London, OH, November 24, 2015— Elevate your equestrian experience this spring at Equine Affaire—North America’s premiere equine exposition and equestrian gathering. The 2016 Equine Affaire will take place at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus on April 7th through the 10th and offer horse owners not only the opportunity to attend literally hundreds of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations, but also to participate in dozens of clinics on a wide range of equestrian disciplines. Through Equine Affaire’s unique “Ride With The Best” program you can ride, drive, and have your horse trained in clinics conducted by many of the nation’s foremost coaches, competitors, judges, and horse trainers—for clinic fees designed to fit almost any budget.
The Clinics and Clinicians. Whether your equestrian tastes lean toward the western disciplines or are solidly in the English realm—or you simply want to improve your riding skills or your horse’s performance, you’ll want to take advantage of the opportunities to receive individual instruction from the outstanding clinicians who will be featured at Equine Affaire this April. Among the presenters who will be participating in the “Ride With The Best” program are general horse and horsemanship trainers Jonathan Field, Mark Rashid, Ken McNabb, Chris Irwin, Warwick Schiller, and Tommy Garland. Clinicians offering sessions in the western disciplines will include Warwick Schiller (reining), Aaron Ralston (ranch horse versatility), Stephanie Lynn (western pleasure and trail), and Tommy Garland (western pleasure for gaited horses). Those conducting clinics on English disciplines will include David Marcus (dressage) and Stephanie Lynn (hunter under saddle). Elizabeth Graves will also be on hand to present sessions on training and riding easy gaited horses, Susan Harris will offer clinics on Centered Riding®, Anatomy in MotionTM, and the Visible Horse, and Doug Lindgren will teach trail riding skills. Additional clinicians are being confirmed for eventing, hunters and jumpers, dressage, driving, and barrel racing as of press time.
If you have one or more horses that are halter broke and ready to be started under saddle, you may want to consider applying to have your horse trained in Equine Affaire’s “Foundation First” clinic series. Jonathan Field and Ken McNabb will each train one unbroke horse to be ridden, and attendees and horse owners will watch the progress these talented trainers will make with their young horses through clinics conducted over the four days of Equine Affaire. The “Foundation First” clinics will not be a race or competition. The focus will be on creating the proper foundation when training a horse to be ridden and on progressing at the rate that is appropriate for each horse. During sessions on Sunday, both clinicians will present their horses and discuss the techniques they used in training them. The “Foundation First” clinics will offer unique opportunities for owners of halter-broke horses to have their horses started under saddle by these two exceptional trainers.
Clinic fees and how to apply. The modest clinic fees for Equine Affaire’s “Ride With The Best” program range from $70 for a single clinic to $350 for the multi-session “Foundation First” clinics and include clinic participation, stabling, and admission to Equine Affaire. Clinicians will select the participants for their sessions from written applications and videos submitted by applicants to Equine Affaire. While some are seeking riders and horses with specific skills or problems to demonstrate and resolve during their clinics, others are seeking any riders interested in improving their general horsemanship and relationships with their horses. The 2016 Equine Affaire will offer a wide range of learning opportunities—and you and your horse may be the ideal participants for one or more sessions.
Full clinic details and a “Ride With The Best” application are available at equineaffaire.com. Click on the Ohio event and follow the “Participate” link to information on the “Ride With The Best” program. Interested riders and horse owners may also request an information packet and clinic application by contacting Kristen Gump at kgrump@equineaffaire.com or by calling (740) 845-0085 ext. 104. Consult equineaffaire.com for continuously-updated information on additional clinicians and sessions in the “Ride With The Best” program.
The application deadline is February 16th. Don’t miss the unique and affordable clinic opportunities offered at Equine Affaire. Be sure to submit your application materials by the February 16th deadline!
In addition to Equine Affaire’s legendary program of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations, the 2016 show will feature the largest horse-related trade show in North America with more than 450 retailers and manufacturers filling four buildings at the Ohio Expo Center. Other highlights of the event will include the Rod’s Equestrian Experience Pavilion (showcasing numerous equestrian disciplines and breeds of horses); Equine Affaire’s signature musical celebration of the horse--the Fantasia sponsored by Absorbine®--on Thursday-Saturday nights; an extensive Breed Pavilion and Horse & Farm Exhibits area; an all new Equine Fundamentals Forum; the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition on Thursday and Friday; and the Marketplace at Equine Affaire—a consignment store in the Bricker Annex featuring quality tack, apparel, and equine equipment for horse & rider. For everything you need to know to go, visit equineaffaire.com.
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