All Things Equestrian!
Equestrian Lifestyle Expo & Holiday Market presents "All Things Equestrian!" Whether you’re looking for feed, tack, togs, a barn to house them, industry experts to help you become a better horseman – or just a good time learning more about horses and the equestrian lifestyle – you’ll find it at Expo along with great gift ideas.
Expo will be indoors at the new Lake County Fairgrounds’ Expo Center, which can accommodate booths and seminar areas but cannot accommodate horses, hence Expo’s focus on education, equestrian-themed activities and shopping.
Shopping and seminars all are on one level, spread across the 65,000-square-foot open space, along with commercial, club and school booths plus fun activities in game areas. Visitors soon see that Expo is “not your father’s” horse fair. It includes the serious educational programming and business help you expect, plus many exciting features not found at other events.
Choose from 50 presentations:
Keynote Speakers Mary Midkiff (Certified Horsemaster and international clinician), Richard Shrake (educator, trainer and world-class horse show judge) and Dr. Randel Raub, PhD, (head of equine research at Purina Mills’ 1,000-acre 75-horse research farm), join equine industry leaders in presenting a wide range of programming to help professionals on the business/training/showing/breeding side as well as expertise on aspects of both sporting and husbandry important to competitors and recreational riders.
Click on “Programming” in the index at left for presenter topics and biographies.
Holiday gift items include jewelry, art, books, videos, stationery, home/barn/ lounge accessories even horse hair pottery (bring mane or tail hair for custom orders).
Vendors offer English and Western tack, clothing for all breeds and disciplines, custom-made boots, feed, supplements, health care products; trailers, facilities, equipment and stable supplies.
Collectibles include the new 2009 Breyer Nutcracker Prince Holiday Horse and new ornament and the Painted Ponies new holiday figurines and ornaments (four horses and four ornaments).
Also an Exhibit of Antiques for Sale
…by owners of two antiques shops in the heart of Chicago’s horse country (Barrington) who will give free appraisals of equestrian collectibles and exhibit antiques for sale. Gwendolyn Whiston McMurray (Wende) of Tivoli Garden Antiques and Karrin Olsson-DaBoll of Steeplechase Antiques invite collectors curious about the value of their items to bring them to their booth at Expo Saturday from 4 – 7 p.m. and Sunday from 2 – 5 p.m. for an evaluation. Wende, now in her 25th year in the business, and husband Laurence McMurrary, who also repairs both glass and porcelain as well as restoring old furniture, spend much of their time doing estate sales and researching customers’ family heirloom items. Karrin grew up on horseback in Barrington, showing hunters and jumpers. Steeplechase was literally born in a barn where it operated until moving to Main Street in 2007. Karrin’s husband and partner in the business is restoration artist David DaBoll.
Part of Expo’s programming format is roundtables – literally – where attendees spend 15 minutes at a table with an expert before moving on to the next table, topic and expert. Think of it as speed dating the pros.
Whether you want to learn about the hay best for your horse (University of Illinois Extension – Countryside) or get involved with trail advocates (Northern Illinois Trail Riding Advocacy Group), Expo offers booths and learning centers for you. “Hay Quality Counts” displays bales of different grass and legume hay mixes, complete with nutrient analysis and interpretations of which type of horse (senior, trail, show, racing, etc.) should eat them. Bales also will be scored on quality (looks can be deceptive).
Six trail advocacy groups will have a presence together in one booth: U.S. Forestry Service (Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie), Illinois Trail Riders, Horse Promoters, Palos Hills Horsemen’s Association, Will County Trail Riders and Trail Riders of DuPage. Learn about their work and how you can get involved.
And stop by the Horsemen’s Council of Illinois booth to share your thoughts on the issues you face as a horseman and what HCI is doing to help. Is it trail closings or maintenance? Environmental impact? Zoning restrictions? Unwanted horses? Let us hear from you.
Test your horse knowledge at eight fun stations for both youth and adults. Presented by U. of I. Extension, contestants match pictures to words in categories such as training gear, gaits and identifying marks. Prizes for winners include tickets to Dancing Horses Theater, Delavan, WI and Tempel Lippizans, Old Mill Creek, IL
A puzzle challenge, presented by Timmerman’s Ranch and Saddle Shop, offers $100 gift certificates (in store purchase only) to anyone who can solve a nine-piece puzzle within five minutes.
In addition to the nutrition, business and training educational programming at Expo, there is opportunity to get practical advice on a variety of pursuits, ranging from becoming a vet to enhancing your equestrian-themed living space in today’s economy. Author Marcia Thibeault (“I Make Horse Calls”) draws on her decades of experience as a veterinarian, helping prospective vets foresee the trials and triumphs of the practice. Susan Behringer, ASID Allied Member, presents an informative, yet fun way to enhance living spaces with creative use of color, furniture placement and accessories targeted to the horse enthusiast.
Asia Voight amazes owners with her uncanny insight into what a horse is thinking. Sports psychologist Ann Reilly will help riders overcome obstacles that hold them back from peak performance. World traveler Debi Neuman will show you how to link adventure travel with your passion for riding, discussing equestrian trips in exotic locales.
