The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association has announced that the Eastern States Exposition will host the 42nd edition of the IHSA National Horse Show, April 30-May 3, 2015, in West Springfield, Massachusetts. The IHSA National Horse Show, considered America’s oldest and largest equestrian competition of its kind, hosts more than 450 riders and 25 teams from colleges and universities across the United States.
Eastern States Exposition is among the East Coast’s premier tourism venues and host each September to ‘The Big E,’ the fifth-largest fair in North America. In May, ESE President Eugene Cassidy said, “The entertainment, agriculture and culture of New England at The Big E makes our venue an attractive destination that translates to important economic dollars.” A study by Regional Economic Models, Inc. of Amherst, Massachusetts, cited the overall impact of ESE at $479 million, with a Gross Regional Product (analogous to the GDP) of $299 million annually.
In addition to four days of hunter seat, western and reining title competition–including the USEF Cacchione Cup, Collegiate Cup, NRHA Open, and AQHA High Point championships–the 2015 IHSA National Horse Show will feature a spacious new tented Vendors Row and daily special events and themes, including a ‘College Presidents Day,’ ‘Kentucky Derby Day’ and a salute to all seniors graduating during the horse show.
“We are debuting a Friday College Presidents Day that will allow us to introduce college and university leadership to the best that IHSA has to offer,” said Johnson and Wales University (RI) IHSA coach, Dirk Fogg, who joins Connecticut College/U.S. Coast Guard Academy IHSA coach, Richard Luckhardt as organizers of the 2015 championships.
“We’re thrilled to return to the Big E, which has invested in the improvements to its facility that are important to equestrian competition,” said Luckhardt. Since 2007, when the IHSA National Horse Show was last held in West Springfield, the ESE complex has added a new show office, covered warm-up ring and in-gate access between the main barn and arena.
Join the prestige of the 2015 IHSA National Horse Show, which presents a superb opportunity for local barns to showcase sale or lease horses under student riders during competition, or as a sponsor or vendor, contact coach Fogg at Dfogg@jwu.edu, 508-252-5700 or coach Luckhardt at richard.luckhardt@comcast.net, 860-464-7934.
IHSA promotes competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional and national levels, based on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level. Learn more about its teams and scholarships at www.ihsainc.com.
