COLUMBUS, OH, March 19, 2025 – In just a few short weeks, Equine Affaire in Ohio returns to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus! With tickets already on sale via equineaffaire.com, tens of thousands of horse lovers are eagerly awaiting their opportunity to journey back to North America’s premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering on April 10-13 – and its companion evening show, the Fantasia, returning on April 10-12! Since 1994, equine enthusiasts representing all breeds and all disciplines have attended Equine Affaire to learn, shop, network, convene, and above all, celebrate their love of horses. Next month, attendees will explore a plethora of new features as well as enjoy their favorite activities from years past.
Here’s a sneak peek at what awaits visitors at Equine Affaire this spring:
- Fantasia, Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse, is back for three enthralling performances on Thursday, April 10; Friday, April 11; and Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 pm in the US Equestrian Arena at the Ohio Expo Center. This two-hour musical and theatrical show will showcase the art of horsemanship in various forms, from garrocha, reining, and liberty to trick riding, drill teams, and chariot racing, and feature some of the nation’s best equine and equestrian performers! Tickets are on sale now for all three performances – get yours today via equineaffaire.com.
- The Donkey Extravaganza, held in partnership with Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, is a brand-new feature at Equine Affaire! Based in the Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center, this four-day event will feature educational clinics and exhibits, hands-on activities, kids crafts, an adoption fair, and shopping opportunities – all centered on the donkey! If you’ve always wanted to learn more about these long-eared equines or you’re interested in taking one home, join us for the inaugural Donkey Extravaganza.
- The Breed Bonanza, sponsored by Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal, is an exciting new competition happening on Sunday, April 12, at 11:30 am in the US Equestrian Arena. Open to all breeds and disciplines, this unique under-saddle class is designed to highlight horses from across the industry. The winner will be selected based on the quality of gaits, horsemanship, and turnout. Our judging panel – consisting of a breeder, a horse show judge, and a professional trainer – will be looking for the standout horse and rider combination who epitomizes the cream of the crop. It will be the perfect opportunity for horses and riders of all types, shapes, breeds, and disciplines to shine. Make plans to attend our event on Sunday!
- How about an Equine Affaire Scavenger Hunt? Equine Affaire’s official ticketing partner, Western Edge, is also the host of our mobile app, which is available for download on the App Store or through Google Play. Equine Affaire fans can download the app to streamline their ticket purchases, access our event program, view event maps, and more – including play our brand-new scavenger hunt! It’s free to download the app, free to make an account, and free to play. Attendees can start earning points at home by playing trivia challenges, taking snaps of their horses, and more, then earn even more points and enjoy exploring the event once they get to Equine Affaire. The winner with the most points on the scoreboard by midnight on April 13 wins a prize pack of Equine Affaire-branded swag. It’s a whole new way to experience Equine Affaire!
- Love draft horses? You’ll love Drive A Draft™! Featuring the Whispery Pines Percherons, this exciting hands-on experience will take place on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, in Rod’s Arena. In this once-in-a-lifetime activity, you’ll get to take the reins and learn to drive a beautiful black Percheron or a pair of Percherons under the expert tutelage of Sam and Kellie Rettinger, the owners of the Whispery Pines Percherons. It’s free to participate, but there are limited slots for each activity, so you’ll need to sign up in advance. To sign up, visit the Whispery Pines Percherons stalls in the Gilligan Complex (near the bright green wall) on Friday morning or Saturday morning during the event and ask for the Drive A Draft™ sign-up sheet!
- Cowtown in Cooper is back! Sponsored by Western Life Today, Cowtown in Cooper is a two-day educational feature that will take place on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12. Equine Affaire clinicians Barbra Schulte, Cole Cameron, Luke Reinbold, Steve Lantvit, and Julie Goodnight will present sessions on a variety of cow-oriented Western disciplines in the Cooper Arena. Horses and riders in the clinics will have the opportunity to work with live cattle under the expert guidance and tutelage of these clinicians, while audience members will learn valuable lessons about working with cattle, as well as practical methods for honing their skills at home sans cattle. For a full schedule of Cowtown clinics, review the event schedule today: https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/ohio-educational-program/ohio-presenters/.
- Designed to reward our most creative trade show exhibitors, the Best Booth Award Contest will commence on Thursday, April 10, at Equine Affaire! Our staff will select the top five finalists and present them to our social media audience, who will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites until noon on Saturday, April 12. The winning booth receives a certificate, a credit toward next year’s exhibit booth, and the honor of displaying the Best Booth award banner above their booth on Sunday, April 13. Show your appreciation for your favorite vendors by voting in the Best Booth Award contest on the official Equine Affaire Facebook and Instagram profiles. To learn about the winner of our 2024 Ohio Best Booth Award Contest, click here for our exclusive interview: https://youtu.be/MCM_J_bbOn0?si=RvdS0PjMB5PyzcXE!
