What Your Show Secretary And Manager Want You To Know
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516 – September/October, 2026
By Jillian Sinclair
When exhibitors pull through the gate at a horse show, their focus is understandably on the competition ahead. They’re thinking about settling horses into stalls, walking patterns, warming up for their first class, and making sure they’re in the right place at the right time.
For the show’s management team, however, that event has been months, or even years in the making.
“I wish every exhibitor understood that the show begins long before the first class enters the arena,” says Christian Jauntig of Topline Event Management. “Reading the show information and knowing the deadlines can prevent most problems once they arrive.”
Whether it’s coordinating judges, securing facilities, balancing schedules, processing entries, or answering countless exhibitor questions, show managers and secretaries are responsible for keeping hundreds of moving parts working together. While much of that work happens behind the scenes, the actions exhibitors take before and during the show can have a significant impact on how smoothly the event runs.
Amanda Palmer of A Pluss Show Management, Christian Jauntig of Topline Event Management, and Kathy Avolt of An Equine Production have collectively spent decades managing horse shows of every size. While each organization has its own procedures, they all shared a common message: preparation, communication, and courtesy go a long way toward creating a successful horse show for exhibitors and management alike.
The Horse Show Starts Long Before You Arrive
Click here to read the complete article
516 – September/October, 2026
