W. SPRINGFIELD, MA, November 26, 2024 – With more than thirty-three thousand equestrians in attendance across four days of festivities, Equine Affaire enjoyed an exciting 26th year at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield earlier this month. Equine enthusiasts of all ages enjoyed attending a robust educational program, cheering for riders, horses, and athletes in a variety of competitions, networking and shopping and fulfilling all their Christmas list wishes at a sprawling trade show, going on stagecoach rides, learning how to drive draft horses, and so much more – all with the smile-inducing bonus of uncharacteristically gorgeous weather for November in New England! It was truly an affair to remember for attendees and participants alike.
Just ask Jessica Knapp, who has been attending the Massachusetts event for the past seventeen years: first as an attendee; later, as a clinic participant; and this year, as a Versatile Horse and Rider competitor aboard her Holsteiner/Welsh gelding, River of Dreams.
“For me, Equine Affaire is a very special event that motivates, educates and celebrates, and I learn so much from it year after year, both personally and professionally,” said Jessica. “Thank you for creating a space for equestrians to experience horsemanship on such a positive level and in so many different ways.”
Equine Affaire strives to elevate the equestrian experience for everyone, especially through its educational program. This year, Guy McLean, Chris Irwin, Tik Maynard, and Ryan Rose led an all-star class of trainers, coaches, instructors, and other equine industry professionals in presenting a wealth of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations about all aspects of horsemanship. Clinic participants and attendees learned about general horsemanship, eventing, horse behavior, trail, dressage, hunter/jumper, cutting, sports psychology, dressage, driving, jumping, vaquero traditions, reining, gaited horses, liberty, draft horses, miniature horses, drill teams, vaulting, and so much more, plus topics related to rider health and wellness, horse health and wellness, and advances in equine science. In between clinics, breed organizations presented informative demos about different breeds of horses, and attendees saw American Quarter Horses, Mustangs, Bashkir Curlies, Morgans, Gypsy Vanners, Arabians, Dales Ponies, Lippitt Morgans, Icelandic ponies, Standardbreds, Percherons, and Thoroughbreds in action.
In addition to clinic and seminar learning experiences, many visitors had the opportunity for hands-on learning through Drive a Draft™, presented by Sam and Kellie Rettinger of Whispery Pines Percherons Carriages and Logging. This exciting activity drew crowds of draft horse fans on both Friday and Saturday as they gathered to watch, learn, and take the reins for themselves to experience the feel of real horsepower at the tips of their fingers. The Whispery Pines Percherons also provided stagecoach rides all four days of the event, giving people the experience of a lifetime as they enjoyed a rollicking ride in an authentic wooden stagecoach pulled by two giant draft horses.
On top of the educational experiences, horses and riders enjoyed competing for prizes and bragging rights in the 2024 Versatile Horse & Rider Competition and the brand-new Breed Bonanza! On Friday afternoon, twenty-six combinations competed in the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition for $5,500 in cash and other prizes. Sponsored by Chewy, the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition featured a challenging obstacle course. Competitors pulled a hay bale on a sled, navigated a gate, weaved poles, performed flying and simple lead changes, crossed and backed on a bridge, and carried a flag, among many other tasks. Judged by Tik Maynard and announced by Noah Rattner, this popular competition drew an enthusiastic crowd to the US Equestrian Arena as families and friends gathered to cheer on their chosen champions. This year’s Versatile Horse & Rider Champions are Michael Offner and his horse, PR Juney Pooney, a 6-year-old grade mare. For full results, please visit equineaffaire.com/press!
Sponsored by Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal, the brand-new Breed Bonanza debuted on Sunday, November 10! A host of excited riders and horses, all groomed, polished, and turned out in their Sunday best, gathered to compete. Seven riders competed in the Youth division, with eighteen in the Adult division. The classes were judged by Bryan Penquite, Kelli Wainscott, and Jessica Sebring, who evaluated each horse and rider on presentation, horsemanship, and the quality of gaits. Attendees admired Icelandic ponies, Fjords, Oldenburgs, Gypsy Vanners, Quarter Horses, Morgans, Haflingers, Connemaras, Aztecas, Thoroughbreds, and Standardbreds as they went head-to-head in a beautiful “battle of the breeds.” The winner of the Youth division was Claudia Chambert aboard Freddy, a gorgeous Gypsy Vanner gelding. The winner of the Adult division was Brittany Mayer aboard Coppy That, a Mustang mare. Each winner received a beautifully embroidered cooler and a grand champion ribbon. For full results and placings, please visit equineaffaire.com/press!
