With ninety days to go until Equine Affaire in Massachusetts, it’s the perfect time to start making your plans to attend North America’s premier equine expo and equestrian gathering! Horse lovers and equestrians from all over the world are planning to gather at the Eastern States Exposition in November to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of our event in Massachusetts. Will you be there?
Twenty-five years can seem like a long time, but equestrians know better than anyone else how fast time flies when you’re having fun – especially when you’re spending it with the people and the horses you love! Equine Affaire is proud to celebrate such an important milestone in its long history of bringing horses and people together to elevate the equestrian experience.
Equine Affaire was founded in 1993 by Eugenia Snyder. Snyder and her team launched the company’s flagship event in Ohio in 1994. Buoyed by the enthusiastic support of the horse industry, Equine Affaire introduced its second event in 1998 at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA. Twenty-five years later, Equine Affaire in Massachusetts continues to delight, educate, and entertain horse lovers of all ages. This fall, join us in the Bay State for a celebration of Equine Affaire that offers a combination of all the features you know and love, plus new and exciting events guaranteed to become fresh favorites!
WAIT, WHEN IS THIS HAPPENING AND HOW DO I GO?
A four-day horse expo filled with clinics, competitions, and more, Equine Affaire will take place at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA, on November 9th through the 12th, 2023. Come spend the day at Equine Affaire, and then spend your evening at the Fantasia! Equine Affaire’s special nighttime show, the Fantasia, will return for three nights only – on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday – at 7:30 pm in the Coliseum. Sponsored by Absorbine, Fantasia is Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse and features an incredible variety of exciting equestrian performances set to music.
Tickets for both events are on sale now at equineaffaire.com. General admission tickets are $18 for adults per day and $55 per four-day pass. Admission tickets for children (ages 7-10) are $8 per day. Children six and under get in for free! General admission tickets provide entry to the trade show (spread out across four buildings), all themed pavilions, the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition, the brand-new Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, and all clinics, seminars, and demonstrations. General admission tickets will also be available for purchase at the gates, cash only. Please note that separate tickets are required for admission to Fantasia for both children and adults, and range in price from $16 to $27. Fantasia tickets will be available online and at the Equine Affaire Information Booth during the event until they sell out.
Hours for Equine Affaire, including the clinic schedule, trade show, barns, and themed pavilions, are 9 am through 7 pm, Thursday through Saturday, and 9 am to 5 pm on Sunday. The doors to the Coliseum will open at 6:45 pm each evening, and Fantasia will begin at 7:30 pm each night. Please note that the Eastern States Exposition charges for parking!
If you’re ready to book your hotel stay for your visit, check out equineaffaire.com today for a list of our host hotels. Room blocks and discounted rates are available at most properties until October. Mention “Equine Affaire” when you book to receive special rates! Camping on site at the Eastern States Exposition is also available for attendees, exhibitors, and participants. You can learn more about camping on the grounds at our website.
WHAT WILL I SEE?
We’re glad you asked! Equine Affaire has built its reputation on the pillars of equine-related education and entertainment, and this fall’s event will feature hundreds of educational sessions, clinics, and demonstrations with some of the industry’s most talented horsemen and horsewomen.
Come learn live and in person from our general horsemanship and training clinicians: Mike Major, Julie Goodnight, Jason Irwin, Brandi Lyons, and Chelsea Canedy. Dive deeper into your discipline of choice with Phillip Dutton (eventing), Steffen Peters (dressage), Andrew Welles (hunter/jumper), Greg Robinson (ranch horse versatility), Jeanne McDonald (dressage), Mark Bolender (mountain trail), Stacey Giere (driving), Bronwyn Irwin (pole bending), Lynn Newton (Western dressage), Carl Bledsoe (easy gaited horses), Jim Masterson (equine bodywork), Marty Whittle (rider biomechanics), Copper Hill Vaulting Team (vaulting), and many more! Phillip Dutton’s presentations are sponsored by Triple Crown Nutrition.
Would you like to ride in a clinic at Equine Affaire? Then you’re in luck! Applications and details for Equine Affaire’s Ride With a Pro clinic program, sponsored by Fairhill Saddlery, are available online at https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-participate/mass-ride-in-clinics/mass-ride-with-a-pro/. Apply by September 8 for your opportunity to ride with many of the clinicians who are presenting at Equine Affaire. It’s an affordable and easy way to give yourself and your horse the gift of advanced instruction by some of the nation’s best instructors, coaches, clinicians, and competitors.
In addition to clinics, attendees will enjoy browsing and shopping at the largest horse-related trade show in the east. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a friend, seeking to outfit one horse or a dozen, wanting to try out brand new products or looking for your faithful favorites, you’re virtually guaranteed to find what you want, need, or just-gotta-have at Equine Affaire! Hundreds of vendors will be on site with products for you to check out, try on, taste, touch, and see. For a full list of vendors expected to be at Equine Affaire, visit https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-trade-show/mass-exhibitors/ and check back often for updates in the months to come.
