Last weekend was our first ever Mardis Gras event – and oh, an event to remember! Festivities included a bead toss where customers could earn up to 25% OFF one item! We had a BLAST. Everyone was festively dressed in masks. Even our MANNEQUINS were dressed for the occasion!
Great New Orleans Jazz, Costumes, and Discounts! What could be more fun than that? Of course, we had to get a little goofy –
Check out more photos from this great event on our Facebook Page, and stay tuned! We have more super-fun events planned. In fact, THIS weekend is our Sweetheart Sale – another chance to win up to 25% off one item!*
*Certain manufacturer restrictions apply.
Well, another FANTASTIC Black Friday has gone by… and this was one for the books! Black Friday is always one of our BIGGEST sales of the year. This year was extra special with up to 40% OFF Storewide on everything in stock. Not to mention the HUGE markdowns in our Clearance Warehouse, where items are already at rock bottom prices!
Doors opened at 10 am, but many arrived long beforehand and queued up outside. The line wrapped around the building – this might have been an Equus Now! record.
Early Birds got to choose from FANTASTIC prizes provided by some of our amazing vendors. This year, we gave away over $2,000 in prizes! Noble Outfitters, Ogilvy, and RJ Classics are just a FEW of the great vendors who provided prizes for the sale. Our Prize room was bursting at the seams!
An exciting addition to our Black Friday Sale this year was the PBJ Connections Bake Sale and Sponsored Photo Booth in the prize room. Amazing treats (including, of course, PB&J Sandwiches!) and The Photo Booth was SO MUCH FUN. Be sure to check out all of the photos on facebook!
PBJ provides professional mental health and behavioral health therapy for youth and families using horses. A big thanks to PBJ Connections for all of their hard work. If you don’t know this organization, check them out NOW – they do great work!
The fun folks behind Tango and Tilly were also on hand, with a super fun WRITING & COLORING CONTEST for the young ones! What a great way to keep the kids entertained. These books are so much fun – be sure to learn more about them here!
Bella Beads Studio was in the store during the sale, making custom bracelets! What an AWESOME personalized holiday gift – PERFECT for just about everyone on your list! We were so excited to have Bella Beads join us in the store!
This year’s Black Friday was an absolute BLAST from start to finish! We had so much fun. There’s nothing better than when we can spend a day giving great deals to our amazing customers. A HUGE THANKS to everyone who made it out to enjoy the sale with us, and to our amazing helpers. We definitely couldn’t do it without you! Be sure to go through our facebook photo album and see even more fun photos from the event.
The latest stop for the Equus Now! mobile rig was at the New Albany Classic. This is a show like no other! Every year, we are so thrilled and honored to be the ONLY mobile unit at this event, which raises so much for the Columbus Center for Family Safety and Healing. We enjoyed seeing our regular customers and welcomed so many new ones who not only came to shop, but also came to learn more about this sport that we love so much. And it was also a wonderful feeling to be able to donate one hundred percent of our proceeds to the Center for Family Safety and Healing. So, a big thank you goes out to everyone who made a purchase – you all made a difference!
This year, the Classic started out for us on Saturday with a fabulous reception at the store welcoming Meg Banks, a famous blogger who was here to cover the Classic. Meg came right off the plane from Florida to Equus Now!, and from 4 – 5:30, our guests all had a chance to meet Meg and have their picture taken with her or get an autograph. Bucky, the New Albany Classic mascot was there for photo opportunities, AND local New Albany Classic 2015 riders Ali Wolff and Andre Mershad showed up and were available for photos and to talk about their success stories. 2014 local New Albany Classic rider Gabriella Mershad also came to join in on the festivities. The store was packed and there was a line to meet Meg, who was so gracious to everyone. There was food and drink, and lots of pictures taken! We gave out goodie bags with lots of great stuff in them to the first 100 customers and they went fast. There were 20 New Albany Classic general admission tickets given away. The biggest give away of all was 2 VIP passes to the Classic. At the end of the night we did the drawing and the lucky winner was Fin Mueller! Fin and his family were new customers to the store, so what an exciting opportunity for them! Congratulations Fin! What a great way to end the party! It was certainly a lovely event and a great opportunity to meet Meg Banks. Even Gracie got a picture with Meg!
Be sure to follow Meg for the latest updates on the A circuit on Instagram (MEG_AT), Facebook (followmegat), and Twitter (@meg_at_). Plus, check out her blog!
But wait….. There’s more!!
