6 Welcome!
Thank you for joining us at your 20th annual Western States Horse Expo.
C
an you believe this is the 20th Anniversary of the Western States Horse Expo? How exciting is that! We have seen the equestrian and rural lifestyle industry evolve in some truly inspirational ways! The approaches to horsemanship and horse health educa-
tion have become more “user- friendly” and accessible. We have seen the rise of equine and rural lifestyle television networks, off ering top quality programming that benefi ts all equestrians. We have seen more people getting involved in horse ownership! New and unique equestrian activities and groups are being created and enjoyed by our diverse equestrian community. We have seen huge strides in the areas of nutrition and soundness that are extending the well-being of the horses we love. The list goes on and on. We certainly have come a long way in the past twenty years and the horizon certainly looks vibrant, as we lope into the next twenty years! There is a very inviting energy in our community and we are all reaping the rewards. As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we have had a chance to look at all the “fi rsts” that
we have helped to facilitate over the last two decades. We have had many of the “branded” Clinicians, who have made great impacts in the art of horsemanship, get their big break at the Western States Horse Expo. Products and services that are now part of our daily equestrian lives, also made their debut at the Western States Horse Expo. Many of the active equestrians in the community today, actually found their passion and the breeds they love at the Western States Horse Expo too! It is truly humbling to be a part of such a long history and to be able to continue to provide such wonderful opportunities to the industry and community we love. One of the great things about being around for twenty years is being able to inspire and
facilitate change that helps keep our industry and community vital and alive. We have also witnessed that the more things change, the more things stay the same. In the early days of the Western States Horse Expo, “mail-order operations” were all the rage. Storefronts were clos- ing up and moving into warehouses and then printing, and mailing, tons of catalogues out to anyone remotely interested in products like theirs. They would have price points a little lower than the neighborhood tack/ feed shop and felt like they were cornering the market. Sadly, these operations eventually fell victim to a “lack of relationship building” as customer care and brand loyalty went away. Customers, who knew exactly what they wanted, would go with the low price leader. Customers who did not know what they needed were left behind. Quality, brand loyalty and education became almost non-existent. Now we have “on-line operations” who really are just glorifi ed mail-order operations with a tech spin, that are all the rage. We are seeing the same cycle of “lack of relationship building” happening again. Without true touch- points, education and the opportunity to really experience the products and services we all want, it is very hard for the equestrian community to justify the INVESTMENT in QUALITY, when they are unsure of the return on said investment. The Exhibitors that are here at the 20th Anniversary celebration get it. They truly want to develop those long-term relationships with their customers. They value their feedback and thoughts. They want to support the events that their customers love. They genuinely care about the health of their customers horses and the health of the community at large. Those not here are sending a message to the community that is in direct opposition to this. They promote “cheap and disposable” and do not understand the value of relationships. They just supporting themselves and not the community. Think about that for a moment, before you spend your hard earned dollars with a “low price leader.” Innovation. Education. Inspiration. Excitement. These four concepts are at the very heart of the Western States Horse Expo. Our message, and our PROMISE to the equestrian and rural lifestyle community and industry is this: We will continue to do all that we can to bring innova- tion, education, inspiration, excitement to you. We will continue to go big, to be creative, cut- ting edge and to continue to set the “gold standard” bar, by which all other equine expositions are judged, higher and higher. We value our community, whether this is your fi rst time through the gates or if this is your twentieth visit with us. We are glad to share the celebration of the horse, the equestrian community and the industry with you. Thank you for being a part of the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Western States Horse Expo!
–Miki Nelsen CEO/ Founder – Western States Horse Expo June 8–10, 2018 Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
Address: 4970 Windplay Drive, Suite C7 El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Website:
www.horsexpo.com Email:
letters@horsexpo.com
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 am to 5 pm, P.T.
Telephone Numbers (530) 672-7490
(800) 352-2411 (U.S. only) (530) 387-2298 fax
Western States Horse Expo Staff:
Miki Nelsen, Founder and President
miki@horsexpo.com
Kala Johnson, Project Manager
kala@horsexpo.com
Dana Weinhardt, Office Manager Sharon Barbour, Show Office Russ Reyes, Social Media Alisa Borneman, Show Office Sara Aroz, Graphic Artist Michael Canfield, Communications Jim Dempsey,
Grounds and Facilities Manager Kristina Betz, Front Gate Manager Jessica Volk, Young Rider Park Debbie Murphy, Barn Manager
Friends of the Horse Expo Our many wonderful volunteers! Announcers
Tony Gregg, Tony Sanders Proud Members of:
American Horse Council, American Horse Publications,
Official Western States Horse Expo Program Design:
California Horsetrader (760) 546-1184
www.horsetrader.com
June 8-10, 2018
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