When you see buds on the tree tops, hear the birds chirping and feel sun rays on your skin, you can sense spring in the air. For road warriors, the change in season also means horse show time is in full swing. So, how can you best map out your show schedule?

American Quarter Horse, American Paint Horse, and Appaloosa Horse Club representatives weigh in on the previous year annual report statistics in reference to the largest in the country for each association and why they think some of the same shows are continuously at the top. Show managers and exhibitors add their insight on what goes into running the bigger shows, what their favorite shows are and how to best prepare for the fierce competition that goes with participating at the country’s top shows.

The AQHA Experience  AQHA Executive Director of Shows, Patti Carter-Pratt attributes many factors like the facility, management teams, a good reputation and great weather to having a successful large horse show.

“Every show has its own uniqueness that makes it successful,” Pratt says. “At the larger shows, people know what to expect. They become a kind of franchise. We also have many great show management teams that help make the larger shows an enjoyable experience.”

In 2013, according to the AQHA annual report, the Arizona Sun Circuit held at the end of January in Scottsdale, Arizona had by far the most total entries, reporting 16,929 with 10 judges. This circuit also had the most total entries for the year in 2010 and 2012 and finished a close second in 2011 to the Redbud Spectacular held in June in Oklahoma City, which had 15,644 entries that year with eight judges.

“The Arizona Sun Circuit has a long standing reputation as being a big show with a great facility, show manger and judges,” Pratt says. ” At that time of the year, there are also not a lot of other shows and the weather is usually really great as well. The show management also really works hard to keep making this circuit better for exhibitors each year.”

The Quarter Horse Congress held in Columbus, Ohio, spanning over three weeks long in October, remains the largest AQHA single pointed show in the country with 8,269 AQHA entries in 2013, 8,463 entries in 2012 and 8,029 entries in 2011. The actual number of total horse show entries at the Quarter Horse Congress each year is more than double that recorded by AQHA because of the many futurity and stakes classes offered.

“The Quarter Horse Congress remains the phenomena of the largest show with a single set of points,” Pratt says. “I think the prestige of having the opportunity to even participate at the Quarter Horse Congress and get your picture taken in front of the sign is a big deal let alone have a chance at winning a Congress championship.”

Interestingly, in 2010, 2011 and 2012 the Arizona Sun Circuit, the Redbud Spectacular, the Big A Circuit in July in Conyers, Georgia and the Quarter Horse Congress were consistently the top four shows.

In 2013 though, besides the Arizona Sun Circuit and the Quarter Horse Congress, the Iowa Show Circuit in Des Moines, Iowa and the Oregon Summer Circuit in Central Point, Oregon both held in June snuck in the top four with Iowa finishing second with 8,428 entries and Oregon finishing fourth with 7,865 entries.  Due to the tornado outbreak, the Redbud Spectacular was canceled last year and many exhibitors decided to attend the Iowa Show circuit instead. The Oregon Summer Classic is also traditionally a large show that is often in the top five shows of the year.

Other top ten shows for 2013 included the Dixie Nationals in Jackson, Mississippi in February, the Silver Dollar Circuit in Las Vegas, Nevada in March, the Arizona Fall Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona in September, the Big A, the Buckeye Classic in July at Sunbury, Ohio and the Corporate Challenge Show held May 23-26 in St Paul, Minnesota.

As Pratt explains, the AQHA World Show totals are not included in the annual report because it is a qualifying show that does not award points but is rather strictly a championship style show.

Manager of the Arizona Sun Circuit for the last four years, Doug Huls of DH Event Productions LLC believes all the top shows are successful because they all have a dedicated productions staff behind them. Huls also manages the Arizona Fall Championship and this year will be managing the Oregon Summer Classic as well.

“The Arizona Sun Circuit is not just a show. It is an event,” Huls says. “There are substantial differences when you turn a show into an event.”

Huls explains the many tasks that go into planning an event the size of the Sun Circuit like budget, schedule, board meetings, committee meetings, staffing, clinicians, facility contracts, stall contracts, advertising and promotion, premium books, pattern books, photographers, videographers, security, paramedics, electrical, cattle, party planning, rental equipment, radios, jump courses, trail courses, judges, transportation and shuttle schedules, to lodging arrangements, awards, sponsors, auditing and accounting.

