Approximately four hundred Arabians, Half-Arabians and Anglo-Arabians will model their natural abilities as sport horses at the Idaho Horse Park in Nampa, Idaho, Sept. 22-25, 2010. The Sport Horse Nationals Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Sport Horse Nationals), produced by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, Colo., features 90 classes in four divisions, the sport horse division, hunter/jumper division, dressage division and the driving division.

Exhibitors from 41 states and two Canadian provinces will come to Nampa to compete in the national-level show in its eighth year. Created after the sport horse classes out grew the space and time allotted for them at the AHA U.S. Nationals, Sport Horse Nationals is the only single-breed sport horse event in the nation offered just for Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses registered with AHA or the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry.

New this year is a Power and Speed Jumpers Exhibition. A two-part class, the power portion is ridden first and is not timed. If the horse and rider team is clear through the power portion, without rails, refusals or falls, they continue into the speed portion of the course. The speed portion is timed and the team with the least faults wins, using time as the deciding factor for equal faults.

The Progressive Barn Party, a special Sport Horse Nationals tradition, will be September 23 at 7:00 p.m. Exhibitors and barns from all over North America host each other and the public to fare most popular in their region. Delights sometimes include sockeye salmon from the Pacific Northwest, a favorite potato recipe from Idaho, or fresh fruit from Florida. Wine for the party is donated by Bitner Vineyards of Caldwell, Idaho.

The Idaho Horse Park will host their annual Equus and Overture fundraiser for the Idaho Horse Park Foundation Sept. 25. The dinner will take place on the concourse of the Idaho Center Arena during the Saturday Evening Performance, giving attendees of the event a front row seat to carriage pleasure driving, show hack, sport horse under saddle and the Sport Horse In-hand Supreme Champion class. Equus and Overture begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for your choice of a steak or salmon dinner are $75 and can be purchased through the Idaho Horse Park by calling (208) 442-3335. Reservations must be made by Sept. 20.

For more information, visit www.ArabianHorses.org/SHN or call the Arabian Horse Association at (303) 696-4500.

AHA is a major equine association serving 33,000 members across North America. It registers and maintains a database of more than one million Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses and administers approximately $3 million in annual prize money. AHA produces championship events, recognizes close to 600 Arabian horse shows and distance rides and provides activities and programs that promote breeding and ownership. For information about Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses, call 303-696-4500, e-mail [email protected] or visit ArabianHorses.org

Please see the Sport Horse Nationals Press Kit in its entirety by clicking here: http://www.arabianhorses.org/competitions/nationalevents/sporthorse/2010/presskit.asp