FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information/pictures contact: Angela Ryan, Equine Affaire phone/fax: 740-845-0085 ext. 110 aryan@equineaffaire.com / www.equineaffaire.com Equine Affaire Returning to Columbus, Ohio Nation’s Most Exciting, Informative, and Comprehensive Celebration of the Horse COLUMBUS, OH, April 12-15, 2007 – Equine Affaire will return to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH, April 12–15, 2007. The 2007 Equine Affaire is expected to draw an attendance of more than 100,000 during the four-day event. Hundreds of horse breed and sport associations as well as horse-related businesses from throughout the United States are expected to convene to share their expertise, their experiences, and their individual equine-related passions. They will also come to market a vast array of equine products and services. WHAT IS EQUINE AFFAIRE? Equine Affaire is an education-oriented horsemen’s exposition that has been produced annually at various locations in the United States since 1994. More than 30 Equine Affaire events have been produced serving the horse industry and horse people nationwide. Equine Affaire has something to offer to horse enthusiasts of all ages, all breed persuasions, all levels of expertise, and all equine disciplines. The event’s legendary educational program will include more than 300 different clinics, seminars, and demonstrations; and this year’s trade show will feature more than 450 commercial exhibitors. Equine Affaire’s mission is to: * Provide a comprehensive introduction to the extraordinary world of horses for non-horse people and to expand the horizons of current horsemen. * Promote communication and cooperation within the diverse national horse industry. * Improve the horse management, training, and riding skills of current horsemen. * Showcase the finest horses and competitors of a variety of breeds and equine disciplines. FEATURES OF THE 2007 EQUINE AFFAIRE The 2007 Equine Affaire will feature horses and nearly all things horse-related including nonstop activities and a wide range of exhibits in eight different venues at the Ohio Expo Center including: -- MORE -- * More than 300 clinics, demonstrations, and seminars by nationally and internationally recognized horse trainers, coaches, and competitors representing a wide range of equine sports. Sessions will be conducted in the Equine.com arena in the Coliseum, the arena in the Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center, Cooper Arena, and the Rod’s Covered Paddock. Clinic topics will include western disciplines such as barrel racing, calf roping, reining, cutting, ranch horse versatility, western pleasure, and cowboy mounted shooting; English activities including dressage, eventing, and jumping; as well as clinics on general training, driving, trick training, and trail riding. Demonstrations and seminars will be conducted in the Arabian Horse Association Demo Ring in the Celeste Center, the Exiss Demo Ring in the Bricker Annex, the Wahl Clipper Seminar Stage in the Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center, and the Young Rider Youth Pavilion in the Celeste Center. Presentation topics this year range from: trailer loading, purchasing a horse, horse camping, rider and horse warm up exercising and conditioning, and horse theft. Fun sessions will be presented specifically for young horse enthusiasts including: painting model horses, grooming your horse like a champ, and wild horse stories. * Clinic presenters will include: Monty Roberts*, the “Man Who Listens to Horses”; Craig Cameron, horsemanship; Leslie Desmond, true horsemanship through feel; Cindy Sydnor, dressage ; Sheri Sinor Estrada, barrel racing; Nona Garson, hunters & jumpers; Punk Carter, cutting; Darren Chiacchia, eventing; Cleve Wells, western pleasure; Charles Willhelm, general training; Lynn Palm, hunter under saddle & western horsemanship; Muffy Seaton, driving; and Patrick Hooks, ranch horse versatility. Additional instructors at this year’s event will be Terry Myers*, Duane Esser*, Brenda Imus, Clark Bradley*, Bob Jefferys & Suzanne Sheppard, Steve Edwards, and Mollie Krumlaw-Smith. *Please see enclosed biographies for additional information. * The Young Rider Youth Pavilion and Breyer Celebrity Horse Showcase in the Celeste Center will be a fun and educational area developed especially for young horse enthusiasts. Young equestrians will be able to connect with horse-related and youth-related associations and organizations exhibiting in the Young Rider Youth Pavilion. Educational sessions conducted by leading equine professionals and designed specifically for young riders will be conducted in a demo ring within the Young Rider Youth Pavilion. Other fun activities for youth will include a trivia quest, face painting, stick-horse making complete with a stick horse rodeo, and riding an Equicizer – the real movie prop used to depict horses and ponies in Hollywood! Several famous horses will be housed in the Breyer Celebrity Horse Showcase and the author of the international hit book and television