New and Improved 2009 Reichert Celebration
Williamsburg, Iowa, July 15, 2009-The 11th Annual Reichert Celebration will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma August 7-16, 2009.
Tulsa Expo Center’s Agribusiness Coordinator, Brandi Herdon is excited for the return of the Celebration. “Expo Square and the Community of Tulsa are excited to host the 2009 Reichert Celebration for the fourth consecutive year. The Reichert Celebration is one of the largest equine events in the nation and we feel so honored and privileged to be a part of it. Expo Square has just completed its eight year construction project and is excited to introduce the new and improved Expo Square at the 2009 Reichert Celebration!”
“The Celebration will be undergoing a few new additions in 2009,” said J.R. Reichert, founder of the Reichert Celebration. In particular, there will be a new program targeting youth involved in the horse industry. “We believe that youth of all breeds will truly be excited about our new Youth Team Tournament.” This new event will offer special classes for the youth to compete in-with the chance to win one of several $1000 and $500 scholarships. Additionally, each participant will receive a free pair of jeans, shirt, and team jacket, courtesy of Cinch and Cruel Girl.
The Reichert Celebration was founded in Iowa in 1999, where it remained until 2003. St. Louis, Missouri was the home of the event in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, the Celebration moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where it has remained to date.
The Celebration is renowned for being a “family event”-there are classes offered for every level of horse and rider, as well as extravagant prizes and fun and games to boot. The Celebration, with over 8600 entries in 2008, is the largest all breed horse show and futurity. The event not only features a National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) futurity show, but also American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Paint Horse Association (APHA), and Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) classes.
The Reichert Celebration Premiere Signature Classes offer evening entertainment, which combines a black tie affair, indoor fireworks, laser light shows, and special acts such as cowboy mounted shooting, with a class of outstanding trainers and horses, to create an unforgettable night for all who attend. Two of these classes, the Hylton Three Year Old and Over Maiden Western Pleasure and the Equine Sports Medicine Maiden Two Year Old Challenge, offer $100,000 in prize money to the winner. This year, a total of $1.5 million is projected to be paid out in prize money, while an additional $300,000 in awards will be presented.
“The Reichert Celebration is a family-friendly event bringing in visitors from all over the United States to our great city,” said Amy Huntley, Director of Convention Sales & Marketing with the Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Because of the high energy events and competitions suited for all ages, it not only appeals to participants, but also provides local citizens with another option of fun things to do in the area. The competitors love the event and we love them. We hope the Reichert Celebration will continue to make Tulsa its home for years to come.”