The Mane Event

It was my first trip to the Mane Event last weekend in Red Deer, Alberta. We made it a girl\’s weekend: Wee, Teenager and I, setting up the Western Horse Review booth Thursday evening and working through until Sunday night. A great aspect of this equine education and trade fair is it\’s all-encompassing dynamic – all breeds, all disciplines. Which makes it one of the few shows of the year where we are able to connect with all walks of life in the horse world. It\’s an enlightening experience, and well worth the trip.

Here\’s some scenes from the show.

$\"\"$ Debuting and most conveniently placed next door to the Western Horse Review booth was the first of 100 Vic Bennett-built Calgary Stampede commemorative saddles. Each of 100 individually numbered saddles are to be built and sold in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede in 2012. Kindly posing for me with said saddle, is CS Agriculture Program Coordinator Tracey Foster, and saddle maker, Vic Bennett.

Ninety-eight of the saddles will be sold for $4,995.00 each, but the first and the twelfth will be extra special catches, for they are to be auctioned off – date and occasion to be announced.

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I\’m told this is a unique stamp. Gorgeous.

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Over on the other side of our booth were these three lovely ladies – who were busy as bees all weekend at the Riva\’s Remedies stand.

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From across the way permeated the scents of mint, aloe vera and other calming smells from the Dynamint booth, keeping all of us in the near vicinity groovily peaceful during the hectic moments.

The trade fair represented every sort of equine product, program and gadget imaginable, and represented all walks of the equestrian lifestyle.

$\"\"$ Apparently people weren\’t kidding when they commented on the Western Horse Review Facebook page they were coming for the shopping. It was a buyer\’s weekend, and most of the exhibitors I spoke with noted positive sales, which left all of us feeling hopeful about the general state of affairs.

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Many clinicians travelled from all over North America to instruct at the many clinics held over the weekend, including the ever-popular Stacey Westfall.

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American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show judge and renowned trainer, Mark Sheridan, travelled from Cave Creek, Arizona, to offer up his expertise on everything from diagonals to proper clipping. He has an incredible set of DVD\’s teaching lead changes which we\’re going to feature in a future post.

$\"\"$ Outside, the parking lot was filled to capacity with trailers, RV\’s and trucks. . . .