Every year, horse enthusiasts are brought to life by the multitude of amazing North American horse shows scheduled in a single year. There are literally thousands of incredible multi-day events being held all across the Americas! These events start on New Year’s Day and run until New Year’s Eve but, with so many tempting horse shows to choose from though, how do you pick which favorites to attend?
Here are a few of Saratoga Stalls favorite horse shows that have yet to start this year!
- Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event
2015 Dates: April 23 to April 26
4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511, United StatesAs one of the world renown events held at the Kentucky Horse Park, the Rolex Kentucky Three Day helps set the stage for Lexington’s superstar equine status and is known as one of the top North American horse shows. It traditionally takes place during the last week of April, a week before the Kentucky Derby! Competitors gather from far reaches to compete in “The Rolex” as it’s the only regularly held CCI 4* eventing competition in the Western Hemisphere. It’s important to note that the popularity of the show has led to it now being a 4-day event instead of 3, as its name suggests. To accommodate the number of entries, Dressage is covered on Thursday and Friday, Cross-Country takes place on Saturday and Show-Jumping follows on Sunday. - Devon Horse Show and County Fair
2015 Dates: May 21 to May 31
23 Dorset Rd, Devon, PA 19333, United StatesThe Devon Horse Show and County Fair warms a spot in the hearts of many horse enthusiasts as it’s the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed horse competition in the United States. It is also a USEF Heritage Competition, dating back to the late 1800’s. Fans come from all over the world to compete but it is also a great destination as the county fair portion allows families or horse lovers to interact with the competing riders and horses, tour the stables, enjoy delicious local treats and shop the many handicrafts and vendors that also attend. A tentative schedule of competition events for the Devon can be found here. Also, keep in mind that there are many activities and special events associated with the fair, such as a visit from the Budweiser Clydesdales and a Shetland Pony Steeplechase.
- Spruce Meadows Masters
2015 Dates: September 9 to September 13
18011 Spruce Meadows Way SW, Calgary, AB T2J 5G5, CanadaConsistently ranking as the one of the best North American horse shows, the Spruce Meadows Masters is a favorite annual fall show to attend or compete in. It’s known for many things but is especially favored for having a purse of over $2 million, making it one of the highest paying show jumping events in the world. The Spruce Meadow grounds are revered by horse lovers for their immaculate condition and the show staff has one of the best reputations in the industry. This Canadian horse show is known to attract the best competitors in the world while also providing ample entertainment for all ages. The 2015 schedule is not yet out but keep an eye on the Spruce Meadows website for upcoming information about this CSIO 5* Master’s Event. - Longines Los Angeles Masters
2015 Dates: October 1 to October 4
1201 South Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Last year, Longines and EEM World introduced their European show jumping concept to the American west coast, firmly placing California as a top fall destination for horse show lovers. We are looking forward to the second edition in fall 2015 and are happy to finally see a CSI 5* event in an area that has been largely overlooked by the competitive equine community. The Los Angeles Masters will welcome 25 of the world’s top equine athletes to compete for a total purse of $1 million USD. The 2015 Los Angeles Masters Schedule has been recently released so you can get ready now!
- And an honorable mention for amazing North American horse shows goes out to the Central Park Horse Show that was held in New York last year. Saratoga Stalls was a proud sponsor of this stunning show and though they don’t have a 2015 date yet, we are hoping to see more from them. Last year’s show in New York City was such an impressive feat, a true moment to remember!
Though there are many shows we love to follow each year, this is just a small list of some of Saratoga Stalls favorite North American horse shows. There are dozens more that are top contenders so we’d love to hear about your favorites. And, of course, we can’t forget about the Western events… stay tuned for a list of the top Western Horse Shows in North America!
What are your favorite North American Horse Shows… what have we missed? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Saratoga Stalls is a premium national supplier of horse and barn products. For more information on custom barns or horse stalls please contact Curtis Gardner, CEO, at (800) 918-6765.
