4 Steps To Increase Industry Engagement

Just in the time I’ve been in the Arabian industry, I’ve witnessed a noticeable drop in numbers of competitors and owners. This is a problem that has been brewing for many years. I’ve discussed the issue with my mother, who has been in the industry for forty years, and she stated that the numbers have been on the decline for decades. This week I will be discussing four major trends that could be changed and updated in order to save the industry we all love.

1. Focus On The Future Generation

Family friend Rachel Bohlen

Walk-Trotters and 13 & Unders are the future owners and breeders of the trade. It only makes sense that we should be encouraging these children to want to ride and show. However, many shows do not feature any classes for children to show in. Or in cases such as Fall Fest, the youth classes are 18 & Under, pegging beginning youth riders against seasoned youth. In order to keep the younger generation interested, we need to allow them to show in classes tailored just for them. This will ensure that they continue to move up the age groups.

2. Acceptance Of AOTS Exhibitors

PR Aragorn, AOTS Champion

While most people have their horse in formal training, many people are unable to afford the expense of a trainer every month. These people have to train their horses on their own. Along with the expense, some people just flat out enjoy training their house and reaping the benefits. Sadly, it is generally looked down on to do your own training, which is driving a good portion of people away from Class A showing. Yes, there are AOTS classes, which stands for Amateur Owner Trained & Shown, but few people enter them, and they offered at only a few shows. Acceptance of the AOTS crowd would generate an enormous increase of not only number of competitors, but also their revenue from show expenses.

3. Cash Back For Performance Winners

PR Aragorn, Placing Top Five at Fall Fest

Since the beginning of showing Arabian horses, halter horses have been the crowning glory of the breed. It’s not surprising that the most victory payback goes to the halter horses. But in today’s age of showing, that can’t fly anymore. The majority of competitors are performance horses. The exhibitors showing halter are the same first-class trainers that have been showing for years, followed only by their children. At shows like Fall Fest and Nationals, the best payback continues to go to the already well-off halter exhibitors, which is deterring middle-class performance exhibitors from entering these shows. In order to ensure that the performance classes continue to thrive, we need to make sure the payback gets spread evenly throughout the victors, instead of just halter.

4. Bring Back Competitive Halter Judging

MW Chermotion, 2005 Fall Fest Champion

I used to show in halter classes when I was ten years old. Back in those days, halter classes were exhilarating. You’d enter the ring, show off your horse, and once everyone had his or her moment, every horse would be shown at the same time to be comparatively judged. The audience would scream and yell to put in their two cents on who should win, and the whole experience was a thrill. Now, halter classes use a European scoring system. The horses enter, are shown, scored on a card, and are never seen again. The fun and the excitement are gone. The seats used to be full to watch halter, and now most people leave or refuse to watch when they know the performance classes are over. This is probably the biggest thing that needs to be changed for help our industry. Bring back the thrilling comparative judging, and I can almost guarantee that more people will be willing to not only watch the shows, but participate as well.

If you are interested in working toward saving the Arabian horse industry, I would strongly suggest visiting the Promoting Positive Change Facebook page. While access is private, the group members are extremely quick to accept new requests. This page is based around sharing ideas for improving trends and increasing the numbers of people interested in the joining the industry.