Equine Affaire was also proud to host two unmounted competitions: the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge on Saturday and the Best Booth Award! Featuring barnyard Olympic-type events such as the Barn Chores Marathon and the Bouncy Pony Race, the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge – sponsored by Boot Barn – served as a hilarious and athletic test of every competitor’s strength and endurance. Special thanks to Coach Daniel Stewart of the Pressure Proof Coaching Academy for serving as our emcee and positivity guru during the competition! Meanwhile, the Best Booth Award contest took place throughout the weekend via social media. On opening day of the show, the Equine Affaire staff toured the trade show, Breed Pavilion, and Horse & Farm Exhibits to select five finalists: By Field and Flower Hat Bar, Dirty Cowgirl Company, StableFeed, Newt’s Hat Company, and Arabian Region 16. Photos and videos of each of these finalists were published via Equine Affaire’s Facebook and Instagram, and the public voted for their choice. Congratulations to Newt’s Hat Company for securing a well-deserved win! Make sure to visit Newt’s Hat Company’s award-winning booth at our 2025 Massachusetts event. Newt’s Hat Company was one of many hundreds of vendors and businesses that went all-out this year during Equine Affaire’s bustling trade show, which was spread out across and between multiple buildings at the show and served shoppers all weekend long.
Congratulations are also in order for six lucky horses and their brand-new owners, courtesy of the ASPCA Right Horse Adoption Affaire! The ASPCA and three Right Horse Partners – MSPCA at Nevins Farm, Susquehanna SPCA, and Horses’ Haven – were on site during Equine Affaire to host the Adoption Affaire and present adoptable horses to the public. In just two days, six beautiful and deserving horses found new partners and homes. Equine Affaire is proud to present the Adoption Affaire twice a year and help provide a platform for equine rescues, adoptions, and sanctuaries where needy horses can find new homes and touch new hearts. For more information, please visit https://www.aspca.org/news/six-lucky-horses-struck-gold-equine-affaire!
Eager crowds gathered after Equine Affaire each day to attend Fantasia, Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse, in the US Equestrian Arena. Sponsored by Equine Medical & Surgical Associates, Fantasia is a two-hour musical spectacular featuring a wide variety of performances by some of the nation’s top equestrian entertainers and their horses. This fall’s rendition of Fantasia enthralled horse lovers of all ages with a fabulous lineup of performances by the Outlaws and the Renegades drill teams, dressage queen Lauren Sammis, reigning reiner Kevin Raber, the darling Mini-Doves miniature pony team, the Whispery Pines Percherons, the Valley View Miniatures, Ermes Zamperla & Company, Mary Miller-Jordan and Magic the Mustang, Kaleigh Marie and the Braveheart Beasts, and of course, Guy McLean with his team of gorgeous performance horses. Both Friday and Saturday night’s shows sold out!
This fall’s event also marked Equine Affaire’s first collaboration with the Western Edge mobile app. With Western Edge, attendees could buy tickets, review event maps, check out vendor lists, and play along with a special scavenger hunt – all with the tap of their phone screens! Equine Affaire is looking forward to continuing our partnership with Western Edge into the new year.
Got FOMO after hearing about all the great events that went on at Equine Affaire? We’ve got two suggestions for you! First, save these dates. Equine Affaire will be at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH, on April 10-13, 2025. Tickets for the 2025 Equine Affaire and Fantasia in Ohio go on sale via equineaffaire.com and Western Edge on December 4! Equine Affaire will return to the Eastern States Exposition on November 6-9, 2025, with tickets going on sale in early July 2025. Second, are you subscribed to the Equine Affaire Podcast yet? Featuring exclusive interviews with our presenters, participants, competitors, attendees, sponsors, and more, Equine Affaire produces a new episode every month – so you can keep up with North America’s premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering all year long! Stay up to date and subscribe to the Official Equine Affaire podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Equine Affaire is deeply grateful for all of the people and horses who help make our events possible each and every year. Thank you all for making Equine Affaire great! In addition, Equine Affaire acknowledges the generous support of its sponsors, including Equine Medical & Surgical Associates; US Equestrian; GGT Footing; Horizon Structures; Fair Hill Saddlery; LRP Matting; Pro Earth Animal Health; Tribute Equine Nutrition; Custom Equine Nutrition; Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal; Chewy; and Boot Barn. To learn more about Equine Affaire, 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