Metropolitan Horsemen's Association

What Metropolitan Horsemen's Association does

Metropolitan Horsemen's Association (MHA) is a 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization founded in 1938 and headquartered in Oakland, California. It serves the equestrian community of the East Bay Area by organizing horse shows, educational clinics, and volunteer-driven programming at Sequoia Arena, a facility it maintains within Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland Hills. The organization also acts as an advocacy body, representing equestrian interests in public meetings and working to preserve equestrian facilities and trail access regionally.

MHA's core offerings are horse shows structured for riders from beginner (green) to advanced levels, a series of educational clinics on topics such as Working Equitation, Horsemanship Basics, and Basic Equine Medical Care, and year-round access to Sequoia Arena for members. The supporting infrastructure is a physical equestrian venue with quality footing and shade; technology consists of a Squarespace-hosted website (mhaeastbay.org / mhaoakland.org) and standard social media profiles used for event promotion and community engagement.

The revenue model rests on membership fees (providing discounted show entries and arena access), event entry fees, and tax-deductible donations channeled through Friends of MHA, a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) supporting organization (EIN 41-3703752). Operations are volunteer-driven and the organization runs with 1-10 employees, indicating a small, community-funded footprint rather than a scaled commercial operation.

Name

Metropolitan Horsemen's Association

Legal name

Metropolitan Horsemen's Association

Website

https://mhaoakland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Metropolitan Horsemen's Association is a 501(c)(7) nonprofit founded in 1938 in Oakland, California, serving the East Bay equestrian community through horse shows, educational clinics, and arena access at Sequoia Arena in Joaquin Miller Park, funded via memberships, event fees, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian Sports & Recreation

NAICS

Racetracks (711212)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAEAM

Equestrian & Rodeo Facilities

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Venues & Facilities (Stadiums, Arenas, Tracks, Complexes)

Keywords

• Equestrian sports organization
• Horse show events
• Equestrian arena facility
• Equestrian education clinics
• Membership-based nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees that provide members-only discounts on entry fees at MHA shows and year-round arena access
2. Event Entry Fees: Revenue generated from horse show entry fees, with discounts available to members
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through Friends of MHA, a 501(c)(3) supporting organization
4. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteer-driven organization where community members contribute time and skills to support events and operations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Metropolitan Horsemen's Association is a community-based nonprofit that operates Sequoia Arena in Oakland Hills and delivers equestrian programming for the East Bay. Its sellable offerings include an annual MHA Membership (with member discounts on show entry fees and year-round arena access), organized Horse Shows & Events for riders from beginner to advanced levels, and Educational Clinics covering Working Equitation, Horsemanship Basics, and Basic Equine Medical Care.

Product overview

Metropolitan Horsemen's Association operates as a unified membership-based organization offering equestrian event services centered around Sequoia Arena. The organization provides horse shows and events as its primary competitive offerings, complemented by educational clinics on various equestrian topics. Membership benefits include show discounts and arena access. The organization advocates for the equestrian community in public meetings and works to preserve equestrian facilities and trail access in the East Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of MHA: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports MHA. Donations to Friends of MHA are tax-deductible. EIN #41-3703752.

Products and services

• MHA Membership Annual membership program that grants members-only discounts on horse show entry fees and year-round access to Sequoia Arena (weather permitting), supporting arena maintenance and equestrian community advocacy. Designed for individual riders, horse owners, and equestrian enthusiasts in the East Bay Area.
• Horse Shows & Events Organized equestrian competitions held at Sequoia Arena, structured to provide a friendly and encouraging show experience for horses and riders ranging from green/beginner through advanced levels. Open to individual competitors and members in the East Bay equestrian community.
• Educational Clinics Educational clinic series covering topics such as Working Equitation, Horsemanship Basics, and Basic Equine Medical Care, designed to develop horsemanship skills for equestrian community members of varying experience levels.
• Sequoia Arena Access Year-round access to Sequoia Arena, an equestrian facility located in Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland Hills, featuring quality footing, friendly MHA volunteer support, and plentiful shade during summer heat. Provided to members and used as the venue for MHA shows and clinics.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends of MHAcoreOthersFriends of MHA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN #41-3703752) that supports MHA. Donations to Friends of MHA are tax-deductible, providing a charitable giving vehicle for supporters of the equestrian organization.
• Bay Area Equestrian Network (BAEN)minorOthersMHA is a member of the Bay Area Equestrian Network, a regional equestrian advocacy and networking organization connecting equestrian facilities and professionals across the Bay Area.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• US Equestrian Federation: National governing body for equestrian sport in the U.S., sanctioning competitions and setting rules. Comparable in regulatory and competitive-organization function, but operates at a vastly larger, national scale.
• World Equestrian Center: Major multi-discipline equestrian venue and resort operator hosting year-round shows and events. Comparable in providing arena, shows, and clinics, but operates as a large commercial enterprise.
• Tryon International Equestrian Center: Large-scale commercial equestrian resort and competition venue. Comparable as a multi-discipline equestrian facility operator with shows, but at a destination/commercial scale rather than a community-club model.

Direct peers

• Woodside Horse Owners Association: Local equestrian community organization on the San Francisco Peninsula that maintains riding facilities, hosts horse shows, and advocates for equestrian interests — directly comparable to MHA's community-club model in the Bay Area.
• Bay Area Equestrian Network (BAEN): Regional equestrian advocacy and networking organization of which MHA is a member. BAEN connects equestrian facilities and professionals across the Bay Area and serves a closely analogous community-organizing function.
• Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association: Regional horse show association serving the Pacific Coast with member-based show circuits. Comparable in providing show-based programming to amateur and professional riders on the West Coast.

Regional players

• California Dressage Society: California chapter of a national discipline-specific equestrian association that hosts shows, clinics, and educational events. Comparable in mission (equestrian education and competition) but organized around dressage specifically rather than all disciplines.
• Sonoma Horse Park: Northern California equestrian venue that hosts horse shows and events. Comparable as a regional show-ground operator, but operates at a larger, more commercially oriented scale than MHA's volunteer-run arena.

Others

• Hagyard Equine Medical Institute: Long-established equine veterinary practice that also offers educational programming for horse owners. Comparable as a longstanding, mission-driven equestrian organization in the U.S., though veterinary rather than show-focused.
• National Reining Breeders Classic: Major reining-horse event organizer that produces a flagship competition. Comparable in the show-production function, but specialized to a single discipline and operates as a large-scale event rather than a community club.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/squarespace
• Facebookfacebook.com/squarespace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/squarespace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Metropolitan Horsemen's Association