Folks, everything is bigger in Texas and the 2024 American Equestrian Trade Association (AETA) trade show was absolutely no exception. There is SO much to gush about from this year’s show, so let’s get right into it.
We started off with a long day of travel from Greenville, SC to Atlanta, GA, then finally to Dallas. Luckily we were able to take some time to enjoy the view! I (Michelle) have to tiny hand it to my travel companions, store owner and fearless leader Noreen; our Chief Operations Officer, Ryanne; our Chief Revenue Officer, Sara, and our Tryon store manger, Dylan for making this whole trip a blast.
After grabbing some dinner and settling into our hotel on Tuesday, we took a much-needed rest with visions of shiny new bridles, breeches, show shirts, jackets, and more dancing in our heads. And before we knew it, it was time for all the magic to begin
Wednesday
We woke up EARLY on Wednesday to take a sneak peak at the trade show floor and get excited about all the amazing vendors we were going to talk to. Check out this video to get an idea of all the goodies we saw before the show even started. What a good way to wake up!
Then, it was finally time to shop till we dropped. First off, we checked in with our friends at Kismet Equestrian Apparel. If you know Kismet, you know they are always thinking outside the box, so we were super excited to check out their new offerings. Their new schooling shirts were an instant hit. They’re made out of a super lightweight athletic fabric that’s woven in a triangular waffle pattern, just like your favorite Henley.
We’re also obsessed with the colors from this new group, including picante, periwinkle, spruce, and mist. We took a poll from our social media followers to see which was their favorite and they chose mist loud and clear. The best part of the new shirts from Kismet? We’re about to have them in stores and online for you!
Then we headed over to the Tailored Sportsman booth to talk to Susan and Van Issacs about their TOP SECRET plans for upcoming products. We can’t say much, but just know that we are thrilled and we know you will be too. Just keep that suspense building and know that we’ll be the first to break it to you when we can finally share.
One thing we do know is we have some stunning new colors headed our way. Our personal favorite? Poppy! We are so excited to enter our Red Era á la Taylor Swift by wearing these every day this spring. We also took a poll on our social media to see what colors you guys were loving and it was all about the blue. Your top choices were Bluest Blue followed closely by Blue Haven.
But, let’s not forget about our shirts and belts! You already know Tailored has some great colors coming out for both. Check it out!
In the afternoon, we revived our energy with some new LeMieux ponies. These little guys are huge favorites for our riders, kids and adults alike. They’re so soft, squishy, and cuddly and we love the new colors, especially the strawberry roan (sure to be a hit with the Pink Pony Club). There’s also a whole herd of mini ponies to treasure!
We also snagged a couple of our favorite vendors for a quick sneak peak at their favorite things they brought to market this year.
First off, we stopped in for a chat with Josey from EGO 7 who is thrilled about the new ribbed show coat! This is a longer coat, super flattering for riders with long torsos or broad shoulders. It has gorgeous ribbed detailing on the back and arms, and, of course, stylish vents for maximum airflow. This is a super flattering cut and we are so excited to see riders looking dashing in it at shows next year!
Then, we spoke to Emily from Sixteen Cyprus who was excited to show off new air boots. They offer the same level of protection and slim fit design their other boots are known for, but they’re even more lightweight and breathable. They also coordinate with all of the other Sixteen Cyprus products, including their gorgeous saddle pads. We think these will be great for picky ponies!
Then, we ended our first day with a tour of the AJR Sport bit wall. If you’ve been tuning in to our podcast, Bit By Bit, you know we’ve had the chance to talk with owner, Adam Rittenberg about several of his most popular and innovative bits. But we were floored to see all the options he’d brought with him to the trade show! Our Tryon store manager, Dylan put in a special request for a few new options, so we’re excited to bring even more of these super high-quality bits into our stores next year.
We also have some big updates coming from Adam including his new brand, Jake Adams Equestrian, which will be the same great designs at a lower price point. He may or may not also have some gorgeous leather products in the works. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and our join our email list so you can be the first to know!
Thursday
Thursday, we had an action-packed day!
We started off by picking out a few (ok, a lot) of new bags. Jill from Tucker Tweed rocked our world with their new office bag featuring 5 pockets, perfect for your water bottle and laptop. It’s available in two sizes so you’ll be able to fit a bigger laptop. We also saw their new cooler bag which perfectly fits two bottles of wine or water or snacks, whatever you’d like to enjoy after the show. Just pop in an icepack and you’re ready to be everyone’s best friend in the ring!
Then, it was off to Ariat! Jessica walked us through the updates the Heritage paddock boot is getting for 2025, including a redesign to the outer sole. They’ve kept the different areas of traction in the soles of the boot, designed for better grip in the stirrups. Plus, the new version will feature shock-absorbing heel strike padding in the heel for extra cushion when you dismount.
Jessica also showed us the Breathe collection, which will feature extra light show shirts and breeches with perforations to maximize airflow. The new tights have perforations in the waist and along the calves to maximize airflow. In addition to the added airflow, the Breathe show shirt will come in an exciting new cap sleeve and is made of a super luxurious, lightweight fabric. Plus, this plum color? Talk about decadent.
