WILLIAMSBURG -- Laura Adderley Schneider generally visits several horse shows a year, but Horse Shows By The Bay offers more than the rest.
Participants in the increasingly popular equestrian festival come from across the country, and many are dazzled by the Grand Traverse region's mixture of quality food, natural beauty and summer attractions.
"People love this show because it's not just a show, it can be a vacation," said Adderley Schneider, of the Detroit suburb of Birmingham.
The festival, now in its sixth year, kicked off last week and runs through Aug. 2. Roughly 1,500 horses and their handlers are expected to cycle through the festival for various events, competitive and otherwise.
Adderley Schneider, 37, has been an avid rider since she was 8. Horse Shows By the Bay's reputation in the horse community continues to grow because it offers top-notch facilities and organization in a wonderful setting, she said.
"It's a really nice show. It's the best show in Michigan, and one of the better shows in the Midwest," she said. "There are a lot of shows that are in the middle of practically nowhere. Here, there's a lot of interesting things to do, and downtown Traverse City is just fun."
Participants milling around the Flintfields Horse Park on Bates Road off M-72 near Williamsburg spoke of the show's increasing popularity.
"All my friends talk about it," she said. "My friends I compete against talk about how it's their favorite show, and it's definitely ... in my top three."
Abby Sayers, of Naples, Fla., said many horse enthusiasts are beginning to break away from other shows across the country to attend Horse Shows By The Bay.
"They're either leaving and coming here, or splitting time between other shows and here," she said.
Sayers sampled Traverse City's offerings in her down time, and she was impressed.
"The Cherry Festival was great, and you've got some really, really wonderful local restaurants," she said.
Sayers is a groom for a Naples-based horse owner. The owner was so impressed with the show and the region that she bought a house in Charlevoix so she could be close, Sayers said.
Ann Arbor resident Erin Haas attends about 20 shows a year, and she brought four horses to Horse Shows By The Bay. The show gets "better and better every year," in terms of quality, she said.
"The layout of the show grounds is put together well, the stables are nice, there's plenty of power and water ... that can be a big difference," she said.
Haas, 30, loves to hit the beach when she's not in the ring. It's not often riders are just a stone's throw from great beaches and water activities when they're on the horse show circuit, she said.
"This is the only show where you see a lot of people with Jet Skis and boats," she said.
A show schedule is available at www.horseshowsbythebay.com. The event is open to the public on the weekends.
