Talar Sarkissian
Staff Writer
The W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center at Cal Poly Pomona hosted its monthly horse show Sunday.
There were performances from Arabian horses which are birthed and housed at the facility.
The show included different performances, such as obstacle courses.
The horses performed tricks like pushing barrels across the arena.
Riders helped guide their horses through their routines while two commentators gave explanations for each trick. They shared educational information about the horses with the audience.
Families had filled the bleachers, and children were able to participate in a stick toy horse race on the main track.
Traditional Arabian music played during the show, as a reminder of the heritage of the Arabian horse breed. The horse, CP Magnitude, and the rider wore coordinated outfits inspired by the Arabian Roots.
Other performances included a horse named Speakeasy, who put on a talent show. The show ended with mother and a foal trotting around the arena together.
Volunteers from the Cal Poly Pomona Horseman’s Club helped with the event.
“I think it’s a great way to get people who have never been involved with horses before into the center,” said Karli Forsythe, a senior at Cal Poly Pomona and one of the volunteers. “We do a lot of educational work like basic learning on how to handle horses and behavior, some lectures on color and conformation, and even more advanced topics like nutrition and breeding.”
Andrea Dobler, another senior volunteering, explained the program’s accessibility for students who might be interested.
“It’s a great opportunity for people who have never had experience or just want to be around horses, and it’s right on campus,” Dobler said. “And there’s a good community.”
The event also had a merchandise booth, which was hosted by students from the apparel merchandising and management department at Cal Poly. Clothing and souvenirs were designed by students and had pictures of horses from the center, including horses named Cavalier, Keep on Dancing and Bewitched.
Claire Whang, associate professor in Huntley College of Agriculture at Cal Poly, who has attended many of the horse shows, said she enjoyed the Halloween show the most.
“Last year they did the Halloween show where everybody wore costumes and the horses were part of the costumes too,” Whang said. “One of them was Elmo and Cookie Monster. It’s a very cute event they do once in a while.”
Pattel Hughes, a Cal Poly student, attended as part of her job to promote campus events and helped bring more people from the main campus to the show.
“I like all the different horses that they have and that they have more of a storyline,” Hughes said. “Every show is a little different because of the horses’ personalities.”
After the show, they opened the gates and allowed guests to take a tour of the stables, meet the horses and learn more about the facility.
The Kellogg Center, at 3801 Temple Ave., hosts Sunday shows each month from October through May. Admission is $5. The next show will be April 13.
For more information visit cpp.edu/wkkelloggarabianhorsecenter/sunday-shows/schedule.shtml.
Talar Sarkissian can be reached at talar.sarkissian@laverne.edu.
Talar Sarkissian is a sophomore communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is a staff writer for the Campus Times and is actively involved in marketing and media.
