Equestrians love getting together to shop, mingle, and learn more about their sport. Over the past few decades, equestrian festivals that allow participants to do all of these things in one place have become quite popular. If you would like to put on an equestrian festival of your own, here are a few tips to ensure it is a success.

Hire demonstrators from multiple disciplines.

One of the key attractions of any equestrian event are the demonstrators. When selecting the people to demonstrate, make sure you include a wide range of disciplines. For example, you could invite a barrel racer, a jumper, a western pleasure rider, and a carriage driver. This way, you will attract attendees from various disciplines, too. English riders may not attend a festival if they see all of the demonstrators focus on barrel racing and western pleasure!

Be willing to pay your demonstrators.

Some demonstrators may be willing to come give a talk for free because it increases their publicity. However, you should not be opposed to paying a small fee to demonstrators who ask it. Often, giving demonstrations is a part of their equestrian business, and they rely on these demos to make money. The better demonstrators often do charge a fee and won't take your festival seriously if you're not willing to pay it.

Find a big, anchor vendor.

You'll have an easy time finding many smaller, locally owned businesses that are willing to set up stands at your festival. However, to really make the shopping attractive, you need to find at least one larger tack shop that is willing to set up a larger anchor shopping area. This way, your attendees will be able to find the basics like brushes, bridles, and halters.

Keep your hours long.

Equestrians are busy people. Between feeding the horses, scheduling and attending lessons, and cleaning stalls, everyone's schedule is packed. You'll attract more people if your festival starts early in the morning and runs well into the evening to accommodate these schedules.

Schedule for early spring or fall.

Early spring and late fall are the best times to hold equestrian festivals. Show season is not in full swing, and yet the weather is not cold enough to trap people indoors. In the spring, people are stocking up on gear and equipment for the upcoming show season, too.

With the tips above, you'll have an easier time putting on a full equestrian festival with demonstrators, shopping, and more. For more information, contact a company like Crowds On Demand. 

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