Saddle & Bridle Magazine (S&B) has launched a promotional campaign with the intent of introducing newcomers to the world of American Saddlebreds. The S&B Bring A Friend program will reward current Saddlebred owners, trainers, and exhibitors for bringing non-Saddlebred exhibitors to Saddlebred horse shows.

The program is based on three principles: Saddlebred horses can do their own promotion if people are able to see them, people need resources to follow up if they have seen something they liked, and those who introduce others to the Saddlebred should be rewarded for their promotional efforts.

Following the completion of the 2016 UPHA American Royal National Championships, those who invited a friend to a Saddlebred show will be entered in a year-end drawing for a full-page color advertisement in Saddle & Bridle Magazine. The same person may be entered in the drawing multiple times for each different visitor. Shows are also encouraged to add their own incentives, such as a waived entry fee for participants, and to announce program participation in their show’s prize list so that people can contact friends ahead of time.

Participants can bring their friends to the show office of a participating horse show to fill out the Bring A Friend form. The show secretary will collect the top half of the form, and the visitor will keep the bottom half, a resource directory of American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Charter Clubs.

Managers and secretaries that choose to participate may download the form and program logo from the Saddle & Bridle website. Secretaries can mail or email any completed forms to Saddle & Bridle, even in the same packet as their Saddle & Bridle class results. Shows do not have to be United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rated to participate. Participation is also entirely free for horse show management and no sign-up is required.

“People are much more likely to give something a try if it is their friend that exposes them to it,” said Chris Thompson, S&B co-publisher. “It is a win-win for all involved, bringing a bigger crowd to horse shows and giving people a chance to see our horses doing what they do best.”

More information is available on the Bring A Friend Program website.

Interested participants can download the Bring A Friend form here: S&B Bring A Friend Form