Footing the Future of the Midwest Horse Fair®!

December 2, 2008

(December 2008 – Madison, WI) Just as any athlete requires a proper working environment to achieve their peak performance, so do the equine athletes that attend the Midwest’s premier equestrian event. The Midwest Horse Fair® is one of the top three-day horse expos in America, drawing over 650 horses and 50,000 spectators every year.

The Midwest Horse Fair® is owned by the Wisconsin State Horse Council, Inc., which uses the profits from its Fair to support the growth and development of Wisconsin’s horse industry. Both organizations are proud to be funding a project that will make a significant improvement to the footing in the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.

For horses, the footing or the ground upon which they work, is just as important as proper running shoes and safe terrain for any runner. According to experts in the field of horse injuries, about 80 percent of soundness problems are related to improper footing. With so many horses of different breeds, sizes and disciplines using the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum during the three-day run of the Midwest Horse Fair®, the footing was extremely stressed. The improvement in footing will also allow Alliant Energy Center to attract some top national equine shows and competitions, which in turn complements the equine industry in Wisconsin.

The managing boards of both the Wisconsin State Horse Council and the Midwest Horse Fair® chose to work with Bob Kiser and Kiser Arena Specialists. Kiser is a world-renown footing expert who travels the world consulting and building arenas. He has designed and managed footing for major events such as the American Quarter Horse World championships, National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Derby, National Reined Cow Horse Association and National Cutting Horse Association major events, and World Equestrian Games in Jrez, Spain and Aachen, Germany. Kiser was recently selected to manage the footing at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

“Kiser Footing is the best footing system available in the horse show industry,” said Bill DiCarlo, executive director of Alliant Energy Center. “Having this footing available for the annual Midwest Horse Fair® supports riders and horses alike.”

Kiser was hired to analyze the needs of the arena and determine specifically which type of footing would provide the best working surface for the needs of such a large event. This was not an easy task, as the Midwest Horse Fair® includes representatives of numerous breeds, from the smallest pony to the largest draft horse. There is also a wide variety of disciplines represented, from reining horses, to driving, to dressage.

“In April of 2009, the Midwest Horse Fair® will celebrate 30 years of growing and going strong,” said Troy Brick-Margelofsky, chairman of the Midwest Horse Fair® Board. “Having this opportunity to work with the Alliant Energy Center illustrates our commitment to the future of the horse industry and the future of the Midwest Horse Fair®.”

In addition to the new and greatly improved footing, a Kiser Dragmaster was purchased to help maintain this footing. This piece of equipment is designed specifically for the unique needs of the horse and the versatility needed to effectively maintain the footing for all different disciplines.

“The Wisconsin State Horse Council is thrilled to be making a significant contribution to our state equine industry through this opportunity brought to us by our Midwest Horse Fair® management team,” said Karen Kroll, president of the WSHC. “This unique partnership with Alliant Energy Center allows our Midwest Horse Fair® to continue its phenomenal growth by improving our ability to bring more exciting equine events and entertainment to our Fair.”

The 2009 Midwest Horse Fair® will be held on April 17-19, and the theme is “SuperHorse.” While this will be a year to look to the past in recognition of the 30th anniversary, with the addition of the new footing it is also a step towards the future of the Midwest Horse Fair® and the horse industry of the Midwest.

“We invite everyone to learn more about our Council and Fair through our websites — wisconsinstatehorsecouncil.org and midwesthorsefair.com,” said Kroll. “As president of the Wisconsin State Horse Council, I am very eager to promote this project for us, Midwest Horse Fair®, and the Wisconsin horse industry as a whole. This project can be viewed as taking charge of the future of Midwest Horse Fair®, as well as our industry.”
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