series, The Saddle Club, will be autographing books on Thursday April 12. * A wide array of horse breeds will be showcased in the Cashman Breed Pavilion located in the Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center. Horses representing dozens of breeds will be shown in breed demonstrations throughout the four days of the event. Exhibits will include everything from miniatures to drafts and everything in between. The Horse & Farms -- MORE -- Exhibits area in the Gilligan Complex will showcase many stallions, breeding farms, and training facilities and will be another excellent place to research many horse breeds. * The trade show will include more than 425 of the nation’s leading equine retailers and manufacturers represented within exhibits ranging from 10’ x 10’ booths to large retail stores and trailer displays. Equine Affaire will offer hundreds of thousands of square feet of tack, riding apparel, trailers, health and grooming supplies, barn equipment, jewelry, books, videotapes, artwork, photography, fencing, feeds, accessories, collectibles, gifts, custom apparel, trucks, and various equine-related services. There will also be booths offering information on horse clubs, organizations, and sports. * The Pfizer Fantasia—A Musical Celebration of the Horse will take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm in the Coliseum. This unique equine musical revue will feature champion horses and riders along with several special equestrian performers, all choreographed to a wide variety of musical styles. The equine performers who will be gracing this year’s Fantasia will include a plethora of breeds from miniatures to paso finos to Friesians to drafts. World Champion competitor, Lynn Palm, will share a moving freestyle that will combine elements of dressage and jumping, Allen Pogue will delight the audience with his trick horses, while Eric Martonovich and Alethea Shelton will impress attendees with a high-energy Roman ride and exquisite vaulting performance. Spectators will also enjoy a grand prix musical freestyle dressage ride by Pam Goodrich, an award-winning freestyle reining act by Colleen Siadik, and a taste of the Wild West presented by the Kiesner family from Texas. There will be outstanding trick riders, drill teams, and a liberty acts as well. The 2007 Pfizer Fantasia will highlight the brilliance, grace and athleticism of all equines as well as the special connections they share with humans. It will be an evening of extraordinary entertainment and an event that horse enthusiasts will not want to miss! Tickets to Pfizer Fantasia are still available and will be sold at Equine Affaire beginning at 9:00am on Thursday, April 12th, in the center lobby of the Celeste Center. * The Extreme Cowboy Race™ —As part of the exciting entertainment offered during the four-day event, Equine Affaire has teamed with Craig Cameron (a nationally-recognized horse trainer) to bring his signature Extreme Cowboy Race™ to central Ohio. The Extreme Cowboy Race™, currently in its third season on RFD-TV and also available on HorseCity.com, will be a timed and judged race through an obstacle course that is designed not only to push horse and rider teams out of their traditional comfort zones, but also to test communication between horse and rider and the horsemanship skills and athletic abilities of each competitor. The competition will be exciting and entertaining to watch while contenders address its challenges in a race for $4,250 in cash prizes and the title of “Extreme Cowboy Race Champion.” Although not currently scheduled for broadcast, Equine Affaire will host the Extreme Cowboy Race™ on April 14 and 15 in the Ohio Expo Center’s Congress Pavilion where spectators will cheer on a field of 35 horse and rider teams. -- MORE -- THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AMERICAN HORSE INDUSTRY The horse industry in America is one of the largest sport industries in the country—but it may be one of the least recognized within the mass media. A survey conducted by Deloitte Consulting, LLC and published by the American Horse Council (AHC) indicates that the horse industry contributes $39 billion annually in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy and supports 1.4 million full-time equivalent jobs. When indirect and induced spending are included, the horse industry’s impact on the U.S. Gross Domestic Product reaches $102 billion. The AHC survey found that there are roughly 9.2 million horses in the United States and 2 million horse owners. More than 4.6 million Americans are involved in the industry as owners, service providers, employees, and volunteers. MEDIA CONTACT Members of the media are cordially invited to attend, enjoy, and review Equine Affaire. The Equine Affaire staff will gladly provide assistance in arranging interviews with event participants and suggesting photo opportunities. For additional information about covering the exposition, contact Angela Ryan at (740) 845-0085 ext. 110 or aryan@equineaffaire.com or visit the Equine Affaire Web site at www.equineaffaire.com. ###