If you’re new to the horse world, Equine Affaire is your perfect introduction to horses. Check out the Equine Fundamentals Forum for awesome anatomical displays, educational posters and hands-on exhibits, fun activities, and lots more. The EFF is also home to lots of fun kids’ activities, such as arts and crafts and the Stick Horse Rodeo, which happens daily at 3 pm. Once you’ve learned the basics in the EFF, make sure to visit the Breed Pavilion and the Horse & Farm Exhibits. In these areas, you can interact with horses of all different breeds, sizes, shapes, and colors, plus chat with their owners and companions to learn about breed associations, riding organizations, local horse facilities and farms, and lots more. The Horse & Farm Exhibits will also feature horses for sale, as well as horses available for adoption through the ASPCA Right Horse and Equine Affaire’s Adoption Affaire.
Equine Affaire will also feature two incredible competitions this year! First, the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition will take place on Friday, November 10 in the Coliseum. Sponsored by Chewy, this exciting event features up to 25 pre-selected horses and riders who race the clock to tackle an obstacle course. The obstacle course varies from year to year, but every obstacle is designed to test the communication between horse and rider and the versatility skills and athleticism of both parties. Interested equestrians should apply in advance to compete at equineaffaire.com. Applications are due by September 8! Visit https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-participate/mass-compete/mass-versatile-horse-rider-competition/ for all the details. Next, a brand-new event is coming to Equine Affaire on Saturday, November 11. Emceed by Ifa Simmonds of Equestrian Fitness Academy, the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge is a fun and exciting competition open to all Equine Affaire attendees – no horses needed! Attendees can sign up on site to participate in one of three events: the Barn Chores Marathon, the Bouncy Pony Race, or the Horse Nugget Relay. Prizes will be awarded to the top ten participants in each event. During the event, sign up on site at the announcer’s table outside the Mallary South Arena.
Are you looking for even more ways to get hands-on with horses? Then you’re in luck! Equine Affaire is proud to offer the Drive A Draft experience in collaboration with Whispery Pines Percherons. With expert guidance from Sam and Kellie Rettinger, learn to drive a single Percheron or a pair of Percherons from the ground on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at the event. You can sign up on site by visiting the Whispery Pines Percherons stalls in the C-barn! Or if you are a veteran, active-duty service member, or a first responder, consider bringing your whole family to participate in A Horse for Heroes, offered by Operation Horses and Heroes. This special activity is the perfect way to celebrate Veterans Day – and to experience horses in an all-new way. Interested parties can apply in advance through the Ride With a Pro application on our website: https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-participate/mass-ride-in-clinics/mass-ride-with-a-pro/.
Crown your perfect day at Equine Affaire with a sparkling evening at Fantasia, Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse. Sponsored by Absorbine, Fantasia will take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings in the Coliseum. This magical event is a two-hour showcase that features a medley of inspiring performances by some of the nation’s most talented equestrians and horses. Performers will include the Friesian Heritage Drill Team, liberty performer Melissa Barnett, the Pegasus Trick Riders, the Young Guns drill team, an incredible driving display by the Whispery Pines Percherons and Scott Seymour’s Morrisville Belgians, a comedic routine by Bobby Kerr, and much more! Tickets for Fantasia sell quickly, so make sure to purchase yours in advance at equineaffaire.com.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE AT EQUINE AFFAIRE?
There are tons of ways to participate at Equine Affaire. In addition to applying to ride in a clinic or competition, you can also sign up to participate in special equestrian fitness workshops, consign items in the Marketplace Consignment Shop, or even volunteer! Equine Affaire relies on hundreds of volunteers at each event. Depending on the number of shifts that you work, you can even earn free admission! Volunteers should apply online by September 27, 2023. For more information on consigning your gently-used items at the Marketplace, visit https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-participate/mass-sell/mass-marketplace/. To participate in an Equestrians In Motion workshop with Ifa Simmonds, stay tuned to our website for more details!
If you would like to exhibit products in the trade show at Equine Affaire or represent your farm, horse-related business, or offer horses for sale or adoption in the Horse and Farm Exhibits, please visit our website or contact our friendly staff at the Equine Affaire office. You can call our office at (740) 845-0085, 9:00am-5:00 pm EST (M-F).
Equine Affaire is proud to celebrate its 25th event in Massachusetts, happening November 9-12, 2023, at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Tickets for Equine Affaire and for Fantasia, Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse, are on sale now at equineaffaire.com. Equine Affaire gratefully acknowledges its sponsors: Absorbine, US Equestrian, GGT Footing, Horizon Structures, Fair Hill Saddlery, Tribute Equine Nutrition, Triple Crown Nutrition, LRP Matting, and Chewy. To learn more about our event, visit our website (www.equineaffaire.com), follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X @equineaffaire. We’ll see you at Equine Affaire!
CONTACT:
Allison Rehnborg, Marketing Coordinator
Equine Affaire, Inc.
Phone: (740) 845-0085 ext. 103
arehnborg@equineaffaire.com
www.equineaffaire.com
*Pictures Available Upon Request