A professional horse trainer for over 25 years, Huls trained multiple World and Congress Champions. He is also an AQHA, NRHA, NRCHA and NSBA judge. He no longer trains or shows horses but rather devotes his time to producing, managing and judging horse shows.

” I feel very fortunate to be able to produce an event that I am so passionate about each year,” Huls says. “My favorite part of the Sun Circuit is the diversity of the classes. From the cattle classes all the way to the Hunters, the WestWorld facility accommodates everyone on the grounds at the same time. The opportunity for so much diversity to be on the grounds at the same time creates a social event like no other in the country. For this reason, it has always been my favorite show.”

With another very successful year, Huls reports the AQHA entries unofficially for 2014 were 15,288 with 1,333 stalls rented.

“The show went incredibly well this year. Not only did the weather cooperate but the timeliness and efficiency were at an all time high,” Huls says. “Our cow horse classes doubled in size. I was most pleased with how well our staff and volunteers worked together to enhance the exhibitors’ experience.”

Avid horse show exhibitor, Lindsey Stevenson of Renfrew, Pennsylvania has been showing Quarter Horses for over 20 years. She won the AQHA All- Around title in 2010 as well as AQHA High Point titles in Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation and Amateur Showmanship with RL Cocoas Version. She was also the Reserve Congress Champion in 2011 in Amateur Trail with the same horse. Throughout her career, she has won multiple top ten finishes at the Quarter Horse Congress and AQHA World Show. She currently works for Merial LTD as an event specialist in their equine department and plans to show He Is My Choice in Amateur All- Around, Just A Little Lazy in Amateur and Non-Pro Maturity events, and Looking Pretty Lazy in 3-Year-Old Non-Pro events this year.

“When deciding what shows I am going to attend for the year, I look at the previous years’ entries and location in retrospect to other shows I want to attend,” Stevenson says. ” Being from the Northeast, it makes it difficult to attend shows like the Redbud and the Sun Circuit. It also depends if it is a show more focused on my futurity horses or if I plan on taking my all-around horse as well.”

Stevenson has attended the Quarter Horse Congress every year since she was born and has also hauled to the Big A Circuit in 2009 and 2010 when she was hauling for national titles.

“Knowing that the Congress is the largest, I think people attend that show for the prestige. Whether or not you win, place, etc it’s just the experience of showing at the Congress,” Stevenson says. “There’s no other show like it. I like the Big A personally because that is my favorite show grounds. It’s just a beautiful place.”

Stevenson has many favorite shows. She loves the Congress and AQHA World Show for the prestige and the fierce competition but also the futurity shows like the Tom Powers. Last year, her favorite show was the Buckeye Classic because it was a well run show that gave back a lot to the exhibitors.

“I think for someone attending their first big show, they should not over think it too much. Prepare the same as you would for any show because at the end of the day, it’s just another horse show,” Stevenson says. “I think people tend to psych themselves out when preparing for a big show instead of just focusing on the strong points they already have and just having fun.”

The APHA Experience

APHA Senior Director of Shows Holly Slaughter contributes a whole combination of factors that go into producing a successful show. For example, the show should offer a variety of classes and enough judges that exhibitors have the opportunity to gain more points per show. She also cited the schedule itself as a factor. She said  it helps if the schedule is arranged so that exhibitors have ample time to prepare their horses to the best of their ability and enjoy themselves. Another contributing factor, according to Slaughter, is having a good knowledgeable show staff who not only understands the contest rules but can efficiently run a smooth show with timely breaks and few delays.

“The top shows are often enjoyable for exhibitors with extra activities like an exhibitors party. They also have a good location and usually a climate controlled facility with good stalls, quality show arenas and ample warm up areas,” she says. “The top shows also have quality awards for circuit champions and high-point titles that hold a certain prestige to the winners because they are from a big show,” The big shows that have been around a long time have a good reputation where the same people continue to attend.”

Slaughter recommends to smaller shows on the rise to attract more people to come to their shows by getting the word out especially in this day and age through social media. She also recommends that show management hire good judges.

