Midwest Horse Fair

What Midwest Horse Fair does

Midwest Horse Fair is a nonprofit annual 3-day equestrian event held each April at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, owned and operated by Wisconsin Horse Council, Inc. The event, founded in 1979, draws 60,000+ attendees and features 800 horses, 400+ commercial vendor booths, and 300+ clinics, lectures, and performances spanning Western and English riding disciplines. Its programming includes a PRCA Rodeo, Evening Shows, Stallion Avenue, Stable Lane, Grand March, Liberty Run, competitions (including the Wisconsin FFA State Horse Evaluation CDE), youth programming (Kids Korral, Youth Day), and VIP hospitality packages.

Name

Midwest Horse Fair

Legal name

Wisconsin Horse Council, Inc. (Midwest Horse Fair)

Website

https://midwesthorsefair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midwest Horse Fair is a nonprofit annual 3-day equestrian event in Madison, Wisconsin, owned by Wisconsin Horse Council, serving 60,000+ attendees with 400+ vendor booths, clinics, competitions, and entertainment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from attendee admission tickets. Three-day wristband valued at $55, one-day wristband valued at $25.
2. Commercial Exhibitor Booth Rentals: Equine-related businesses pay for booth space in Exhibition Hall, Coliseum, Pavilion areas, Outside Mall, and other locations. Includes exhibitor admission tickets (6 one-day tickets per booth for indoor exhibitors, 18 for trailer/truck/food court exhibitors).
3. Sponsorship Packages: Corporate sponsors pay for advertising and promotional placement at the event. Sponsorships with booth space start at $4,000 with minimum value of $7,500. Includes banner placement, social media campaigns, program advertising, website ads, and ultimate advertising packages.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of official Midwest Horse Fair merchandise including clothing and keepsakes through the online Amazon store and on-site gift shop.
5. Advertising Sales: Additional advertising opportunities including Official Program ads ($215-$1,055), rotating website ads ($250), social media campaigns ($225), e-newsletter banner ads ($450), and physical banners ($300).
6. Online Store: E-commerce sales of official Midwest Horse Fair merchandise including souvenirs, photos, and keepsakes available through the online store and Amazon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Midwest Horse Fair produces an annual three-day equine industry event held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, featuring 300+ clinics, lectures, and performances, 400+ commercial exhibitor booths, 800 horses on the grounds, and ticketed evening entertainment such as the PRCA rodeo. Revenue is generated primarily through consumer ticket sales, exhibitor booth rentals, corporate sponsorships, advertising, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Midwest Horse Fair is an annual premier 3-day equestrian event in Madison, Wisconsin featuring a unified platform of offerings centered around the core fair event. The product portfolio includes the main event itself as the central attraction, enhanced by ticketed Evening Shows (PRCA Rodeo and The Greatest Show Horse), extensive educational programming through world-class clinicians and clinics, and specialized venues like Stallion Avenue and Stable Lane for breeding and boarding services. Additional modules include competitions, Grand March performances, Liberty Run presentations, the 'Outside the Arena' podcast, youth programming (Kids Korral and Youth Day), VIP packages with catered hospitality, a commercial exhibitor marketplace, official merchandise through the Gift Shop (both onsite and via Amazon), and various advertising/sponsorship opportunities for partners. The fair also offers participant registration services, live streaming, and official raffles, creating a comprehensive equestrian experience that serves attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MHF Mounted Horse Patrol: A volunteer program where mounted volunteers on horseback help promote the fair as welcoming and friendly and prevent walk-ins from entering without paying admission.
• Outside the Arena Podcast

Products and services

• Midwest Horse Fair (Annual 3-Day Event) A three-day annual equestrian event held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, combining 300+ educational clinics, lectures, performances, 400+ commercial exhibitor booths, and 800 horses on grounds; intended for horse owners, riders, breeders, trainers, and equine enthusiasts.
• Evening Shows (PRCA Rodeo, Greatest Show Horse) Ticketed evening entertainment produced during the fair, including a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo and a horse showcase performance, sold as separately ticketed events for general attendees.
• Commercial Exhibitor Booth Rentals Rental of booth space at the fair for 400+ commercial vendors of equestrian products and services (tack, feed, apparel, trailers, breeding, training, veterinary, etc.) to sell directly to 60,000+ attendees.
• Corporate Sponsorship and Advertising Packages Sponsorship and on-site advertising packages sold to brands seeking exposure to the equestrian demographic, with placements tied to specific fair assets such as evening shows, clinics, areas, and digital channels.
• VIP Hospitality Packages Premium hospitality packages for the fair providing enhanced access, seating, and amenities for attendees seeking an upgraded event experience.
• Official Midwest Horse Fair Merchandise Branded apparel and merchandise sold online and at the fair, including items distributed via the official Amazon store.