After a wonderful pre show reception with Meg Banks as our guest of honor, the mood was set to continue on with the main event the New Albany Classic. The mobile rig, chock full of stuffed ponies, puppies, and of course, Breyers, was moved to the Classic the Friday before the event and set up in the perfect spot. How cool is it to be right next to Jurassic Park and the High Walk!
On the morning of the Classic, we quickly went to work organizing everything to get ready for the crowds. The awning was pulled out and quickly began to resemble a carnival with all of the stuffed animals clipped to it.
We also had Breyers galore, which filled up three tables outside and several shelves inside. The weather was perfect, with a slight chill in the air, but we were prepared with new Fall sportswear from Ariat and Noble Outfitters.
But this day wasn’t about new sportswear, it was about families. There were enough happy faces around to last a lifetime! And that’s why the New Albany Classic is not just another horse show – it’s a family event, from which 100% of all proceeds are donated to the Center For Family Safety and Healing. From the concert, to the rides, to the food trucks, and of course, to the horses, there was something for everyone to enjoy. There were kids with their faces painted like their favorite animal or super hero. There were zip line rides, petting zoos, incredible food trucks, and some of the most talented horses and riders in the world. It was a great day indeed!
The 125,000 Invitational Grand Prix was like no other. Close to thirty horse and rider teams competed for the Authentic Cup, named in honor of Abigail Wexner’s brilliant jumper, who had been retired at the New Albany Classic just a few years ago. The course, as always, was strategically designed and set on a well manicured grass field in a stadium like setting. The seats were filled with eager spectators for the main event. Two of Central Ohio’s own competed this year, Ali Wolff and Andre Mershad, both from New Albany. Ali, in her third Classic, and her horse Casall were fresh off of an exciting second place finish in the Welcome Classic at the Gold Cup. Andre and his horse Man and Black, in his first Classic, made history by being the youngest rider ever to compete in the Invitational. David Beisel of Goshen, Ohio, who is well known in the Columbus area, also competed on Harlow Investment Enterprises LLC’s Call Me Hannes. All riders rode very well, but in the end, it was between Beezie Madden and Breitling LS and Irishman Conor Swail and his horse Simba De La Roque who finished with in seconds of each other. Swail bested Madden’s time over the eight jump course by a thrilling one second to win the Authentic Cup for the Irish for the second year in a row. Congratulations Conor Swail and Simba De La Roque on winning the 18th annual New Albany Classic!
The day ended with a mad rush for the last stuffed ponies and Breyer horses that we had left. As we packed up, we all talked about what a great day we had had. We were honored to be a part of this wonderful day for a wonderful cause. Special thanks go out to the Equus Now! New Albany Classic Team who volunteered their time- Julia Bowen, Kitty Amorose, Arielle Smith, Brian Wolfe, Jamie Barkhau,(who also volunteered her truck), and Rosemary Staeck. You all rock! Thanks also go out to Lisa Hinson and the team at Hinson Limited Public Relations for making the weekend run so smoothly. We don’t know how you do it! And to Abigail Wexner, whose vision and compassion for others that has turned into this spectacular event, we thank you.
The Equus Now! Mobile rig made its next stop at Equivents at Far and Away Farm, September 25-27. Gracie was working at Equivents. She wasn’t at the New Albany Classic because she was up way past her bedtime the night before! (A Princess always needs her beauty sleep!) Stay tuned for more blog posts! Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show!!
Check out our FACEBOOK page for more photos from the Pre Show Party and the New Albany Classic!
Meg Banks is an equestrian and a full time blogger from Wellington, Florida. On her blog, “Meg At…” she takes her followers behind the scenes of A-circuit hunter/jumper shows, sharing stories and capturing moments that make the equestrian world special.
Meg will attend and cover the 18th annual New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix and Family Day, reporting from behind-the-scenes at the country’s #1 Specialty Equestrian Event as designated for the past three consecutive years by the North American Riders Group.
In addition to her coverage of The Classic on September 20th, Meg will meet fans at central Ohio’s hunter jumper tack and apparel destination, Equus Now!, 8956 Cotter Street, on Saturday, September 19th from 4-5pm. Photos with Meg, ticket giveaways, a VIP ticket raffle, social media promotions and more will be available for everyone attending the meetup with Meg.
Keep connected with Meg, The Classic and Equus Now!
Blog: www.followmegat.com
Twitter: @meg_at_
Facebook: followmegat
Instagram: MEG_AT_
Snapchat: meg_at
Twitter: NAClassic
Facebook: New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day
Instagram: newalbanyclassic
Youtube: NewAlbanyClassic
Pinterest: TheClassicNA
Hashtag: #NewAlbanyClassic
Twitter: @EquusNow
Facebook: Equus Now!
