inside the Young Building,” explained Eugenia Snyder, Executive Producer of Equine Affaire, “so we’ve been able to expand our lineup of clinicians, the number of clinic sessions, and the number of equestrian sports and activities we are able to present at the show. We have had to sacrifice one of our two seminar stages in order to accommodate the new arena,” Eugenia reported, “but we have found that training clinics tend to be the best-attended sessions at Equine Affaire. We’re also trying to remain responsive to the requests we receive from attendees for an even broader range of clinic topics and clinicians.”
More than 85,000 horsepeople are expected to convene in W. Springfield in November to shop at the trade show, attend clinics conducted by leading horse trainers, competitors and coaches, enhance their horse management skills through seminars and demonstrations by industry professionals, and enjoy the company of fellow horse enthusiasts. With nearly 200 different clinics, seminars, and demonstrations throughout the four days of the show, Equine Affaire offers horsemen a unique and remarkably inexpensive opportunity to see, hear, and learn from many of the nation’s leading equine professionals. As in past years, the 2002 Equine Affaire will have something to offer to horse enthusiasts of all ages, all breed and sport persuasions, and all levels of expertise from 4-H participants to full-time professionals.
The roster of clinicians that will be featured at the 2002 Equine Affaire includes several clinicians who have been featured at previous events, but most of the presenters at this year’s show will be appearing at the New England Equine Affaire for the first time. Among those who will be returning by popular demand to Equine Affaire are “general trainers” John Lyons, Clinton Anderson, and GaWaNi Pony Boy; dressage expert, Lendon Gray; TTEAM training originator, Linda Tellington-Jones; and On-Target Training developers, Shawna and Vinton Karrasch. Among the many new clinicians and topics that will be featured in November will be: 2001 USA Equestrian of the Year, Todd Minikus, teaching jumping; Olympic gold medallist and multiple champion, Phillip Dutton, teaching eventing; World Champion barrel racer, Marlene McRae, teaching barrels, poles, and horsemanship; AQHA champion trainer and judge, Dale Livingston, teaching western pleasure; champion driver and AHSA/ADS judge, Muffy Seaton, teaching pleasure and combined driving; 1974 AHSA Horsewoman of the Year, judge, trainer, and competitor, Judy Richter, teaching jumping; coach, clinician, and author of Horses Don’t Lie, Chris Irwin, providing general training tips; top Saddlebred trainer and competitor, Lisa Jensen Richardson, teaching saddleseat English pleasure; champion AQHA and APHA trainer and competitor, Terry Myers, teaching trail and showmanship; the Ohio Top Hands Precision Rodeo Drill Team teaching gymkhana and drill team performance; international competitor and national champion endurance rider, Darolyn Butler-Dial, providing tips on distance competition; and natural gait specialist and author, Brenda Imus, teaching methods for training easy gaited horses. In addition there will be presentations on driving and long-reining by Clay Maier of “Friesians Spectacular,” general training presentations by Julie Goodnight of CHA, sessions on sidesaddles and sidesaddle riding by Gail DiScipio and Sue Gregg, and a clinic on polocrosse by Tom Bowman.
Complementing the extensive schedule of training clinics will be a full schedule of seminars and hands-on demonstrations by well-known authors, researchers, veterinary practitioners, and other equine professionals.
The 60 seminars and demonstrations at Equine Affaire will cover practical subjects such as breeding, trailer safety, fencing, rehabilitation therapies, dentistry, hoof care, hay quality, pasture management, horse conditioning, nutrition, compost management, barn design, and veterinary care. They will also cover topics as wide-ranging as therapeutic riding, animal communication, grooming and competition turnout, yoga for equestrians, equine art and photography, horse selection, saddle fit, and disaster preparedness.
The trade show at this year’s Equine Affaire will again offer a wide range of tack, riding apparel, trailers, trucks, health & grooming supplies, barn equipment, jewelry, books, publications, videos, art, fencing, accessories, and gifts. It will be the largest and most broad-based equine-related trade show in the East, and, for horse enthusiasts, it will provide a wonderful opportunity to prepare for next year’s competition and pleasure riding season as well as to take advantage of year-end bargains on a wide range of horse-related products. All major trailer manufacturers will be onsite giving attendees the opportunity to see, evaluate, and compare a large number of trailers before making an investment.
“To enable horse enthusiasts to plan their Equine Affaire shopping before the show opens, we’ve introduced a new online exhibitor showcase on our Web site,” Eugenia reported. Visitors to the online showcase at www.equineaffaire.com may preview a floor plan of the hundreds of equine product and service vendor exhibits at Equine Affaire and plan their shopping in advance. After the event, attendees can log on to explore the exhibits they missed during the busy four-day exposition.
“We have also consolidated the exhibit booths of the clinicians featured at this year’s show into a new Presenter Pavilion which will be located to the west of the bleachers adjacent to the MD Barns Arena in the Mallary Complex,” Eugenia continued. “The Presenter Pavilion will be quite extensive and will make it much easier for attendees to find the clinicians and speakers as well as their exhibits and products in between sessions at the event.”
Equine Affaire’s popular Breed Pavilion will be located in the Stroh Building and will feature a combination of exhibit booths and stalls. Horse breed and color associations and registries will be represented not only by their respective booths, but also by a rotating cast of selected stallions, mares, and geldings. Nearly 50 breeds of horses will be showcased in the Equine Affaire Breed Pavilion, the Stallion & Farm Exhibit Area within C-Barn, and in demonstrations throughout the weekend. “I believe that the breed exhibits and demonstrations are an extremely important part of Equine Affaire,” Eugenia Snyder said. “The show offers individuals associated with different horse breeds the opportunity to market their respective breeds and horses for sale to horse enthusiasts outside of their usual circle of contacts. And the Breed Pavilion also presents to folks who are new to horses the strengths and characteristics of different breeds and make informed decisions before they invest.
Of course, Equine Affaire also offers stallion owners a great way to promote their stallions and mare owners the opportunity to review stallions in person without having to travel all over New England.”