Parsons, Kansas —
Three beautiful spring days had horse enthusiasts galloping through the gates at Horsefest last weekend at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri.
And once they got there they had plenty to see and do.
Horsefest, once again, was three days chalked full of a number of educational sessions for horse enthusiasts.
However, the biggest attraction at Horsefest this year was the return of headlining clinician Stacy Westfall.
Westfall thrilled the crowd with her very apparent equine loving approach to training horses.
Her daily clinics offered a little something for everyone who wanted to get more out of their own horses.
With topics like improving steering and teaching spinning to classic body control horse enthusiasts were sure to take something home to work on.
But that was just the beginning. Westfall, who is famous for her ability to teach, train and ride bridleless, wowed the crowds by explaining and demonstrating bridleless riding.
Westfall rounded out the weekend by explaining how ground driving and groundwork can help your riding plus some more explanation and demonstration on bridleless riding.
And to think, that was just one part of all that Horsefest had to offer those in attendance.
For everyone that wanted to take home more than some new training methods Horsefest again offered a one-stop equine shopping extravaganza with a trade show featuring over 300 booths.
For some, shopping and attending educational clinics might not be enough though. That is exactly why Horsefest offered even more.
The barns on the grounds of the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds allowed area horse breeders a place to showcase and exhibit some of their best stock during the three-day event.
For the first time ever this year The Rawhide and Dusty Show entertained those in attendance at Horsefest with a wild and western whip cracking and trick horse show.
Not enough? There was more. Horsefest also hosted two equine competitive events.
The ever-popular Horsefest Shoot-Out brought some of the area’s best cowboy mounted shooters to town in search of winning the annual event.
If cowboy mounted shooting wasn’t fast enough those in attendance were sure to be impressed by the speed and agility of those competing in the Invitational NBHA Barrel Racing Showdown.
Winners of the 2012 Invitational NBHA Barrel Racing Showdown are as follows:
1-D
1st place-Kara Fox
2nd place-Taylor Steinhoff
3rd place-Bailey Smith
2-D
1st place-Cheyenne Bennett
2nd place-Shelli Snelson
3rd place-Janet Johnson
3-D
1st place-George Hough
2nd place-Cierra Bennett
3rd place-Bobbie Thompson
4-D
1st place-Tara Holland
2nd place-John Hutton
3rd place-Kristen Dunham
In addition to everything else offered at Horsefest 2012, show producers joined in by offering the Horsefest Give-Away.
In the 2012 Horsefest Give-Away, Brandi Shipley From Willard, Mo., won the Applegate Livestock Equipment 40-ft. round pen. David Estes from Salem, Ark., was the winner of the $1,000 Shopping Spree.
In the childrens drawing held at the Farm Talk booth, Olivia Caddy from Walnut Grove, Mo., was the winner of the $100 PFI Shopping Spree.
When it comes to hosting an event of this size it takes a lot of people to make it all happen. However, none are more important than the great sponsors.
This year’s Horsefest Gold Sponsors included MFA and Applegate Livestock Equipment, PFI Western Store and Race Brothers and Priefert.
Front page stories
Related Photos
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Stacy Westfall shared her training tips daily at the 2012 Horsefest in Springfield, Mo.
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The Rawhide and Dusty Show
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With over 300 booths in the Horsefest trade show there was a little something for everyone.
Horsefest had it all for the horse and rider
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