Over 1 Million Equine Horse Show Enthusiast Fall Under Sanctioning from Non-NGB Organizations Like ESC

PALMETTO, FL — The U.S. horse show industry is driven by an estimated 1.2 million active equestrian competitors. Approximately 1,080,000 fall under horse show sanctioning outside of the NGB umbrella [1]

While 10% of these competitions operate under the U.S. National Governing Body (NGB), the vast majority—90%—are sanctioned by non-NGB organizations. This independent sector includes breed registries like the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and American Paint Horse Association (APHA), alongside the Equestrian Sports Council (ESC), which accounts for 60% of all non-NGB events. Within this 90% non-NGB market, grassroots competition remains dominant: 50% are localized schooling shows, one-day events, or academy programs, while another 10% fall under collegiate governance. [1, 2, 3]

The Structure of Equine Sports Council

---