SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)—The annual Central New York horse show is back in town, this time bringing 300 horses, five main events, and big cash prizes. Preparing for this four-day event loaded with events and competitions doesn’t come without challenges.
Preparations for the annual show can take up to a full year—that’s 12 months of filling out forms, hiring staff, and coordinating programs for show manager, Jennifer Hoyt.
“Once a month, [we] make sure we have enough awards, [and] make sure we have everything covered,” Hoyt said. “So, it’s pretty involved.”
All the involvement in planning has put the Reigning Horse Association on the global list of Top 50 horse shows for six years in a row. People from all over the Northeastern region travel to Syracuse yearly to attend the show. With so many people coming from different locations, Hoyt said Syracuse is the perfect location.
“[It’s] so centrally located for everybody in the Northeast,” Hoyt said. “It’s pretty much a three- to four-hour drive no matter where you’re [coming from] within the region.”
This is true for horse show participant, Ross Failor, who traveled four hours from Pennsylvania with his family and horse to compete in the show.
“We bring our three and four-year-old out here,” he said. “And our granddaughter shows it for us.”
From ancillary classes to the regional championship, the best horse exhibitors of the northeastern region meet yearly in Syracuse and compete for cash prizes ranging from $100,000 and up. And when the event’s over, it’s back to the drawing board.
“So as soon as we finish this event on Sunday, I’ll take Monday off, and then we’ll start thinking about next year already,” said Hoyt.
And thus, begins another 365-day cycle of planning.
