PHOENIX/MESA
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
The mane event
The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show
By Sean Davies
One of the best places in the world to see Arabian Horses dash across the desert is actually in the heart of the American West. For over 60 years, Arizona has been hosting a show featuring the largest and most expansive collection of Arabian horses in the world.
Photos courtesy of osteenschatzbergphoto.com
The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, which will celebrate its 67th year on February 17–27, 2022, is the largest event of its kind in the world. The show has come far from its modest beginnings in 1955, with 50 horses trotting about the grounds of the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. After a brief stint on the 150-acre Paradise Park, the show found new
The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show is also home to a fantastic shopping expo
roots at WestWorld of Scottsdale. With multiple outdoor arenas, large open fields, and a 120,000-squarefoot Equidome, the facility is well equipped to handle the more than 2,400 horses that compete each year. The competition for the coveted “Scottsdale Champion’’ title is fierce. The world’s finest Arabian and Half-Arabian horses are gathered for 11 days in pursuit of more than $4 million in prize money, luxurious trophies and prestigious titles in more than 1,000 classes. In addition to the competitions, the event features an amazing shopping expo with more than 350 commercial exhibitors. Vendors sell clothing and cowboy boots, while local artisans showcase jewelry, saddles, one of a kind works of art and gifts for equine enthusiasts. The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show is known for also being a place where guests can enjoy exciting family-friendly engagements like education seminars, paint-a-pony and various games. New to this
Western and English dressage are highlights among a list of competition classes
year’s show is an immersive Arabian horse experience. Various stations comprise the experience, where guests can learn about, and mount, the celebrated steeds. Mainstay attractions will also return, such as the meet-a-horse program, where participants can get up close to an Arabian Horse and have their picture taken. The behind-thescenes barn tour gives attendees an opportunity to meet competitors and their horses and to stroll the stable areas in which the horses are housed. This is a must-attend event for horse lovers. With a recent expansion of the breeding division, The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show is the best collection of athleticism and breeding stock anywhere in the world. scottsdaleshow.com SUNSEEKER
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