CONTACT:
Allison Rehnborg, Marketing Coordinator
Equine Affaire, Inc.
Phone: (740) 845-0085
arehnborg@equineaffaire.com
www.equineaffaire.com
*Pictures Available Upon Request
W. SPRINGFIELD, MA, September 29, 2026 – Tick tock, tick tock: the clocks are counting down to the happiest and horsiest four-day weekend of the year for horse enthusiasts! Equine Affaire is coming back to Massachusetts on November 12-15, 2026. If you love horses, work with horses, or want to learn more about them, you’re invited to the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA, for North America’s premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering. Get your advance tickets today at equineaffaire.com so you can gallop past the lines on opening day and go straight to what matters the most to you: the horses!
Come experience the pinnacle of equestrian excellence in education at Equine Affaire, where passion meets elite expertise. As the ultimate national destination for horse lovers, Equine Affaire offers an elevated equestrian experience that transcends regional expos or weekend clinics. This fall, Equine Affaire is proud to present a full schedule of clinics, seminars, and demos presented by dozens of experienced equestrian educators. With sessions presented every day across multiple arenas and demo rings throughout the venue, our educational program offers virtually endless variety. Whether you’re a brand-new beginner, a casual horse lover, a dedicated athlete, or a professional at the top of your field, there’s a clinic, seminar, or demo for you.
Come discover for yourself why Equine Affaire is the premier choice for both horse enthusiasts and the educators who love to teach them. In November, you can learn live and in person from an elite class of educators. Meet our headliners in today’s press release, and then keep reading for a full list of everyone you can expect to see – and learn from! — in November:
Known as “America’s Most Trusted Horseman,” John Lyons is one of the most respected and sought-after trainers, speakers, demonstrators, and clinicians in the horse world. With more than 45 years of dedication to horses and horse owners, his ideas and concepts have influenced every level of performance, every style of riding, and every breed of horse throughout the world. His sincere regard for people and the horses they love has remained unchanged throughout his career and has earned him honors from many facets of the horse industry. Today, there is hardly an expo in the world where you will not find Mr. Lyons, his children, Josh, Michael, and Brandi, or one of their certified trainers as a guest clinician. Mr. Lyons and his wife, Jody, live and work in Parachute, Colorado, at “Our Dream Ranch.”
In 1982, Pat Parelli began creating a natural horsemanship program to improve the relationship between humans and horses. Parelli promoted the concept of love, language, and leadership. Mr. Parelli’s desire to spread this knowledge to the world rose after watching his mentors Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt work with horses. In 1984 Mr. Parelli began teaching clinics, and in 1991, he coined the name “Natural Horsemanship.” Natural Horsemanship has become a viable and important aspect of the international horse industry and continues to expand and influence the way in which horses are trained. Mr. Parelli provides amazing talent for both training horses and teaching people. Today, Parelli Natural Horsemanship and the program have spread to 76 countries, over a million people, and have improved the lives of horses around the world.
Scott Purdum is an internationally recognized horse behaviorist and rider confidence coach. Mr. Purdum founded Advantage Horsemanship to help riders stop working on the wrong thing and start building real partnerships with their horses. His approach is built around understanding what drives equine behavior because confidence issues and training problems are rarely as simple as they appear. He teaches riders how to look deeper, understand the factors influencing both horse and rider, and find the answers that others often miss. Because when you understand what is really happening, there is almost always a way forward.
Sandi Simons grew up in a small rural town and developed a passion for horses at a young age. Despite enduring a difficult early life, she always had hope for a better future and knew horses would be waiting for her. After raising her family, Ms. Simons was determined to regain her skills as a rider and to find a way to work with her fears and lack of confidence to be able to find her joy in horses again. Since then, she has helped thousands of women all over Australia and the United States find the strength within to work with their perceived limitations and face their fears, both with their horses and in their lives. Ms. Simons has penned the books “A Life Worth Riding,” “Creating Confidence,” and “Creating Confidence for Kids,” as well as produced several videos. She has also developed an online training school. Ms. Simons currently operates a private training facility in Drysdale, Victoria, Australia.
Tommy Garland is quickly becoming one of the most popular and closely followed clinicians in the equine industry today. His highly acclaimed CPR Horsemanship Clinics have helped horse owners across the country become more confident and accomplished horsemen, and have also been included in RFD-TV’s programming. CPR —which stands for Confidence, Patience and Respect— is an essential part of the real world of horse training. Mr. Garland has applied this philosophy to his own career and has proven its success with multiple National & International Championships and Top Ten titles in Western, Hunter, English and Driving. In December 2009, Mr. Garland was named as a top contender for the prestigious USEF Equestrian of the Year Award and honored with the coveted Barbara Oakford Trophy, which is awarded by the USEF to the year’s best rider in a Western Discipline.
The educational opportunities don’t stop there! Attendees will also relish attending clinics, seminars, and demonstrations presented by the following experts and industry professionals:
- Craig Johnson…Reining, Ranch, Cow Horse
- Louise Serio…Hunter/Jumper
- Reese Koffler…Dressage
- Connie Combs…Barrel Racing
- John Michael Durr…Eventing
- Scott Purdum…General Training, Trail
- Ashley Donadt…Dressage
- Jacob Arnold…Driving
- Alejandra Gonzalez…Biomechanics (sponsored by Photonic Health)
- Geno Middleton…Easy Gaited Horses
- Brittany Mayer…Ranch Horse, Colt Starting
- Craig McCoskery…Mounted Shooting, Desensitization
- Elsie Woodland…Vaulting
- Shelby Robin…4H Horse Judging
- Wild Horse Summit
- And many more!
Review the full list of our presenters and their topics on our website. Check out the link to our latest event schedule located near the top of the page!
Remember, tickets are on sale now for Equine Affaire and Fantasia in Massachusetts! You can purchase yours in advance here. Equine Affaire will take place Thursday through Sunday at the Eastern States Exposition on November 12-15, 2026. Hours for the show are from 9 am to 7 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and from 9 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Don’t miss Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse, Fantasia! Enjoy an incredible night of equestrian artistry during Fantasia, happening Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights in the US Equestrian Coliseum. Sponsored by Myhre Equine Clinic, each night’s Fantasia performance will begin promptly at 7:30 pm. Please note that the Eastern States Exposition charges for parking.
Book a room with any one of our 2026 host hotel partners and take advantage of special rates and room blocks by mentioning Equine Affaire! See our host hotels here.
Equine Affaire gratefully acknowledges the support of its premier sponsors, including Myhre Equine Clinic; US Equestrian; Horizon Structures; Fair Hill Saddlery; Pro Earth Animal Health; Tribute Equine Nutrition; Custom Equine Nutrition; Sentinel Horse Nutrition; Chewy; Photonic Health; MyStride; Jeffers; Weatherbeeta; and many more. 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!