Quantifiable outcome

• $15 million economic impact on the Madison, Wisconsin area
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• John DeerecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2027Official Equipment Provider for Midwest Horse Fair, Booth OM611 in Outside Mall area
• Wisconsin Horse Council, Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Midwest Horse Fair is owned by the Wisconsin Horse Council, Inc. All proceeds from the Fair are returned to the WHC and are used to represent and foster a unified equine industry in Wisconsin, to promote the equine through leadership, education, service, and communication, and to take a proactive role in the future growth and development of the equine industry.
• Blain's Farm & FleetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sponsor with Coliseum Gate Attendant volunteer position named after Blain's Farm & Fleet
• Tribute Superior Equine NutritioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProud Sponsor of Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition Pavilion Two Arena. Also sponsors the Tribute Pavilion Two Arena Gate Attendant volunteer position.
• Andis CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sponsor of the Grand March event, Booth 3924 in Exhibition Hall
• Yoder's Ranch WearminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Midwest Horse Fair
• Hemp For HorsesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sponsor and Proud Participant, Booth 2609 in Exhibition Hall
• Equi-Shine SupplementsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sponsor of Whispery Pines Percheron Hitch, Booth 2413-2416 in Exhibition Hall
• Doctor's Choice SupplementsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Midwest Horse Fair
• Texas RoadhouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Midwest Horse Fair
• Junkin Jo's BoutiqueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sponsor and Proud Participant, Booth 1409-1411, 1509-1511, 1609-1611, 1709-1711 in Exhibition Hall
• Tractor Supply CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProud Sponsor of Stallion Avenue at the Midwest Horse Fair
• H&S FencingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Pavilion One Arena Gate Attendant volunteer position
• Alliant Energy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe event venue provider in Madison, Wisconsin. Exhibitors order amenities (electricity, Wi-Fi, furniture, etc.) directly from Alliant Energy Center.
• Dane County Park SystemminorOthersAlternative camping options near Alliant Energy Center facility for exhibitors when grounds camping is full

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• All-American Quarter Horse Congress: The world's largest single-breed horse show, held annually in Columbus, Ohio, featuring thousands of horses, hundreds of vendors, competitions, and educational clinics. Closest direct peer to Midwest Horse Fair as a multi-day, vendor-driven horse fair with similar attendee demographics, breed showcase format, and sponsor ecosystem.
• Minnesota Horse Expo: A multi-day horse exposition held annually in Minnesota featuring clinicians, competitions, breed demos, and a vendor marketplace. Highly comparable to Midwest Horse Fair in size, format, and Upper Midwest regional positioning, making it the most direct head-to-head competitor for attendees and exhibitors.
• PA World Horse Expo: A Pennsylvania-based horse expo featuring clinicians, breed demos, competitions, and a vendor hall. Comparable as a regional peer in format (education + shopping + entertainment) competing for Eastern U.S. exhibitor dollars in the same broader horse fair category.
• Michigan Horse Expo: A regional horse exposition in Michigan offering clinics, demos, competitions, and a vendor hall. Comparable as a peer regional horse fair competing for the same Midwest exhibitor and attendee base as Midwest Horse Fair.

Emerging players

• Equitana USA: A newer U.S. edition of the established European Equitana equestrian trade and consumer fair. Comparable as a multi-format horse event combining education, shopping, and entertainment, but positioned at a more premium/trade-show tier with global brand recognition.

Broad incumbents

• National Western Stock Show: A historic annual livestock show held in Denver, Colorado, featuring horse shows, rodeos, and a large vendor exposition. Comparable as a multi-format equestrian/livestock event with similar vendor marketplace and sponsorship economics, though broader in scope (includes cattle and other livestock).
• Spruce Meadows: A premier show jumping venue in Calgary, Canada, operating year-round tournaments and exhibitions with significant corporate sponsorship. Comparable as an equestrian venue/event operator with a strong brand, sponsor ecosystem, and ticket-driven model, though focused specifically on show jumping rather than a broad horse fair.
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: A massive annual livestock exposition and rodeo in Houston, Texas with millions of attendees, a concert series, and major corporate sponsorship. Comparable as a benchmark for how a regional livestock/equestrian event can scale into a national entertainment property with diversified sponsorship, ticketing, and broadcast revenue streams.
• Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo: One of the largest annual livestock shows and rodeos in the U.S., held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Comparable to Midwest Horse Fair as a multi-week equestrian/livestock event featuring competitions, vendor marketplace, education, and major sponsorship inventory, but operates at a substantially larger scale and longer duration.

Others

• Wisconsin Equine Clinic & Events Center (WEC): A Wisconsin-based equine veterinary and event facility. Comparable as an adjacent Wisconsin equine ecosystem participant that hosts equine competitions and educational events, partially overlapping with Midwest Horse Fair's regional audience and exhibitor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/midwesthorsefair
• Facebookfacebook.com/midwesthorsefair
• Instagraminstagram.com/midwesthorsefair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwest-horse-fair

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 Midwest Horse Fair