Arabian Horse Celebration Returns to Freedom Hall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 27, 2015)- The dust barely will have settled from the Kentucky State Fair when more horses arrive at Freedom Hall for four days of family fun. This time it is one of the oldest breeds in the world—the legendary Arabians, ancestors to almost all other breeds of light horses and known for their beauty and user-friendly personalities.

The Arabian Celebration, now in its third visit to Louisville, features an exciting new dimension this year: it is being held in conjunction with the inaugural North American Halter Championships, making the Celebration’s show one of the most highly-anticipated events on the breed’s calendar. And to be sure that it is available to everyone, admission is free.

As usual, the Celebration is known for far more than its world-class competition. “This is also a great place to bring your family, have a great time, and learn more about Arabians,” says Bob Battaglia, Celebration President. “We focus on education—teaching children and adults not only about our horses, but about horses in general.”

Here’s what you can see and do at the 2015 Arabian Horse Celebration and North American Halter Championships.

The Horse Show—Look for 43 hard-fought classes in the Arabian Horse Breeders Alliance’s North American Halter Championships, including 22 for purebred Arabians in open and amateur, and eight for open and amateur Half-Arabians. These competitions are for horses “in-hand,” which means being led by a handler, and asked to exhibit their excellent conformation and beauty.

If “performance” (riding and driving athletic contests) is your thing, you’ll find 47 purebred and 46 Half-Arabian events in a variety of English- and western-oriented events, as well as the famous Arabian Native Costume class. It’s a great overview of the top professionals and talented amateurs with their drop-dead gorgeous horses, and they’re competing for some of the premier prizes in the industry.

Seminars—Some of the top horsemen, trainers and veterinarians in the country will offer how-to information on handling horses, along with background on equine medical, behavioral and management issues.

Demonstrations—Freedom Hall, Friday, September 4: Following afternoon classes, an outstanding panel of skilled horsemen will present many activities available to Arabian horses, along with information on how owners and enthusiasts can get involved.

Youth Workshops and Tours—On the schedule are activities for children of all ages, including art sessions, Breyer® horse painting, visits to stalls and more. They are available by reservation throughout the week, and on a walk-in basis at intervals on Saturday morning.

For visitors who might be interested in purchasing an Arabian horse, there will be a full complement of horses for sale, who will be on display twice in Freedom Hall, and an up-close-and-personal look at nearly two dozen of the Arabian breed’s best-known sires. Knowledgeable horsemen and lovers of the breed will be on hand to talk about what makes the stallions so special, and presentations will take place daily in the North Wing, and in Freedom Hall on Friday and Saturday nights.

And finally, there will be the Celebration’s Shopping Expo, with more than 50 vendors offering everything from equine care supplies to artwork, luxury items and a wide variety of general, broad-market merchandise for those who don’t “think horse” 24/7. Just three months before holiday season, it provides rare opportunities for those in search of the unusual.

The Arabian Horse Celebration and North American Halter Championships benefits Louisville’s Home of the Innocents, a 130-year-old organization which cares for neglected, abused and medically fragile children.

“We hope everyone will join us,” says Bob Battaglia. “We’re very excited about this being one of the premier events in North America. It is a collaboration of breeders, trainers, owners and exhibitors which we think is worth supporting, both financially and in person. Already, a Celebration title carries with it a lot of prestige, and with the North American Halter Championships too, the sky is the limit when it comes to potential.”

The non-profit Arabian Horse Celebration team is made up of owners, breeders, trainers, amateurs, professionals and lovers of Arabian horses. For more information on the organization and the event, visit www.arabiancelebration.com.

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