The Cattaraugus County 4-H Horse Program will once again host their Open Horse Show Series at the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds in 2026.
After bad weather caused the cancellation of the first of two shows in 2025, the Cattaraugus County 4-H Horse Committee is hopeful for fair weather and large turnouts in 2026. The Fall Classic show held in September following the cancellation of the spring Bonanza show saw outstanding numbers, raising funds that will be used to host events and make improvements for the 4-H Horse Program in coming years. As the shows continue to grow over the years, the committee elected to add a third show back to the series for the coming year. The traditional Bonanza show will be held on the weekend of May 29-31, 2026, and the returning Fall Classic show will be September 18-20, 2026. The new Summer Bash show will be debuting on July 10-12, 2026.
The Cattaraugus County 4-H Open Horse Show Series is a yearly fundraising effort by the program committee. The shows not only raise funds for the program but create affordable opportunities for the 4-H youth to exhibit their horses multiple times per year. Other shows can become costly, but through the help of volunteers, the 4-H Open Horse Show Series is able to keep prices low for their youth. The shows are also open to youth and adult horse enthusiasts who do not participate in the 4-H Horse Program with stalling and camping on sight. All the funds raised are directly returned to the program and used to host educational clinics, buy new equipment, and provide desirable awards for the youth. “We are quite lucky to have the opportunity to host the show series as a fundraising campaign for our program. Without the help of our dedicated volunteers and the availability of the beautiful horse show facilities at the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds, we would not be able to host the events; it truly is a team effort,” stated 4-H Youth Development Educator, Courtney Charlesworth.
Additional information regarding the Cattaraugus County 4-H Open Horse Show Series and how to enter will be available soon on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus County website. If you are interested in enrolling in the Cattaraugus County 4-H Program, contact the 4-H office today by calling 716-699-2377 or emailing cattaraugus4h [at] cornell.edu.
