STORY LEADS CONTACT: Angela Ryan, Equine Affaire phone/fax: 740-845-0085 ext. 110 aryan@equineaffaire.com / www.equineaffaire.com Pictures available upon request. Experience Equine Affaire The Nation’s Premiere Equine Exposition & Equestrian Gathering With more than 300 seminars, clinics, and demonstrations taking place over the four-day Equine Affaire as well as the participation of hundreds of horses and prominent horse people, there are countless potential stories to present and angles to be taken when covering the Equine Affaire. With that in mind, we invite you to review the following event ideas: * It’s NOT About Competition – Time clocks and score cards will have no place at Equine Affaire in April. While the All American Quarter Horse Congress is all about competition, Equine Affaire—which is also held at the Ohio Expo Center—is a “horse of a different color.” Top equine trainers, coaches, and competitors from around the world and representing a vast array of equestrian disciplines and horse breeds will convene at Equine Affaire, not for the purpose of competing for coveted titles, prize money, and awards, but for the lofty goals of educating and entertaining. Equine Affaire is one of the largest equine events in the nation—and it’s the one place where horse people of all genres get together in a non-competitive environment to celebrate their passion, share their expertise, network, and “strut their stuff” in the Pfizer Fantasia. Equine Affaire is where horse people learn from one another and bring their world of horses to the non-horse public. Competition is at the very heart of the horse industry and horse people—from 4-H shows at county fairgrounds, to internationally-recognized Thoroughbred races and Olympic and World Game events. Throughout the year top competitors vie against each other in a plethora of equestrian sports from English disciplines such as jumping, eventing, dressage, and driving—to western sports such as cutting, reining, trail, barrel racing, and calf roping—to horse racing, polo, and distance competition. These sports and competitors all interface at Equine Affaire—and it’s the one place where an Olympic dressage rider may meet a World Champion barrel racer for the first time. . . and members of the public may meet both! * Whispering isn’t Listening* – Just about everyone has heard of horse whispering, but whispering is still talking, and when you’re talking, you’re not listening. Monty Roberts is “The Man Who Listens to Horses.” Using a gentle method of training he calls Join Up®, Mr. Roberts has made presentations to horsepeople around the world, including the Queen of England. He also walks his talk – his methods have lead him to eight world championships and he was named the 1988 Stock Horse Man of the Year by the National Reined Cow Horse Association. Mr. Roberts has judged hundreds of horse shows, and written four best selling books, most recently The Horses in my Life. Mr. Roberts was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from –MORE– the University of Zurich, and in 2005 he was awarded another honorary doctorate from the University of Parma. At his home in California, Mr. Roberts instructs horse enthusiasts and Fortune 500 companies in the Join Up® technique. He has helped raise more than $1.5 million for therapeutic riding, and in 1998 was honored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for “a lifetime of devotion to the welfare of animals.” He’ll be taking a break from his busy schedule to show attendees of Equine Affaire how to really listen. * The Secret is Out: Equine Sports – The equine sport industry is one of the best kept secrets in the United States—and 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 there are roughly 9.2 million horses and 2 million horse owners in the United States. Ohio is clearly “horse country.” According to the most recent agricultural census of the state, the number of horses and ponies in Ohio has increased 32 percent in just five years. A study by the American Horse Council Foundation estimated that Ohio’s horse population is 306,898. That’s roughly one horse for every 37 people in the state. Horse owners enjoy a wide range of sports with their equine teammates, participating in everything dressage, hunt seat, and jumping to reining, western pleasure, and trail riding. They also taking part in equine sports at all levels – from local jumping classes to international show jumping and weekend trail riding to national long distance endurance competitions. * International Flair – There will be more than 75 breed demonstrations and spotlights, showcasing individual horse breeds and registries and champion horses from around the world. It will be the perfect opportunity to highlight breeds not commonly found in North America. Among the international visitors who will present at the 2007 Equine Affaire are Leslie Desmond (Sweden), Terry Jenkins (Canada), and Jochen Schleese (Germany). * Getting Involved with Horses - The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) will be exhibiting at Equine Affaire and will