Just wondering what fun or new things you found at Kentucky this year!
Anything I missed so I can go look it up?
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I got some Correct Connect reins and new white breeches. My current ones are 10+ years old, and I found a pair I LOVED. The reins, I’m a bad rein slipper when I’m jumping, I don’t even realize I’m doing it, so I wanted grippy reins with hand stops.
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I bought very little. I hate shopping even for horse stuff, and everything was crowded.
BUT the most fun thing I saw was the totally impractical rhinestone studded Stubben saddle. I’m going to try to attach a wholly inadequate pic. That baby sparkled! We found ourselves wondering how anyone could ride on it without abrading their breeches and skin to the bone. But bling to the max, so FUN!!
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They’ve had that for a few years, I think it’s just to attract people into the booth. You couldn’t ride in that with the rhinestones in those areas.
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I love seeing Schneider’s organization stuff - they had some gorgeous things on display. Makes my groom heart happy!
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I really enjoyed checking out all the booths and learning about new or improved products.
I would like a pair of adjustable safety stirrups. Also saw a good new quick-release tie from Bit of Britain.
I picked up several books after speaking with the authors - that was great!
And the fun item that just gave me a smile was the halloween sized Twix bars with specially printed packaging - some had left (in white) and some had right (on red background).
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I would like a pair of adjustable safety stirrups.
I may have unintentionally been talked into buying a pair of RYDE adjustable stirrups while browsing the booths. It was developed in Sweden and you can adjust it in multiple ways to best fit your body. I was a little skeptical at first but turns out I could really use them as my R and L legs are not very even (something I already suspected given how much instruction my trainer has to give me when going right vs left). It was a drastic visible difference in how much she had to vary the stirrups for me vs my husband who’s more even on both sides.
I found them from a UK retailer for less (even with shipping) than from a US store–I just have to steel myself for hitting Complete on a ~$500 purchase…
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I am not a great shopper in general and it was much too busy for me to be able to commit to anything. I did admire all the beautiful saddles but I am definitely not in the position to make a 4k impulse buy 
as much as I wanted to.
We did have an amazing time, & my nonhorsey husband is totally hooked. The night jumper classes were really fun! I thought I would be too tired after being at the horse park all day but they ended up being probably my favorite part.
Current dilemma is whether we want to go back next year or try the Maryland 5*… does it compare?
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A beautiful hat with a feather! My horse only got a half price brush 
I did look at safety stirrups but didn’t buy any.
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MD 5* is a lot of fun and improves every year. As far as shopping etc goes it’s not on par with Kentucky yet, but it’s still a very new event.
We enjoy going but aren’t going this year due to the lack of entries in 2024. By Sunday, they only had eight riders in the 5*, and it’s a lot of $$ to spend between tickets and hotel to not see many rides.
Yes, the Ryde stirrups are what I want too.
The Ryde Stirrups where cool, but $$$ for me currently.
I had planned to buy custom boots, but ended up with a pair of Ariats after a discount from volunteering & the boots fitting okay, not great, but saved alot of money not going custom.
I bought redmond salt for my guys & a professional’s choice girth. Not super exciting. I am excited to try some of the full size samples I picked up as well!
Stubben had some interesting bits sitting out, one with elastics to I guess dampen the rein aids & another where depending on which direction you placed in the mouth, it was softer or stronger, due to the angle on the bars being sharper or rounder.
There where somethings I missed because I didn’t make it back around the tents and trade fair as much as I wished I had, due to other things going on.
I did manage to come home with one of those Arista bit vests. 
Soooo cute. Picked up some sun block riding shirts. Saw some really great pencil drawings from the 50’s in one of the booths in the Trade Fair building. Hunt scenes. Kinda/sorta Snaffles style. Was greatly tempted to get one (there were 4 of them, all different scenes) but left them there…
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I think I know which vendor you’re talking about as I was eyeing those as well! Was it the one selling the lawn jockeys? If so, the owner is super nice. We also visited her physical store (Riders Up) on Monday. She was technically closed but told us she’d be there all day painting a large order of jockeys so let us in to look around.
In total we got some nice leather coasters w/ an outline of a jockey, another set of fox hunting coasters in a wooden box, a fox head jigger, and a bronze ornamental horse statue.
At her store she also had a few nice racehorse watercolors–a couple of Secretariat–done by a local artist that I was also tempted to get.
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Anyone else think the vendors were a little light this year (as in not as many)?
I for one was heartbroken Schmitts wasn’t there with their cream puffs. 
Yes! And some were disappointing. We would have loved to see tack or blankets or anything at LeMieux that wasn’t the matchy matchy childrens sizes. The outriders had such nice coats for the weather from LeMieux but they didn’t have anything like that at their booth. Free Ride felt like they were missing things as well.
I will say I didn’t buy anything at full price, so that’s a plus.
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I felt like the shopping at KY was significantly better than Equine Affaire Ohio which was so disappointing I won’t be back.
I do miss the wine and beer cheese vendors in the covered arena.
I bought half chaps and paddock boots for $35 total from Huntley Equestrian in the trade fair area. I’ve been looking for half chaps to fit over my terrains and haven’t found any and these fit so amazing I bought two more pairs for $10 each. Brand was Grand Prix.
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LeMeiux imports everything and they told us were stopping all new imports for now and clearing out their warehouse in the US.
While the number of vendor tents didn’t feel smaller, it seemed like there were less selling actual goods. And while I came home with tons of swag, it felt like vendors were a little “stingy” with the freebies and giveaways. I took that just to be a sign of the times.
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Did anyone happen to see and remember the name of the really cute leather handbags/purses that was in the row with Clever with Leather and Shires? I bought a fun strap for my purse from there but was loving all the purses! I do remember she was from Virginia.
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