Although the APHA World Show held in Fort Worth, Texas is a very large show that does give away five sets of points plus the championship atmosphere, the association does not list it in its annual report for top shows. Instead, it is separately listed on the report from the other shows. Slaughter explains that listing the World Show among the other shows would inaccurately portray the other larger shows in the country.

In 2013 and 2012, the top show for the total number of entries was the Western Regional Zone 2 Show held Memorial Day weekend in South Jordan, Utah. Last year, it boasted 1,147 entries per six judges. The European Championship Show Zone 12 held at the beginning of September in Kreuth, Germany finished second to the top in 2013 with 947 entries per five judges and was fourth on the list in 2012. Another big show is the World Wide Paint Horse Congress held at the end of July in Kansas City, Missouri finished third last year among the largest with 837 entries per four judges and finished fifth on the list in 2012. The Texas Memorial Day Spectacular Zone 4 Show held Memorial Day weekend in Waco, Texas was the fourth largest show last year with 790 entries per six judges and was the second largest show in 2012 with 988 entries per judge.

“The European Championships is a zone show but it is also the World Show in Europe and draws all the surrounding countries. It has been a strong, big show for a number of years now,” Slaughter says. “Europe is one of our growth areas and is a leader in solid paint bred entries.”

A show manager for over a decade, Karen Kennedy first started helping with shows through volunteer efforts but now manages the Zone 6 Deep South Show in Tunica, Mississippi, which finished sixth among top APHA Shows for 2013 with 742 entries per six judges. Kennedy will be managing the World Wide Paint Horse Congress for the first time this year. She is also the event secretary for the nation’s largest Halter futurity the Breeders Cup held in Des Moines, Iowa.

” I think you really need to make it fun for people and give them a reason to come to your horse show,” Kennedy says. ” We try to hire good judges at a nice facility and really make the people feel welcome.”

This year, the Paint Horse Congress will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma from July 30- Aug 3. For the last few years, the event was held in Kansas City, Missouri but Kennedy is excited about the move because Tulsa is easy to travel to and has a dream come true facility to host a large event.

“You know there are just some shows that are not going to grow because the facility they are located at just wouldn’t hold a large event. If your goal is to have a top 20 show or to grow your show into one of the big shows you need first and foremost to have a good facility that is centrally located with good stalls, warmup and arenas. These factors all play into having a big show,” Kennedy says.

Jana Simons of Pilot Point, Texas was raised in the horse industry and has shown multiple APHA World Champions in Non-Pro competition. She currently operates the breeding portion of her family’s business, Simons Show Horses. Simons explains that her show route depends on what horse she is showing and what her goals are for that particular year.

” As a kid raised in the horse business, I was always striving to try to be the best. I would say my favorite show is the APHA World Show but I am a big, big fan of the equine industry regardless of the discipline so I enjoy watching any great horses do what they do,” Simons says.

Being from Texas, Simons readily attends the larger shows in Waco that she feels have really stepped it up and become some of the biggest shows which are very well run.

“There are a lot of really good four judged shows around  that I like to go to,”

Simons says. A show does not have to have six to eight judges at a time for me to attend actually that is not really important at all to me. I think some of the shows that try to have too many judges at one time can actually work against the show because the cost can get out of control. I think the shows that have a flat fee for entries are appealing because it helps control the cost.”

The ApHC Experience

ApHC Performance Department Supervisor Keri LeForce stresses the importance of great show management at the bigger shows. She feels the larger shows usually have a good core group of people that pay great attention to the needs of the exhibitors. As she explains, the top end shows for ApHC have been around a long time and the show staff for these shows are also very experienced.  LeForce is also the show manager of the ApHC World Show and the National Appaloosa Show.

“Getting ready for a big show takes months and months of preparation and attention to detail from the big things to the very little things,” LeForce says. “It is really a year long process to prepare for big events. We are always trying to do different things to make the show better.”

This year marks the 67th anniversary of the National Appaloosa Horse Show held in conjunction with the ApHC Youth World Show from June 23- July 5 in Fort Worth, Texas. Last year, the ApHC World Show also held in Fort Worth in the Fall with 10 judges was the largest in the total number of entries marking 1,979 entries per judge. It, however, is a qualifying show that does not award points. The National Appaloosa Show was the second largest also with 10 judges with 1,472 entries per judge, which does award one set of points. The ApHC Youth World Show has eight judges and was third among the top shows with 1,439 entries per judge with one set of points as well.