provide details about getting involved in the dynamic world of equine competition. Equine Affaire will highlight the more traditional events of dressage, jumping, and reining as well as the lesser known sports of polo and vaulting. Ohio colleges will be on-hand to discuss combing equine sports with a college career. Local 4-H groups will have information available about how children may become involved with horses whether or not they own a horse or pony of their own. In addition, the Breed Pavilion will be filled with equine association exhibits, each of which will be providing information about their own breed as well as ways to get involved on a local, regional, or national level. Additionally, the Horse and Farm exhibits take on a unique regional flare as stables and farms in the area exhibit what they do best, highlighting everything from horses and tack for sale to the availability of boarding and lessons. * Reality TV Comes to Columbus – The Extreme Cowboy Race, as seen on RFD-TV, mixes the drama of reality programming with equine sports. Thrilling, entertaining, and insightful, spectators will be able to watch and learn as cowboys and cowgirls tackle Craig Cameron’s Extreme Cowboy Race Course on Saturday and Sunday in the Priefert Arena.  * Red, White, and even Blue – Terry Jenkins and the award-winning Canadian Cowgirls will be performing their intricate, patriotic drill team routine during the Pfizer Fantasia on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Their phenomenal drill team presentation will celebrate the ongoing relationship between the U.S.A. and Canada. The team will also be demonstrating and teaching drill routines to all ages and all skill levels during the day at Equine Affaire. * Retirement of a Friend – Thor, a Friesian stallion registered with Friesians of America and owned by Joe Myers of Buffalo Mills, PA, has attended a total of 22 Equine Affaire events produced throughout the United States. Thor will be performing with “Totally Friesian” in the Pfizer Fantasia, and his retirement from public life will be announced at the 2007 Equine Affaire. * A Rumble of Thunder - The Priefert Texas Thunder Hitch, a team of six Percherons horses, will once again dazzle the crowds as performers in the Pfizer Fantasia. This draft team has been driven in parades and at horse fairs all over the United States, including the Denver National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, the Quarter Horse Congress here in Columbus, and the International Rolex Competition in Lexington, KY. –MORE– * Connecting Generations – The mother-daughter teams of Lynn and Laura Halmer and Janet Tenney and her daughter Tracy Click will be performing beautiful breed spotlights, showcasing strong familial and equine ties they share. The Hamlers will be performing “Baroque in Black & White” riding Friesians Thursday at 7:00pm; Ms. Tenney and Ms. Click will be performing “Classical in Black & White” riding Andalusians Sunday at 2:45pm. All four horses will be on display in the Horse & Farm exhibits in the Gilligan Complex. * Mid-Career Job Changes – Haflingers, an extremely popular working draft horse throughout Ohio and a particular favorite within the local Amish community, will again have support from farms across the state in the Horse & Farm exhibits at Equine Affaire. Traditionally Haflingers have been very strong working horses; more recently they have become popular in the in show ring as hunter seat and dressage mounts. Linda Schott with the Ohio Haflinger Association is currently available for interviews and may be reached at 740-504-2639. * Teaching an old Horse New Tricks* – After studying works of classical horsemanship and circus-style training, Allen Pogue taught his young horses various tricks and maneuvers, later developing his Imagine A Horse training method. This method has been featured in publications worldwide. Mr. Pogue and his trick horses will be performing in the Pfizer Fantasia and presenting clinics and demonstrations on trick training. * Regional Special Interest: Clinicians from Ohio* o Duane Esser: Mr. Esser has earned regional and national championship titles in halter, English, hunter, western, and driving divisions in Open and Amateur with both Arabians and National Sport Horses. He owns Esser Valley Arabians, a show and sale horse facility, in Cleves, OH. o Clark Bradley:  Mr. Bradley has been a trainer, instructor, international judge, and successful competitor in reining and western horsemanship for more than 35 years. The American Quarter Horse Association named him 2001 Professional Horseman of the Year. He is currently an equestrian studies instructor at the University of Findlay in Ohio and coaches the college’s equestrian team. o Terry Myers:  Mr. Myers is a leading trainer, champion rider and breeder, and national clinician who has trained stock and hunter horses for state, national, and world competition for more than 30 years. Mr. Myers owns a training center in Ostrander, OH. *Please refer to the enclosed biographies for additional information on Ohio presenters. # # #