Education and Enjoyment in British Columbia, October 20–22
As autumn rolls around, trail riding and showing begin to wind down. Horse people in the Northwest start thinking about equine education and moving their activities indoors. The Mane Event Expo is a favorite destination for equine enthusiasts. Completely under cover at the fabulous Chilliwack Heritage Park, the Mane Event is known as an expo that has something for everyone who loves horses.
For 13 years The Mane Event has hosted some of the best and most knowledgeable horse trainers and educators from North America and beyond. The organizers pride themselves on providing education on cutting-edge training methods, equine health, equine entertainment, and for having the most diverse equine-only trade show in Canada.
Clinics
The Mane Event offers informational clinics from top trainers. You will get tools to improve your riding and horsemanship skills in a variety of disciplines. Clinics will be offered on barrel racing, driving, jumping, general horsemanship, and dressage—cowboy dressage too!
Some of the clinicians you will see this year are Connie Combs for barrel racing, David Lichman for liberty and gaited horses, Evan Bonner for general horsemanship, Mette Rosencrantz for dressage, Garn Walker for cowboy dressage, Jim Masterson for equine massage, and Michael Vaillancourt for jumping.
Trainer’s Challenge
The Trainer’s Challenge is an event where spectators watch three trainers start completely untrained horses under saddle. These youngsters begin their education with some of the best colt starters in the industry. Trainers compete on their ability to take an untrained horse on Friday and provide a solid start over the three days of the event. They will begin their work in a round pen and then take them to the arena to show what they have accomplished.
But remember that both The Mane Event and the trainers involved in this event stress the training of any horse is not done in three days. It takes far more time than is provided at the show. Training a colt is always better done by a professional and takes months of good work to develop a solid citizen.
Trainers for this year’s Challenge will be Dan Keen, Ben Baldus (both from Texas) and Severin Pederson from Vancouver Island.
Youth Pro-Am
The Mane Event Youth Pro-Am Competition is a fun and eventful competition open to youth from any discipline. The competition consists of 6-10 teams made up of one youth (12-18 years old) and one clinician. They compete as a team in a timed obstacle course. The teams are challenged to complete the course while using only the youth’s horse in a relay type competition.
Presentation & Seminars
Throughout the three days there will be up-to-date presentations from a variety of vendors, veterinarians and experts on saddle fitting, supplements, nutrition, health, and new products.
Equine Experience
The Mane Event’s schedule is packed with clinics, seminars and presentations designed to educate and entertain the equine enthusiast. When your brain is full you can kick back, relax and watch the Equine Experience show on Saturday night. You can expect a variety of presenters including trick riders, drill teams, liberty and driving demos, and much more. This is sure to be an evening of fun you don’t want to miss.
Equine Trade Fair
The Mane Event has a second-to-none equine-only trade fair. Some of the largest and best vendors will provide equine shopping under one roof. There is something for everyone, whether horses are your passion or you are just beginning your equine journey.
Ride in a Clinic
Featured clinicians will be giving lessons, not just demos. The organizers of the Mane Event are seeking interested riders who want to improve their skills in their specific discipline (dressage, jumping, driving, horsemanship, etc.). Although these spots fill fast, contact The Mane Event if you are interested in riding in a clinic. Find information and applications at chilliwack.maneeventexpo.com.
For more information, a complete schedule, and to purchase tickets in advance, visit chilliwack.maneeventexpo.com. Tickets purchased before October 17th allow you access to a special line for entry into the expo. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
Originally Published October 2017 Issue
The Northwest Horse Source is an independently owned and operated print and online magazine for horse owners and enthusiasts of all breeds and disciplines in the Pacific Northwest. Our contemporary editorial columns are predominantly written by experts in the region, covering the care, training, keeping and enjoyment of horses, with an eye to the specific concerns in our region.
