Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show
The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the world’s largest Arabian horse show. It takes place every February and runs for 10 days. The event started in 1955 with about 50 horses and 12 farms, and today features roughly 2,300 horses and 1,300 farms. It’s nicknamed the “Super Bowl of the Arabian World” and is the first leg of the Arabian Triple Crown, followed by the Canadian National Championship and the U.S. Nationals.
The show also serves as a fundraiser for charity through the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona, which has donated millions. The first show was held at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, and Anne McCormick donated 150 acres to create Paradise Park, the show’s early permanent home. It later moved to WestWorld, where it is currently held, and it is sanctioned by the Arabian Horse Association and the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Competitions cover many divisions, including Breeding/Halter, Dressage, Driving, Western, English, Hunter/Jumper, Liberty, and a youth division. The top prize is the Scottsdale Supreme Halter Champion, awarded to both a mare and a stallion. Attendance often surpasses 200,000, with 320,000 in 2015, and hundreds of thousands more watching on TV worldwide.
The show brings a large economic boost to Scottsdale—about $52 million. WestWorld underwent a $47 million renovation in 2013 to add indoor arenas, and in 2015 Scottsdale extended its agreement to keep the show there for 20 more years. A 2014 sculpture called Impulsion was added to the grounds. In recent years, prize money has grown from just over $1 million in 2015 to about $3 million in 2021.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:17 (CET).