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Take the elegance and mastery of dressage, and combine that with the tactical maneuvers needed of the working horse, then add a stop watch and what you get is Working Equitation the fastest-growing horse sport in the world today. This thrilling sport will be showcased at the inaugural CAN/AM Working Equitation Expo at the Ancaster Fairgrounds May 25 to 28, 2023, hosted by the Ontario Society for Working Equitation (OSWE).

This highly anticipated event will bring together top international judges/clinicians, Canadian and American riders and spectators for an exciting four days of seminars, demonstrations, trade show, competition and entertainment, plus Friday evening’s special Battle of the Breeds Challenge to benefit McMaster Children’s Hospital / Division of Paediatric Rheumatology.

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Working Equitation developed in Europe in the mid-1990s to showcase the ability of working horses on farms. The sport celebrates dressage skills as they are applied to a variety of technical duties required of a relaxed, obedient, supple and adjustable working horse. Signature Working Equitation obstacles are crowd pleasers; fun to ride and fun to watch!

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Today’s Working Equitation horses can be any breed or size, and riders may show in tack and attire that reflects their discipline or heritage, whether it’s english, western, endurance, etc. Competitions involve three or four phases, with Dressage, Ease of Handling (applied dressage through obstacle course) and Speed the focus.

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