The Arabian and Half-Arabian U.S. Nationals was a sea of activity today, but the show still ran smoothly, thanks to our outstanding volunteers. There are volunteers everywhere around the show grounds, many of whom have been following the show from state to state for years—they are the secret to our success. For a show of this magnitude it takes scores of dedicated volunteers who know their duties so well that they make the entire show look effortless to execute.
The group of chief volunteers, who actually produce the show, is the U.S. National Show Commission – a group of six people elected by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Board of Directors to run the show. Commissioners come from all over the United States – Lance Walters, Chair, from New York; Cindy Clinton, Vice Chair, from Ohio; Tony Connor, Kentucky; Bill Hughes, California; Mike Stewart, Tennessee; and Pat Webb, Georgia. This group sets policy and runs the show, along with AHA staff and other volunteers working under the commission’s direction.
Without the specialized experience and expertise of our dedicated group of over 100 volunteers, who intimately know how to conduct all the specialized divisions within the show, U.S. Nationals would not run so smoothly. Our volunteers hail from all corners of the U.S. and Canada—from California and Florida, all the way up to British Columbia and Ontario. Even though our show is only 10 days long, some of our volunteers are on grounds doing their jobs for a total of 27 days.
Combine AHA volunteers with our paid staff and nearly 200 Commercial Exhibitors who bring people to work in their booths and we have already made a sizeable impact on Tulsa. Then supplement that impact with all the people who come with 1,889 horses, including owners, trainers, grooms and family and suddenly we make about a $30 million dollar impact on the city. Hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and gas stations are only a few of the businesses supported by the show.
All of this activity happens for really one reason—because we love the Arabian horse! You can enjoy the Arabian horse and the show via the internet at www.ArabianHorses.org. Just click on the web casting link. As the show proceeds, we’ll share other activities involving the exhibitors and horses from the “Back Gate,” plus a little history of the Arabian horse.
So from here in Tulsa, we’re continuing at a “Hand-Gallop”!
--Glenn Petty