Indio vs Arizona

[SevdaTVF]

I have only been to Indio but what does everyone think about the difference in these two shows? Is the competition level the same, what about the qualitity of the show grounds? All I have to say is you cant beat the Indio weather! 75 and sunny! :D

[Pinnacle]

I was wondering the same thing.. I would really like to head down with my young mare next year, but don't know where to go. I've heard that Tuscon is super fun and the weather there is good too... it's not as big.

[What'szat]

My thoughts on Indio vs. Arizona..... If you have a young inexperienced horse or a special needs horse that needs to spend extra time in the ring, AZ is very good for that. All of the arena's are open to hack in before the show in the morning and quite often in the afternoon after the show is over!! The competition is not as stiff, and the weather is a bit more risky. I have never been so cold at a show as I have been there. I showed in the snow and ice pellets. NOT FUN!!! The arena's in AZ are very big and the jumper ring has a bank and water jump all of which can be practiced regularly during the show, so if you don't have one at home this is one of the few shows that allows you to practice and practice.

I like Indio because you get to see a lot of really, really great horses and a lot of really, really great riders, both hunter's and jumper's. Also I think it is nice for the mother's and father's that come down, in the area near the horse show there is really great shopping for the mother's and really great golfing for the father's, not to mention the air museum that I hear is really cool!!

[JustJumpIt111]

I love indio! There are so many great horses there and the show is run great! The competition is amazing and it's an overall grea show :)

[TalorLS]

Connie went to Arizona this year. I have heard it is and allot more spaceous then Indio and there are less crowds. I have also heard the competition is less stiff too. I did here that during the show the school band would practice near by and one day one hunderd school buses came in and the kids had an indian pow-wow right next to the show and both these situations spooked most of the horses that went into the ring.

I have hear mixed things about indio. The possitives I have hear are basically that there are allot of really good horses and riders and that it is very challenging. The negitives I have heard are. It is really dirty, the stalls and aisles are very small and that you need a golf cart to get anywere because it is so spread out.

Both horse shows sound like they have possitives and negitives to each of them and I think it would be fun to go to both of them sometime in the future.

[ProvidenceJRhtr]

I have been to indio, I loved it. It's a great competitive show, but yes it is HUGE and you really do need a golf cart.
My Trainer will not ever go to Az. She went once and hated it, she said it was way too dusty and not run well at all. Just one bad experience. :cool:

[TalorLS]

I have been to indio, I loved it. It's a great competitive show, but yes it is HUGE and you really do need a golf cart.
My Trainer will not ever go to Az. She went once and hated it, she said it was way too dusty and not run well at all. Just one bad experience. :cool:

How was is run differently then indio

[tacotory]

It's Indio all the way for me. Some thoughts on both...

Regarding Arizona, Megan's point regarding young and/or special horses is right on the money. It's a nice, open outdoor facility with lots of opportunity for training. Any issues you have in the show ring can be schooled in that same ring before or after the show. Also, the grounds aren't as intimidating as the Indio grounds can be to a green horse.

They do seem to always be having some other sort of event during the horse show. For example, they have drag racing at the facility next door- which surprisingly doesn't spook the horses nearly as much as you might expect.

Management is not nearly as good as Indio. For a show as huge as Indio, it runs like absolute clockwork. Indio's show management is extremely visable and approachable. Very exhibitor-friendly. Any problems that arise are handled quickly and efficiently. The rings (10 of them-1GP,3J,6H) run smooth and rarely run very late. Arizona's ring management doesn't seem to be as smooth. Where-as Indio has a crew of professional ring staff, Arizona has jump crew guys running the back gates. I'm not dissing the jump crew guys- it's just that it is a hard job and is performed better by people that have chosen to make it their career and have years of experience. Not only are all of Indio's back gate people pros, but it's the same crew every year.

I don't want to give the impression that Arizon's show management is bad- not by any means. It's just that since Indio's is that GOOD, it has to be mentioned in the comparison of the two shows.

The area around the Indio show is MUCH nicer than Tucson and much closer. Tucson's facility is about 30 mins away from town with nothing nearby it. As mentioned in an earlier post, Indio has tons of golf and shopping and has TONS of great restaurants. Also previously mentioned but worth another, is that Indio's weather is much less volatile.

Indio is a huge facility, so depending on where you're stabled, it can be a haul from stall to ring. From one end of the grounds to the other is 1 mile. Some mode of transport is just about mandatory. Golf cart works great, but it's almost easier on a bicycle or mini-bike-- easier to maneuver and park.

Above all, Indio is a great show because the competition is so good. You see the all the top west coast riders horses there. For the west coast, it's the best of the best.

[ProvidenceJRhtr]

How was is run differently then indio
I shouldn't have said differently, but as tory stated it's just hard to compare, they tended to run late and have problems with working the horses in and out of the ring quickly there for slowing the day down even more:)