The jury’s still out on whether the groundhog’s weather predictions will hold true, but here’s one prediction you can hang your riding hat on: Equine Affaire is coming back to Ohio!

Scheduled for April 10-13, 2025, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Equine Affaire is “four days of all things equine,” celebrating the horses, donkeys and people of the equine industry. As North America’s premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering, it is the place to be this spring for learning, riding, shopping, competing, networking and more.

Advance tickets are on sale now for both Equine Affaire and Fantasia, Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse. Get yours today by visiting equineaffaire.com or by downloading the Western Edge app for iPhone and Android and navigating to the Equine Affaire portal to purchase tickets.

31st event in Ohio

The staff of Equine Affaire is thrilled to return to this venue to produce its 31st event in Ohio. Although the OEC fairgrounds and several buildings will be under construction as part of the 2050 Master Expo Plan, Equine Affaire will be in “full gallop” mode, complete with hundreds of educational clinics, seminars and demonstrations, including the return of Cowtown in Cooper with live cattle; three exciting competitions; the largest horse-related trade show in the Midwest; a bustling Breed Pavilion and Horse & Farm Exhibits; fun, hands-on activities; and the addition of a brand-new feature, the Donkey Extravaganza.

For the latest construction updates and information on how the event will adapt to the changing landscape of the OEC, visit Equine Affaire’s social media platforms in the weeks to come.

Educator lineup

From their post-event surveys, event staff members know how much attendees value the educational opportunities at Equine Affaire’s Ohio event. Year after year, this continues to be one of the top reasons people choose to attend this event, so they are proud to announce this year’s lineup of top-notch equestrian educators. All of the following will be on site to teach, educate, coach, train, demonstrate and share their expertise on a variety of horse-related topics with our audiences:

Ryan Rose…General Horsemanship

Julie Goodnight…General Horsemanship

Tik Maynard…Eventing and General Training

Cole Cameron…General Horsemanship, Roping and Ranch

Luke Reinbold…General Horsemanship and Training

Luke Gingerich…Liberty, Bridleless Riding and Reining

Barbra Schulte…Cutting and Sports Psychology

Traci Brooks…Hunter/Jumper

Jennifer Truett…Dressage

Steve Lantvit…Cow Work

Ivy Starnes…Easy Gaited Horses

Marcie Quist…Driving

Sandi Simons…General Training and Cowgirl Dressage

Wendy Murdoch…Biomechanics and the Murdoch Method

Connie Combs…Barrel Racing

Ty Evans…Mules

Kellie & Sam Rettinger…Draft Horses

Ifa Simmonds…Equestrians in Motion

Mary Miller-Jordan…Liberty

Canadian Cowgirls…Drill Teams

These individuals and many others will be conducting hundreds of clinics, seminars and demonstrations in multiple arenas and demo rings throughout the four-day event. On Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12, cow horse clinics with live cattle will be held as part of Cowtown in Cooper, sponsored by Western Life Today. This exciting two-day intensive tour will lead horses and riders in an exploration of multiple cow-oriented Western events.

Donkey Extravaganza

The Donkey Extravaganza, held in proud partnership with the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, will also be held as part of Equine Affaire during all four days of the Ohio event. This special wing of donkey-related activities will be located in the Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center, near the Breed Pavilion.

Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue is the world’s leading donkey rescue organization and seeks to improve the plight of the American donkey through its nationwide network of ranch facilities and satellite adoption centers.

The Donkey Extravaganza will offer attendees a plethora of unique opportunities to learn, meet and celebrate these adorable long-eared equines during all four days of the expo. Event staff will be posting an educational presentation schedule online soon at this link.

Trade show, Drive A Draft and more

In between educational opportunities, attendees will adore taking advantage of all the retail and consignment shopping adventures awaiting them at the largest horse-related trade show in the Midwest. Exhibitors from all over the country will be on site with staff, inventory and creative booth displays to offer an array of horse-related products, services and more.

The trade show will be spread out across multiple buildings and encompass outdoor exhibit spaces. (For a primer on navigating an Equine Affaire trade show, whether it be in Ohio or Massachusetts, click here.)

As part of the trade show, Equine Affaire will also be hosting the Marketplace Consignment Shop in the Voinovich. If you want to consign your gently-used outgrown or unwanted equestrian goods, learn more by visiting this webpage.

Whether it involves clinics, competitions or special events, the schedule of attractions never stops at Equine Affaire. The Whispery Pines Percherons team will be back to conduct the beloved Drive A Draft ™ activity, where attendees can learn how to drive a draft horse on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 in Rod’s Covered Paddock. Sign up by visiting the Whispery Pines Percherons stalls in the Gilligan Complex on site.

Equine Affaire is also excited to bring back the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition on Friday, April 11; the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge on Saturday, April 12; and to introduce the brand-new Breed Bonanza, sponsored by Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal on Sunday, April 13.

Fantasia and Breed Pavilion

Of course, there’s nothing like capping off a day at Equine Affaire with a night at the fabulous Fantasia. Tickets for Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse are on sale now at equineaffaire.com. Fantasia will take place for just three performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in the coliseum.

If you’ve never been to Fantasia, this special event features a medley of theatrical performances by some of the nation’s most exciting equestrian entertainers. If you enjoy watching gorgeously appareled horses and riders engage in liberty performances, garrocha, precision drill team patterns, breathtaking trick-riding routines, graceful dances, high-speed chariot and wagon racing, and more, then Fantasia is the show for you! Tickets are going fast, so secure your seat today.

Looking for the next love of your life? Visit the Breed Pavilion and the Horse & Farm Exhibits to learn about different breeds of horses, meet a variety of horses, and check out the Horses For Sale and the ASPCA Right Horse Adoption Affaire. Dozens of breed and pony associations will be on site to interact with our attendees and teach you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about different breeds and types of horses.

And if you’re searching for your next partner in life, in the ring or on the trail, you’ll want to meet all the adoptable horses that will be at Equine Affaire looking for their forever homes.

Ticketing information

General admission tickets to Equine Affaire in Ohio are $18/day for adults or $55 for a four-day pass. Children’s tickets are available for $10/day for children ages seven-10; and children six and under are admitted for free. (Separate tickets are required for Fantasia.)

Equine Affaire acknowledges the generous support of its sponsors, including Rod’s, USEquestrian, Pro Earth Animal Health, Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal, Western Life Today, LRPMatting and others. To learn more about this event, visit www.equineaffaire.com.

Landing page image from Equine Affaire website