Instagram: equusnow
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Hashtag: #EquusPerfectus
Guess what, Riders? TODAY is International Helmet Awareness Day!
Riders4Helmets is responsible for hosting and organizing this international yearly event. Their goal is to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing a properly fitted and secured certified helmet.
On International Helmet Awareness Day, Manufacturers from around the globe team up with your favorite equestrian retailers to bring you quality helmets at GREAT prices!
As you all know, the helmet is an ESSENTIAL part of riding. What could be more important than protecting your head?!? But there’s more to it than just plopping any old thing on your noggin. Having the proper FIT is important! Buying a helmet can be a stressful experience, especially if you’re a first timer.
So….
In honor of International Helmet Awareness Day, Equus Now! is sharing some excerpts from an article from our winter 2005 newsletter – Tips for Buying a Helmet! Read on, and remember to STAY SAFE!
*** This article was originally published in our WINTER 2005 Newsletter! ***
Written by Laura Webster
Buying a new helmet can be a confusing experience for anyone, and always seems to involve more decisions than expected. Sizes, Standards, Styles, Colors, Brands, Prices… the list goes on. However, there are certain things that are more important than others when shopping for this essential piece of riding equipment, and hopefully these tips will make the decision process less stressful.
FIT is by far the most difficult aspect to judge in a helmet. If you are shopping for your child, always be sure to bring them along to try on the helmets. This is not something that can be judged simply by looking, and you should always ask a sales associate for help in fitting. A correctly fitted helmet will sit level across the head. The brim should settle about the length of your index finger above the eyebrows. The helmet should not come down past the ears. Once this is established, the person should be able to shake his or her head back and forth and up and down without the helmet moving, even when it is not harnessed. If the helmet is too small, it will put pressure on the forehead and will not sit level in the correct placement. If it is too big, it will move around on the head and most likely fall back towards the neck.
Companies like Troxel have released lines of helmets that are “adjustable”. This does not mean that the helmet can be made to fit any head! They run in small, medium, and large sizes as opposed to circumference measurements and can be made to fit a wider variety of people at once. These helmets still need to be fitted correctly, especially for children. Saving a few bucks by purchasing a helmet that a child can “grow” into can be very dangerous.
This brings us to SAFETY RATINGS. All Safety oriented riding helmets should be approved by 2 organizations – ASTM & SEI. This will be posted on the box of the helmet. Many of the governing show organizations require approved helmets, so be sure to check the rules if you are planning to show.
PRICE is another consideration when buying a helmet. Cost can range anywhere from $30 – $400 and up. This is a big difference, but please keep in mind – you get what you pay for.
Remember that the helmet is the most important thing you put on each time you ride. Therefore, it can be far better to opt for a more expensive and thus more reliable helmet. When you choose a helmet, inquire about the manufacturer’s replacement policy. Most companies offer a 1 year replacement policy if the helmet is involved in an accident. They will usually charge a small fee and send you a brand new helmet if yours has been damaged in an accident (but only if you hold on to the original purchase receipt). Once a helmet has been damaged, it will lose the majority of its protection. For this reason alone – never purchase a used helmet.
The bottom line is that helmet buying is tough, so please ask for help. Make sure it fits and is correct for the intended use. The staff at Equus Now! is always available to help you choose the best helmet for your needs.
About the Author… Laura Webster is a graduate of Otterbein College. She holds a bachelors Degree in Equine Facility Management.
Our MIDNIGHT MADNESS Sale is well underway! Don’t worry if you didn’t get a chance to stop in early- We (and the SAVINGS) will be here until Midnight! This is an INVENTORY BLOW OUT SALE – Discounts up to 40% off – Even Consignment and Clearance Items are on Sale today! Stop in and have some fun with us – we would love to see you!
BONUS: EVERY Purchase made today will be ENTERED TO WIN from a long list of prizes -Including a FREE Charles Owen Easy Helmet!
Be sure to check out our FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for more information on this SUPER-FUN sale & a sneak peek of the fantastic prizes available!
Our consignment room is BURSTING at the seams with TONS of great deals from our annual Tack Swap! It’s a USED TACK PARADISE – so local customers, stop by and check it out! Online customers, no worries – you will be able to find GREAT deals online in our Consignment Shop as always!
THANK YOU to our incredible customers for bringing in their GREAT STUFF! We hope you all found some fantastic deals! We also owe a huge THANK YOU to our amazing volunteers – we really couldn’t have done it without you!
Captain Consignment and his team of hard workers were INCREDIBLE!
Check out these Pics of the Post-Swap PARADISE:
News from Equus Now! 