Pretty random question but I was just thinking- in the fall barns go to Indoors and in the winter and spring they go to WEF. Where do the big show barns go during the summer? It appears that Lake Placid, GLEF, Kentucky, and Tryon are all pretty popular but which is the “biggest” or most popular and which is the least?
All depends on where they want to travel - Vermont and Saugerties?
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In terms of name recognition and history, I’d say Devon and Upperville. Although maybe they are technically more late spring than summer.
Other than that, the number of summer circuits is significantly larger than the handful of winter circuits so I think people spread out more to wherever they prefer or places closer to their home base.
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Devon, Upperville, Hampton Classic (though you could argue that’s a fall show), thunderbird.
Its also kind of dependent on your location. For instance, the evergreen classic in Seattle area is a big summer show for PNW riders but as someone in Virginia I wouldn’t make the trek out there for it.
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agree with the geographical statement here. Devon is the biggie since it’s the only one you have to qualify for. Other than that, we are blessed to have many options in the summer because the weather is more temperate 
Id argue HITS NY is the largest draw in the East/Northeast - Vermont is a good nearby option but just never has the numbers or the class variety to draw the truly big barns - and lacked the $$$$ in the big classes compared to Saugerties. Although with the word on the street that Tom bought the VT weeks and show series, perhaps they’ll be one mega circuit.
GLEF is always big - tons of classes and lots of $$$$ on the jumper side, esp with Gold Cup wrapping up the summer series.
Menlo Charity is big on the West Coast!
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Spruce Meadows is another big one
Spruce meadows and thunderbird (Vancouver).
P.
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In Ontario the big hunter barns stick close to home since the end goal of summer showing is typically to qualify for RAWF in November. People will also head to Devon and Pony finals.
The big jumper barns may head out to Spruce and Tbird.
When I lived in Alberta every year was a little different. RMSJ, Tbird, Spruce, small shows close to home. There was nothing to qualify for so we would just pick and choose.
On the East coast: Upperville, Devon, Tryon, HITS Saugerties (and less so Culpepper), Vermont Summer Festival, Lake Placid, Saratoga, Old Salem, and Capital Challenge (though technically it’s a fall show).
