North Carolina Equine Extravaganza
July 11-13, 2008
Hold your horses! Join internationally known horsewoman Lynn Palm and a host of other top equine pros at North Carolina’s biggest horse happenin’ of 2008! For the second year in a row the crème of the horse industry crop will descend on Raleigh, NC, for three days of equi-tainment, great shopping, informative clinics, exciting colt starting competition, equine inspiration and family fun! The cast of this year’s star line up, lead by Lynn Palm, also features Julie Goodnight, Big Horse Productions, Matt McLaughlin, Clay Maier and many more, will demonstrate everything from basic horse handling to piaffe and passage.
The NC event will be held July 11-13 at the NC State Fairgrounds. “We are so excited to return to Raleigh. North Carolina equestrians lived up to their reputation as an incredibly eager and passionate audience and we have another dynamic event planned for them,” said show producer Vicki O’Hara.
Dynamic is an excellent way to describe Equine Extravaganza style. With more than 100 workshops, lectures, demonstrations, clinics and round table discussions, EE is one of the most interactive horse events in the country.
“We began to realize that horse owners wanted more than just a series of round pen clinics, they really need to connect with the presenters for a more meaningful experience. So we asked our presenters to dig deeper. Also we saw what great ideas our past attendees had and turned those into reality with our round table discussions and out of the box lectures,” said O’Hara. “Our attendees are our advisors!”
The event will be held this year in conjunction with the NC state 4H horse show, one of the largest 4H shows in the country with over 2500 entries. “We recognize that the economy is taking its toll on all horse owners,” said O’Hara. “To help families in this challenging economy we’ve created a special $25 three-day pass for 4H and Pony Club members and their families to help them take advantage of our event with minimal expense.”
Equine Extravaganza is built around the concept of “equi-tainment”, including the East Coast Trainer Challenge, a multi-event colt starting competition which originated at the VA Equine Extravaganza. “The Tremendous interest in this competition fueled our expansion of this contest to three regional events, with the finals to be held at the Virginia Equine Extravaganza in October. The North Carolina challenge will serve as one of three qualifiers for the championship challenge and features competitors Phil Rogers, Brock Griffith and Gilbert Gonzalez. The winner will head to Virginia in October to vie for the 2008 Championship!
“The Trainer Challenge can be a huge stepping stone for the career of a good clinician! Tommy Garland won our 2006 challenge and went on to compete at the prestigious Road to the Horse against Chris Cox, Ken McNabb and Mike Kevil.
One breed club or association will be crowned the “Best in Show,” winning a guest performance in the thrilling evening show spectacular. Kids and adults alike flock to the trick horse demonstrations, hoping to head home and train the next equine superstar!
The crowning jewel of the Equine Extravaganza® will be the Friday and Saturday evening Equus Extraordinaire, a spectacular two-hour equestrian production spotlighting horses in a stage show fashion. Vaulters, trick riders, trick horses, bridleless rides, fast -paced, choreographed musical dressage rides, magnificent Friesians, mounted shooting and celebrity horses will punctuate this action-packed production starting at 8:00 Friday and Saturday evenings in Dorton arena. Tickets for this separate event are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
The Virginia Equine Extravaganza is an absolute must attend for the horse owner, horse lover or even the casual horse enthusiast! There is truly something for everyone!
Hours: Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Evening Shows: 8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Daily Admission: $14 adults, $8 children 5-11, Under 5, Free. Special 4H and Pony Club $25 3 day passes available in advance from our website.
See www.equneextravaganza.com for complete schedule and details.