When we spoke to Kelly from Equiline, we were thrilled to see fabulous go-to training shirts with perforations to keep you cool during next summer’s show circuit. These shirts have a super cute mock neck and are among the first designs to feature the Equiline logo! For show shirts, Equiline is feeling fancy this year with their tulle sleeves. We love the way this unexpected choice of material brings elegance to the design, plus, we are pumped about all the new colors like coral and aqua coming out this spring. As if that wasn’t enough, Equiline is also going to be bringing back some junior items, including perforated jackets designed for girls.
Then we hopped over to talk with Amy from AP Hassinger who had so many great shirts to show us. First up was a stunning new sun shirt with mock neck, lace detail, and quarter zip along the back. This is a super unique design that’s sure to make you look good from every angle, no matter how long the training day.
They’ll look great in your closet next to their full-collar show shirts, which can be custom embroidered with you or your horse’s names or your stable. Ever since we started selling Ap Hassinger show shirts a few months ago, they have been flying off the shelves and we expect that to continue next year. Finally, you can top your stylish new outfit off with their new equestrian vest. It’s super flattering and comfy with a stretchy breech side panel! You can check out the whole lineup in the photos below.
After a much-needed lunch break, we headed over to meet a new artist, Darlene of Sona Equestrian. She’s been creating adorable chubby pony drawings for a year now and has added them to some of the cutest bags, cards, ornaments, cutting boards, and calendars we’ve ever seen. But what’s she most excited about? Her hand-illustrated book, The A-B-C Book of Horses. Each page features a unique watercolor drawing from Arabians to Zangersheide. We took a little peek into the future, and we see Sona Equestrian being a HUGE hit for holiday gifts for our hosrse-lovers in the upcoming years.
Then we headed over to talk to Tony at ThinLine who had some super innovative products to show off. First, we got to check out their new Perfect Fit saddle pad, which is taking the place of the old basic pads. This pad is (of course) super lightweight and beautifully fitted with a breathable mesh fabric stripe in the middle to promote airflow and keep your horse cool.
Then Tony introduced us to a new boot brand that ThinLine will be the sole distributor for. Spanish-made Gatusos boots are so innovative, made of a super light, flexible material that will be super comfortable for your horse while keeping their feet protected. The boots feature gorgeous cutout designs that promote airflow and come in a variety of stunning colors. Gatusos also offers a really cool hoof boot ready to step in if your horse throws a shoe or if you prefer to go unshod but still need a little protection. Plus, don’t forget about their flexible, non-slip shipping boots! We’re psyched to try these out next time we’re traveling to a show.
When we visited Hannah at Samshield, she showed us some new gear that is equal parts beautiful and safe. First off, their new safety stirrups are super lightweight and well-made with a wide bottom. The bottom is designed with spikes and grips to help you stay in the saddle. The side of the stirrup houses the incredible safety panel that will engage when you fall. It releases at any angle you fall so that your foot can leave harm-free, but it will not be trigged during the course of a normal ride.
Hannah also showed us some incredible swatches and designs for the gorgeous new 2.0 helmets. The outside of the helmets are made of a polycarbonate shell designed for maximum protection and the inner shell is made of variable-density polystyrene for better dissipation of impact energy. And you’ll be the talk of the show because these new helmets are customizable with EVEN MORE CRYSTALS. How cute are these with the crystals laid out in a little floral design?
Friday
By Friday, we felt like we’d barely scratched the surface of the incredible equestrian gear at this year’s show. I mean, seriously, look at the size of this place!
But, we still had to head home that afternoon. So with our last few hours, we did a speed run through some gorgeous new accessories. If you love a bit of horsey flair in your necklaces, earrings, belts, bracelets, and more, you’re going to be very happy with what we picked out for the store in the upcoming months. Here’s a sneak peak!
Before we go, let’s do a quick roundup of some trends we spotted.
Number one: perforation!! It is going to be all about breathable apparel this spring and summer. Between the Breathe collection at Ariat, the perforated show shirts and jackets at Equiline, and even the saddle pads at ThinLine, we are already getting psyched for the coolest summer ever next year.
Number two: pastels and light jewel colors. You probably peeped a couple of stunning springy pastels in the new Tailored sportsman colors, which we are psyched for! Plus the spring and mint Kismet shirts, plum Ariat show shirts, aqua Equiline show jacket, and even the pink and blue boots at ThinLine. And although we didn’t spot it quite as much, we’d also keep an eye out for some pops of red and orange.
Number three: tulle and lace. We are love loving the tulle and lace options to make your shows a little fancier next year. We can’t wait to see our riders in the new AP Hassinger sun shirts with that stunning lace detail under the mock turtleneck and the new Equiline show shirts with tulle sleeves. We think we all deserve the little extra fancy moment of indulgence.
Number four: personalization: We noticed a lot of themes of customization which we love! From branching out to create a jacket specially designed for longer torsos at EGO 7 to the monogram-able show shirts at AP Hassinger to a one-of-a-kind cubby pony handbag at Sona, we love the personality and adaptability we saw at this year’s show.
Safe to say, we are counting down the days until we get to bring all of these fabulous products and so, so much more to our stores next year. Until then, make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get behind the scenes photos from this unforgettable trip.
We’ll also be posting our AETA walkthrough on YouTube as well as our full interview with all of the amazing vendors we spoke with. Until 2025, we’re bidding a very fond farewell to AETA. Thank you all for following us on our journey!
