Westernaires

“My daughter loves horses and brought her little camera. She took pictures of EVERYTHING!”
— Jennifer, U.S. Air Force Veteran

We hope she had plenty of memory space.

At Horsecapades, there’s a lot to capture: hundreds of horses and riders, colorful costumes, precision formations, trick riding, chariots, flags, specialty acts, and moments of horsemanship happening all around the arena.

Bring your own horse-lover to the Westernaires Horsecapades show, October 17th–18th.

Camera optional.

Enthusiasm strongly encouraged.

Get tickets: https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

“The event was so family friendly and highlighted a great organization.”
— Thomas, Active Law Enforcement Officer

That is exactly the experience we want Horsecapades to provide.

A family-friendly event.

Extraordinary young performers.

Remarkable horses.

And an opportunity to discover a nonprofit that has spent more than 75 years developing young people of character through horsemanship and family participation.

If Westernaires is new to you, our Horsecapades show is a wonderful place to begin.

October 17th & 18th | National Western Events Center

Buy tickets in advance: https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

2026 Westernaires "Horsecapades" Show Tickets — Westernaires It happens but once a year. For the thousands who have attended since 1949, the Westernaires Annual Show has become a tradition spanning generations. As Autumn settles in, and snow appears in the Colorado high country, the Westernaires family opens its doors to showcase the hard-won skills of hundre...

Oftentimes the best measure of a team isn’t what happens while the spotlight is on.

After our Varsity Big Red Team performed at the Sac County Fair in Iowa this summer, we received this message from a parent in the audience:

“We watched the Westernaires show this afternoon at the Sac County fair and it was great. I was even more blown away by the kids. My daughter was curious what the horses’ names were, so we asked a girl rider after the show. She was so kind and even remembered my daughter’s name and interacted with her in the ice cream shop. Avery thought that was great. Then we had a young gentleman insist on buying my sons banana splits. I told him we would pay for them and my sons gave him some money, then he gave it back to them. The character of the kids and interaction with my kids (ages 10, 8, and 5) was awesome. Great job, Westernaires!”
— Liz, Sac County, Iowa

That means a great deal to us.

Because Westernaires isn’t only about what young people can accomplish on horseback. It’s about the people they are becoming.

Since 1949, Westernaires develops young people of character through horsemanship and family participation—fostering self-respect, responsibility, teamwork, and leadership while carrying forward the best traditions of the West.

At our Horsecapades show, you’ll see that mission in motion.

Hundreds of young riders. Extraordinary horsemanship. Precision riding, trick riding, chariots, specialty acts, and the world-famous Varsity Big Red Team—all performed by young people who have spent years learning that skill and character belong together.

Come see what they can do.

And meet some of the remarkable young people behind the performance.

Westernaires Horsecapades Show
October 17th–18th
National Western Events Center
General Admission: $15

Buy tickets to the show:
https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

Two athletes. One team.

At Westernaires, the athlete isn't just the kid in the saddle.

The horse underneath that rider is accelerating, collecting, bending through turns, adjusting stride, changing leads, and maintaining precise spacing with the equine athletes around them -- all while responding to a young rider making split-second decisions of their own.

Now multiply that by dozens -- or during certain Horsecapades acts, even hundreds -- of horse-and-rider combinations moving through the same arena.

That's precision mounted drill. It’s a sports story.

Come watch the largest precision mounted drill organization in the world. They’ll be doing all this and more at their Westernaires Horsecapades Show: October 17th & 18th.

Tickets are only $15, and are good for any of our performances that weekend.

https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

A great precision drill horse is more than athletic. He or she is a consummate professional.

Horses are social animals with individual personalities, preferences and relationships. Just like people, they do not necessarily have the same relationship with every individual around them.

But when a trained drill horse enters the arena, they have a job to do.

They must work closely beside other horses while remaining attentive to their rider.

They adjust stride and speed to maintain precise spacing. They accelerate, decelerate, bend through turns, change leads, and respond to subtle cues… all while surrounded by other moving horses, flags, music, lights, costumes, and thousands of spectators.

The horse beside them may not be their best buddy. Their closest equine friend may be somewhere else entirely. None of that changes the job. These horses understand the assignment.

For those minutes in the arena, horse and rider must remain focused on one another and on the larger team. That requires training, athleticism, agility, mental focus, trust, and horsemanship.

The riders are athletes.
The horses are athletes.
And precision drill succeeds only when both understand the job.

Come watch the largest precision mounted drill organization in the world.

Come watch this incredible teamwork dynamic in action at the Westernaires Horsecapades: October 17th & 18th. Tickets are only $15.

https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

We feel obligated to disclose one possible side effect of attending Horsecapades:

“The family and I had a blast. Unfortunately now my daughters want a horse. Other than that it was a great experience for everyone.”
- Curtis, U.S. Army Veteran

We can’t promise your children won’t leave wanting a horse.

We can promise an afternoon or evening filled with extraordinary young riders, hundreds of horses, precision horsemanship, specialty acts, costumes, music, lights -- and a closer look at what young people can accomplish through years of dedication.

Proceed at your own risk.

October 17–18 | National Western Events Center | Tickets are $15 per seat and good for any performance

https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

This one means a great deal to us:

“My daughter and I have made this an annual father-daughter day and truly love watching the professionalism of these young kids and sit in awe of all the horsemanship.”
- John, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran

Horsecapades has been a Westernaires tradition for generations.

But we especially love hearing when it becomes part of another family's tradition, too.

Bring a daughter. Bring a son. Bring a grandchild, parent, friend or someone who has never seen Westernaires before.

Then make a memory of your own.

October 17–18 | National Western Events Center | $15 per seat | Tickets are good at any performance

https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades

Sometimes the best review comes from someone who had never seen anything quite like Westernaires before:

“Thank you! I have never attended an event like this. I am officially a fan now!”
— Antionette, U.S. Navy Veteran

That’s exactly what we hope happens at Horsecapades.

Come for the horses, the spectacle, and the extraordinary horsemanship. Leave understanding why generations of young people and families have made Westernaires part of their lives since 1949.

Will this be the year you become a fan, too?

Westernaires Horsecapades Show
October 17–18 | National Western Events Center

Tickets: $15 per seat

https://www.westernaires.org/support/horsecapades