Cowboys & Arabians: Responsible Growth, Bigger Isn’t Always Better

The Arabian Horse Association of Arizona was established in 1955 with the majority of horses being imported from Poland. The AHAA now hosts the largest Arabian show in the world! To keep their association strong and nimble, the AHAA hosts not only  shows accredited by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), but also stand alone shows that allow for more flexibility. 

But they aren’t just about horse shows. The AHAA also organizes and supports their community through active amateur and youth committees. They are intentional about including seasonal residents who spend the winter in Arizona and those who don’t have horses of their own. Here’s a sampling of their activities:

• Parades 
• Trail rides
• Taking horses to Children’s Hospital
• March of Dimes walk
• Youth community bound by Arabian horses but inclusive of everyone with horse interest
• Education
• Competition 
• Partnership with Hoofbeatz to make horse activities more accessible

The Scottsdale Arabian Show is held February 16-26 and boasts the title “World’s Greatest Horse Show.” What makes the AHAA so confident in their ability to deliver? They start with over 2000 Arabian horses, offer more than 1000 classes, and add an expansive Immersive Horse Experience to the mix. 

Spectators line up to go hands on with horses of all breeds. Beginners can learn to lead a horse and discover how they communicate through body language, others will be able to ride or learn about surcingle work, and then there’s the opportunity to meet the movie stars of the Arabian world through their Ambassador program. Scottsdale is a destination during the dreary winter, and the Scottsdale Arabian Show is something you won’t want to miss. 

State of the Industry

The horse industry, like most others, is coming out of a challenging few years following the pandemic. With the help of outside forces like Yellowstone, the equine industry is now recovering well and excitement for the western lifestyle is building. Breedings and registrations may be down across breed associations, but show entries are holding strong for many. The Arabian Horse Association is seeing exponential growth of half Arabians thanks to their ability to cross well with other breeds. 

Another area where growth can be seen is in disciplines where amateurs can be competitive on their home-trained horses as evidenced in ranch and sport horse entries across breeds.The AHAA is embracing this trend by introducing an academy division at their shows that is open to all breeds and allows lesson horses and students to compete. 

Horse prices are soaring which is a double edged sword for our industry. We love to celebrate the high prices from the seller’s perspective, but do these high prices discourage would-be newcomers? The future of the industry may depend on us finding a balance through cooperation, mindset shifts open to broader areas of growth, and creating affordable channels for new people to enter the horse industry. As the western lifestyle begins to take center stage, we also have to recognize the existence of “social license to operate.” We can no longer ignore the perceptions of those outside the industry but must work to maintain this license.

We also see frustration building in our current exhibitors as regulations continue to create challenges. Competitors are becoming fatigued by the fees, regulations, rules, and requirements to show their horses. Understanding why these rules and regulations are in place is essential to helping combat the discouragement we see in competitors. 

Balance is now the name of the game and developing new and better ways to get people involved while supporting the base of the industry is vital. How do we achieve the balance of fun and affordability with the need for professionals to earn a living? How do we get more people involved when many of our events are already busting at the seams? How do we get better when simply getting bigger isn’t the best option?