- Are you passionate about equestrian fitness? Check out Equestrians in Motion! Hosted by fitness expert Ifa Simmonds of Equestrian Fitness Academy, these interactive workshops will take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Equine Affaire in the Voinovich conference room. Learn about efficient warm-up routines, increasing rider mobility, and building functional strength from Ifa Simmonds and participate in exercises tailor-made for equestrians! To sign up, visit the Shared Presenters’ Booth in the Voinovich during the show and choose the best session for your schedule. See our event schedule for more details.
- Speaking of fitness, we’re excited to bring back the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge on Saturday, April 12 at 3 pm in Rod’s Arena. Horse-people are used to slinging 100-pound hay bales, carrying 50-pound feed bags, and getting their daily quota of steps at the barn as they perform the daily chores involved with owning and caring for horses. In the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, they get to flex those hard-earned barn rat muscles in the Barn Chores Marathon for a chance to win fun prizes and bragging rights! The GEFC also features a hilarious footrace in the guise of the Bouncy Pony Race, where attendees can race each other to the finish line astride giant blue inflatable ponies. Whether you want to enter or just cheer on your friends, the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge is a must-see. It’s free to sign up, and no horses are needed. Visit the Equine Affaire Information Booth in the Bricker Building any time prior to the competition to sign up for a slot.
- It wouldn’t be Equine Affaire without an extensive trade show! Hundreds of exhibitors will be on site with friendly staff, beautiful booth displays, tons of horse-related products, information about essential equine or equestrian services, and plenty of opportunities for you to snag freebies, enter free raffles, and lots more. Tour the Bricker Building, the Bricker Annex, the Voinovich Building, the Gilligan Complex, and everywhere in between to make sure you visit all of our exhibitors, including our sponsors. And if you love bargains, make sure to drop by the Marketplace Consignment Shop in the Voinovich Building to look for great deals on gently used equine and equestrian items, or to consign your own. For more information about consigning at the Marketplace, check out our website: https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-participate/ohio-sell/ohio-the-marketplace-consignment/.
- Who doesn’t love a free raffle filled with equestrian-themed prizes? Equine Affaire is hosting a free online raffle! Enter our raffle online and you could win one of several great prizes: a $500 gift certificate to Equitopia, a prize package from US Equestrian, a year’s supply of horse treats from Zero Proof Horse Treats, one of two Triple Crown Nutrition prize packages, one of five $100 gift certificates to EspanaSilk Natural Grooming Products, one of two gorgeous, leather-framed equestrian mirrors from October Design Equestrian Decor, one of ten pairs of single-day admission tickets to the 2026 Equine Affaire in Ohio, a prize pack from The Healing Cowgirl, or one of five $100 gift certificates to Chewy! Entries are accepted through April 13, 2025, at https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-participate/ohio-win/ohio-free-raffle/.
For a full list of activities, features, exhibitors, and competitions, visit our website today – and start planning your trip to Equine Affaire! Tickets are on sale now. Single day tickets and four-day passes for Equine Affaire and tickets to all three performances of Fantasia are available for purchase here: https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/ohio-general-information/tickets/. Please note that equineaffaire.com is the only place to purchase your tickets to Equine Affaire or Fantasia.
General admission tickets to Equine Affaire are $18/day for adults or $55 for a four-day pass; children’s tickets are available for $10/day for children ages 7-10; and children six and under are admitted for free. Enjoy unbridled access to the largest horse-related trade show in North America, multiple themed pavilions, the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition, the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, the brand-new Breed Bonanza and Donkey Extravaganza, and all clinics, seminars, and demonstrations, as well as a variety of immersive activities! Separate tickets are required for Fantasia, a musical celebration of the horse.
Equine Affaire acknowledges the generous support of its sponsors, including Rod’s, US Equestrian, Pro Earth Animal Health, Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal, Western Life Today, LRP Matting, and others. To learn more about Equine Affaire and stay up to date on everything related to Equine Affaire in Ohio, visit www.equineaffaire.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram @equineaffaire. We’ll see you at Equine Affaire!
Media Contact:
Allison Rehnborg, Marketing Coordinator
Equine Affaire, Inc.
Phone: (740) 845-0085 ext. 103
arehnborg@equineaffaire.com
www.equineaffaire.com
*Pictures Available Upon Request