Top international show organizers have been recognizing that showgrounds aren’t just places for competitors and horses – they’re also workplaces for grooms. Grooms spend days or even weeks working on showgrounds, and often even live on-site to better take care of the horses. The best showgrounds offer basic workplace accommodations like washrooms, access to water, places to get food, good footing, and a layout and facilities that make caring for horses easier. But top international showgrounds are going above and beyond to create working conditions that make grooms feel valued and appreciated.
Helen Babington-Smith, International Grooms Association (IGA) Coordinator, noted that when grooms feel valued in their work, it can only be better for riders and horses.
“So many of the conversations [the IGA has] with show organizations are really positive. They want to be better and understand things from the grooms’ point of view,” Babington-Smith said.
The IGA’s role as the official voice of grooms is especially important because grooms have never had a formally-recognized advocate within the FEI before, Babington-Smith said. Because the FEI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the IGA at the 2022 FEI Sports Forum, the IGA can raise issues directly with FEI officials. The FEI subsequently created the Grooms Reporting Mechanism within the FEI HorseApp, which gives grooms a direct line to the FEI to report problems at showgrounds. The IGA recently launched International Groom Clean, an official FEI-approved anti-doping e-learning course designed specifically to educate grooms about anti-doping regulations, how to prevent accidental contamination, and their responsibility to protect horses in their care.
As a long-time FEI groom and current freelance groom for British Grand Prix dressage rider Michael Eilberg, Babington-Smith has seen firsthand that access to fantastic facilities makes doing her job much easier. Ranking high on her list of what makes excellent accommodations are things like easy access to water for filling buckets, and access to hot and cold water in the wash bays. Indoor walkways with rubber mats, access to hand-grazing areas, and good footing also make top showgrounds great places to work.
Extra bonuses include sponsorship swag, welcome and departing gifts for the grooms, and dedicated on-site staff who are able to help grooms with their workplace needs and provide a “friendly face to deal with.” The recognition of grooms’ roles with special grooms’ prizes are also becoming much more frequent and generous, Babington-Smith said, with bigger shows featuring large cash prizes for winning grooms. The FEI, in partnership with organizing committees and the IGA, now displays grooms’ names and photos on stadium big screens and broadcast displays – a welcome shift recognizing grooms as sports professionals, rather than just behind-the-scenes staff.
Thunderbird Show Park – Langley, British Columbia
Babington-Smith noted how top international showgrounds like Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, are setting the bar for show organizers everywhere. Thunderbird is a Show Supporter with the IGA, which means the organizers work with the IGA before and after shows to ensure the best experience for grooms.
In addition to offering five-star FEI competitions, Thunderbird also hosts ten weeks of globally-recognized hunter-jumper competitions each year.
Thunderbird’s unique Grooms’ Lounge, located in the FEI section of the 85-acre park, features a climate-controlled place for grooms to go for a break. It offers snacks, coffee, washrooms and a shower, workstations, a TV and lounge area, livestreams of the main arena, and internet access.
“I think we’re the first showgrounds that I know of that has created a permanent building dedicated solely for grooms,” Chris Pack, President & CEO of Thunderbird, told HorseSport.com.
The Grooms’ Lounge was created with the support and sponsorship of Lothlorien Farms in Cheltenham, Ontario, and Lothlorien’s owner Ariel Grange.
Pack said his desire to make Thunderbird a leading facility when it comes to accommodating the workplace needs of grooms comes from hearing firsthand about the amenities for show grooms from his wife, who travelled the globe as a top groom for Israeli Olympic show jumper Ashlee Bond.
“As a group, the grooms of the tournaments are some of the hardest workers with the longest hours as they care for the four-legged athletes at the event,” Pack said.
Over and above providing workplace accommodations for grooms, Thunderbird also provides the Bradon Grooms Award, a nominated award that recognizes a new groom each week with a cash award of $500. Free Thursday morning pancake breakfasts for everyone on the grounds has also become a favourite tradition among the grooms.
“Grooms really show their appreciation for all the amenities they have at Tbird,” said Pack. “They always come into the office and say ‘thank you,’ and they know that any groom that asks for a Tbird hat gets a new one every year!”
Traverse City Horse Shows – Williamsburg, Michigan
“At a show that runs all summer, the showgrounds have to function as a workplace,” Gary Howe, Marketing and Communications Director of Traverse City Horse Shows, told HorseSport.com.
Traverse City Horse Shows, based on the 130-acre Flintfields Horse Park, operates as a long-format summer circuit featuring 13 weeks of hunter-jumper and FEI-sanctioned jumper competitions each summer, as well as the home of the FEI North American Youth Championships.
“The goal is to create a consistent, horse-first environment that supports both high-performance sport and the professionals responsible for horse care each day,” Howe said.
Howe noted that Flintfields is specifically set up to meet the daily needs of horses, riders, and grooms for a comfortable long-term stay.
“Many grooms, riders, and horses stay for several weeks, or even the full season,” Howe said. “Since many participants return each year, feedback from riders, trainers, and grooms is a big part of how Flintfields Horse Park continues to evolve.”
The grounds offer permanent barns with rubber-matted stalls, consistent footing across all arenas, wash racks, permanent restrooms, and expanded onsite camping. The permanent infrastructure, reliable utilities, and thoughtful layout help create predictable daily routines for horse care, training, and competition preparation, said Howe.
