Horsemen Flock To Tulsa Fairgrounds For Arabian Horse National Championship

The Tulsa Fairgrounds has transformed into an international horse show. More than 1,000 Arabian horses and their handlers are here for the next week, competing for the sport's national championship.

The animal barns at the fairgrounds are a temporary home for the trainers, riders and horses for several days.

Trainer Ted Carson drove 20 hours with his horses from North Carolina to the Arabian Horse Association's U.S. National Championship horse show. Carson is one of the many groups of horse trainers who set up shop for the two weeks the national championship show is in town.

"It's a lot of work and expensive, but what it's about is comfort, you know. Our thing is make it comfortable we're going to be here for basically two weeks," Carson said.

Arabian Horse Show Association President Cynthia Richardson says this these 'setups' are where people unwind between competitions.

"Come on in, just wanted to show you how some of the families setup," she said. "This is Cedar Ridge. We truly make it like our living rooms at home so people can come in, our clients can come, our friends can come in."

Stocked with a full bar and live feeds of the horse show on TV sets, all the creature comforts are here.

"A lot of the barns do an incredible job," said rider Toni Dolby. "They make it feel like home, comfortable, couches, kitchens, people really take pride in their 'setups.' I think this is the best one."

The horses don't get left out.

"So this is actually where we keep our horses, and they all have their own individual place to stay," said Cynthia Richardson, president of the Arabian Horse Show Association.

Toni Dolby flew in from Minnesota to compete with her horse. It maybe the national championship for her, but this is more like a homecoming for everyone involved in the sport.

"We see each other once a year at this big show so we're all excited to get together and have cocktails and just hang out," she said.

The Tulsa Chamber of Commerce says the show adds more than $35 million to the local economy. Horses from all around the world are transported here to compete and be shown.

The Arabian Horse National Championship is free for the public, so if you want to check out these setups for yourself come on down.

Finals start next Friday.