“The ApHC and APHA Youth World Shows share the Fort Worth facility at the same time. It has been very beneficial for the kids from both breed organizations to be able to share activities and even cross enter several classes,” LeForce says.

Besides the national shows, ApHC offers 130 regional shows throughout the country each year. Last year, the largest show was the Keystone Classic which was held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with four judges for a total of 1,224 entries per judge. The Yankee Color Classic held in West Springfield, Massachusetts finished second among regional shows with 857 entries per its three judges and the Freedom Special held in Cloverdale, Indiana with 821 entries per its four judges, finished third. The fourth, fifth and sixth biggest shows for ApHC in 2013 were the Garden State Club’s Spring, Summer, and Fall shows held in Allentown, New Jersey.

” We have really big numbers in the Northeast,” LeForce says. ” We have always had a big showing population in that part of the country.”

With the change in the economy, LeForce explains that lately there has been more of a draw to smaller one and two judge shows. These shows provide more of a fun, family atmosphere for exhibitors.

This year, Amanda Check will be running the biggest regional ApHC show in the country, the Keystone Classic, for the first time. Held over Memorial Day weekend, the show offers four judges with four sets of points in three days. Last year, it had an excess of 1,200 entries per judge.

” This is the first year I will be the secretary and show manager for the Keystone Classic,” Check says. “For the past seven years, it has been the largest regional ApHC show in the country. It was previously held at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania but has been moved this year to the Dream Park in Logan Township, New Jersey.”

Check attributes the long standing success of the Keystone Classic to a few components. First, it is held on Memorial Day weekend during the prime time of the show season when a lot of people are then preparing for the National Appaloosa Show. The show management has also really tried to give a lot back to the exhibitors by making them feel welcome and awarding great prizes like saddles for awards.

“We take a lot of care as far as feedback from our exhibitors every year,” Check says. “If exhibitors are unhappy they are not going to come back, so we really try to listen to their positive and negative comments and accommodate accordingly. For example, one thing exhibitors were previously unhappy about was that the Farm Show Complex could not provide water hookups. Our new location at the Dream Park can, so we are hoping exhibitors are happier with the new facility.”

To run a successful big show, Check believes organization and teamwork are key. Their staff is always looking into new fun ideas for exhibitors and hopes to be able to have an exhibitors party this year.

Amateur World Champion ApHC exhibitor Megan Wagner of Pilot Point, Texas has been showing Appaloosas for 15 years. She currently owns and runs Vetline of Pilot Point, an equine retail store.

“In terms of choosing what shows to go to, my trainer and I try to aim for shows that we know will have large numbers and be close,” Wagner says. “Owning my own business, it is hard to take off more then a few days at a time. I would love to go show at the Florida circuit that just took place last weekend but haven’t made that happen yet. We always go to the Texas Appaloosa Shows in Waco. They have three of them a year and they usually end up in the top ten shows in terms of numbers.”

Wagner feels that certain shows seem to get bigger than others because the successful shows are always well run and offer good awards where the facilities are nice with safe stalls, good grounds and ample warm up arenas. Last year, Wagner’s favorite show was showing at the ApHC portion of the Reichert Celebration.

“It is a fun atmosphere and I love showing at the Will Rogers facility in Fort Worth. It is also close to work,” Wagner says.

Wagner explains her trainer, Arturo Maestas, helps lay out the best plans for achieving maximum success at the bigger events.

” We don’t practice any differently at home before a big show. I am not the type of person who does well when someone says oh that show is going to be huge so you will have to be sure you can do x, y and z. I just fret over the skills that I think I should all of a sudden be able to do,” Wagner says. ” I do better if Arturo and I school until I am comfortable with where I should be in the patterns and then I just sort of remain blissfully unaware until it is my turn to show. My advice for anyone planning on going to a big show is just to remember that it is at the end of the day just a horse show and chances are they will have it again at the same place and time next year so not to worry if it doesn’t go exactly how you planned. Having a sense of humor is important too, be sure to pack that!”