“The stability allows grooms to focus on their primary responsibility: the health and readiness of the horses,” Howe said.
Traverse City also recognizes the role of grooms through a weekly dedicated grooms’ class, where turnout and presentation are judged separately for hunter and jumper divisions. On Grand Prix days and throughout the North American Youth Championships, Traverse City hosts grooms’ breakfasts or lunches in recognition of support teams’ roles.
Howe notes that the beautiful Northern Michigan setting of Flintfields Horse Park means many competitors choose to stay for the summer off-site in nearby rental homes to take advantage of the woods and trails. Flintfields has miles of natural bridle paths that allow horses to hack outside the show rings – offering a welcome break during the long show season. Last year, working with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Traverse City Horse Show expanded trail access for hacking horses across the adjacent rolling hills and woods.
For the future, Traverse City Horse Shows hopes to expand on-site housing as a part of building an equestrian community around the venue.
“We’re also developing a permanent VIP Club that will expand hospitality options and create a dedicated space for owners, sponsors, and teams to gather during the season,” Howe said.
London International Horse Show – East London, UK
Known as “The Horse World’s Christmas Party,” the London International Horse Show offers three FEI World Cup Qualifiers over five days each year in late December at the Excel London exhibition and convention centre in East London.
Because the show is held indoors, grooms and horses enjoy a temperature-controlled environment. There are wash bays with warm and cold water, and an outdoor horsewalk.
The show’s urban setting means that grooms are offered single occupancy hotel rooms for accommodations. They are provided with meal vouchers, and can choose from a number of options offered by the centre. Grooms also have access to a dedicated lounge where they can relax and pick up sandwiches, drinks, and ‘crisps’, ensuring they always have access to food during their busy days.
The organizers focus on simplifying logistics by providing assistance with unloading and allowing arrival bookings to avoid queues.
The London International Horse Show also employs a Grooms Coordinator, former FEI groom Jenny Ellis.
“Every year, we try to learn and get ideas to make the grooms’ lives easier for the next year,” Ellis told HorseSport.com. “London International has always looked after the grooms. When I first went as a groom in the early ’80s we had grooms’ jumping… and a brilliant Grooms’ Party, t-shirts, and hampers.”
YETI, producer of premium outdoor products, sponsors the show and provides all grooms with drinking flasks, buckets, grooming bags, and backpacks. YETI is also setting a precedent of support for grooms with its partnership with the IGA. The company has supported grooms at other major events such as the Badminton Horse Trials.
“[Grooms are] the ones truly using our products daily, from GoBoxes to coolers and backpacks, and they deserve gear that supports their demanding work. In our partnership with the London International Horse Show, we’re committed to making sure grooms feel valued and well-equipped,” said Shaye Widger, YETI’s Community Marketing Equestrian Specialist.
“The support of YETI for the grooms has been incredible,” Jemima Haydon, the London International Horse Show’s Communications Manager, told HorseSport.com. “Their mission is to give back to the ones behind the scenes making shows like London International Horse Show possible.”
“YETI provides the most amazing gifts for them all, which is something for them, not their horse, that they can use on a daily basis, and is something we are really grateful for,” said Ellis. “YETI also tries to raise the profile of the grooms by sponsoring interviews with the grooms in the live chat area, which also helps to educate the general public about the amazing care that sport horses get.”
Southlands Riding Club – Vancouver, British Columbia
Southlands Riding Club is a non-profit community showground that hosts several Equestrian Canada Gold Dressage shows each year. As of this year, Southlands has hosted CPEDI 1*, 2*, and 3* FEI para-dressage shows, helping to provide a venue for para-dressage in BC.
“I think what people appreciate most about Southlands is that there is a genuine sense of teamwork and pride in the facility,” Megan Wilton, General Manager of Southlands, told HorseSport.com. “Whether someone is competing at their first schooling show or attending an FEI-level event, there’s a strong culture of people helping one another and wanting everyone to succeed,” said Wilton.
Because they’re a smaller facility, Southlands is able to create a friendly, supportive environment for competitors and grooms through a large volunteer network.
“As a non-profit organization, many of our events are volunteer-supported and community-driven. Riders, grooms, trainers, families, and volunteers all contribute to creating an environment that is welcoming, supportive, and horse-focused,” Wilton said.
Southlands uses an online volunteer sign-up system that allocates different tasks to community members for each show. Community members contribute behind the scenes as well, helping with prize lists, sponsorship outreach, hospitality, setup, decorations, and even maintaining and beautifying the showgrounds. For the FEI-level dressage shows especially, Wilton said, volunteers play a huge role.
“Volunteers assist with everything from whip-in duties and gate coordination to running tests and helping judges with scoresheets, supplies, and general ring support,” said Wilton.
The Southlands showgrounds offer on-site concession services, washrooms, fresh water for horses and humans, as well as covered and open lungeing rings. In recent years, they’ve made investments into footing improvements, and have developed WhatsApp groups for better event scheduling and communication for riders and grooms.
“We may be a smaller facility, but there is a great deal of passion behind what we do, and we are proud to provide affordable and accessible opportunities for equestrians across many disciplines,” Wilton said.
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