By Mary Kirkman
Courtesy of Arabian Horse Times

The word is out. Unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii or maybe the Pacific Northwest, the Region XII Show deserves a place on your calendar. It is, quite simply, one of the best-run shows in the country. Show officials and exhibitors, alike, attribute the success of the show to one easy strategy: management has focused on pleasing its exhibitors. Simple.

That is not, of course, the only reason. The facility is excellent; the weather in south Georgia is usually pleasant in early May; and, the competition, which has always been strong, just keeps getting stronger. For those who want to test their mettle against the horses they will meet at Nationals in the fall, the Region XII Show is the place to be. And so it may not be surprising that, for the last three years, it has been the largest regional competition in the country, an honor it looks set to enjoy again this year. Its numbers have climbed consistently through the years; today, the show hosts anywhere from 750 to 850 Arabian and Half-Arabian horses.

But back to that easy little maxim – making certain that participants stay happy. What goes into ensuring the satisfaction of exhibitors and breeders? First, say those involved, it is necessary to start with a bunch of people who are serious about putting on a good horse show and who work well together. Region XII has that: a 10-person commission made up of a representative from each of its seven states, along with its regional director Cecil A. Butler and the regional treasurer Frank Galovic. Mike Stewart, representing Tennessee, has chaired the commission since 2000.

Next, Region XII hires a professional show manager – in this case, Glenn Petty of Wake Forest, N.C. Petty is known for running smooth, successful shows for many breeds, including such successful shows as the historic Pin Oak Show in Houston and the Roanoke Valley Classic, which boasts a $50,000 Grand Prix, among other events. “He’s a total gentleman, and someone who just really knows what he’s doing,” says Janet Searls, who heads up the mega-successful patron program. “He has total confidence, and he inspires total confidence in everyone else.”

And then, Region XII extends the caliber of its management team into every capacity; the barn manager is known for a sympathetic ear and quick action, and the paddock announcer gets everyone to the show on time. The people in the office seem to think the glass is half-full, not half-empty. They try to find a way to say “yes” instead of “no” to requests. And the judges are top caliber, often going on to judge at the US Nationals.

Some of Region XII’s responsiveness can be seen not just in attitude, but also in brass-tacks decisions. When it became apparent that exhibitors wanted classes that were not on the schedule, the show commission added them. With the variety of competition offered, the commission now focuses on making the schedule convenient, so that no one trainer or amateur has to face too many classes in a row. It is a seemingly minor detail, but an important one. In addition, the show commission, when possible, allows the big event’s start time to move from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. – again, something that might seem small, but for exhibitors looking at full days, something very much appreciated.

“We usually finish up by 10:00 at night – 10:30 at the latest,” reports Mike Stuart. “It’s relaxed. People have time to socialize a little bit. Trainers may be working horses, but amateurs and youth are socializing, watching trainers work horses, or doing whatever. I’ve had a lot of comments from people who’ve been in the business for a long time saying that Region XII has the feel of an old-time horse show.”

Another successful aspect of the show has been its sold-out Patrons Program. For $500, a patron receives box seating, two meals (lunch and dinner), and a gift. For Region XII, the gift is a sterling silver medallion, to be worn as a lapel pin or necklace, with a design so attractive that many non-patrons ask to purchase it as a keepsake. Stewart points out that farms usually buy the patronships, so the fee is divided among several clients, making the cost extremely affordable for almost everyone.

All the services and hospitality are not just fancy little frills added on because management wants a polished image. Each has a definite purpose. “There’s a lot of down time at any show when you’re not showing horses,” says Glenn Petty. “You like to feel welcome; you like to have something to do. When you’re in the ring, you like to feel that your horses are being presented to the best.”

Mike Stewart agrees, adding that only the Top Five horses in each class get the awards – but everyone else needs to feel important. Stewart expands the show’s role even further. “We decided that we wanted to make this show a kind of national event for people who might not go to Nationals. The Regional would be their big event of the year, and we wanted to make it something special for them.”

Inevitably, if you are aiming for a successful horse show, you have to aspire to filling the stands too. Each year, Region XII directs a calculated outreach to its host town of Perry, Ga.

“We try to make it more of a community effort,” relates Janet Searls. “Among other things, we work with the Chamber of Commerce, and we advertise on a billboard on I-75, the main highway from Florida to the north. We are trying to take Region XII beyond just being a horse show; we are trying to give local families more reasons to come out and participate and watch the show.”

All of those things, Glenn Petty would tell you, are the elements which lift a show from the “very good” category to the “excellent.” “I can come in and work on the technical aspects, but it’s the show commission and committees that do the special things and make it great,” he says. “That’s where the Region XII show commission comes in. They really do a wonderful job.”

Region XII wants to be known as the regional with open doors and satisfied exhibitors, a place where every owner, trainer, and breeder is welcome.

Oh, yes… what about that tough competition? Well, although Region XII likes being one of the friendliest show venues in the south, they plan on maintaining the knock-’em-dead ring performances, too. “If you’ll look at the Top Fives from Region XII, especially the champions and reserves, and compare them to U.S. Nationals, you’ll find a considerable overlap,” says Mike Stewart. And then he shamelessly alters that well-known musical theme from a certain Yankee city. “We want Region XII exhibitors to feel, ‘If I can compete there, I can compete anywhere.’”