Equestrian Event Marketing: Building Buzz Before, During, and After the Show
In today’s fast-paced and content-saturated world, marketing an equestrian event involves much more than running a few online ads. Your marketing strategy must be intentional, well-timed, and aligned with your audience’s interests and behaviours. Whether you are organising a local unaffiliated dressage show or an internationally recognised competition, the fundamentals are the same: you’re selling an experience.
Building momentum around your event requires thoughtful engagement at every stage - before, during, and after the show. Here is a guide to help you attract attention, boost attendance, and create a lasting impression that drives future participation.
Phase 1: Before the Show
Know Your Audience and What Drives Them
Before spending time or budget on campaigns, you need clarity on who you’re targeting. We often talk about the importance of ‘defining your audience’, and we appreciate it can be one of the less exciting parts of marketing. But before you scroll on, ask yourself the following. Who are you trying to reach? Die-hard sports fans? Spectators from the local community? Families interested in a fun weekend outing? Each segment has different motivations for attending, and these details influence the platforms you select, the language you use, and the timing of your outreach.
To help you answer these questions, start by analysing data from past events: attendance records, testimonials, and social media interactions. If it is your first event, study similar shows to understand their audience demographics. Knowing where your audience spends time online and what kind of messaging resonates with them allows for more precise targeting, which also leads to better returns on your marketing investment.
This work should begin well in advance, as early identification of your audience will inform every decision that follows.
Create a Cohesive Brand Identity
Your event’s visual identity plays a critical role in how it is perceived, so it’s important to adhere to consistent brand guidelines across all platforms, including logo usage, colour palette, fonts, and tone of voice. This identity should reflect the quality and atmosphere of your show. A high-level dressage event might lean into minimal, elegant design, whereas a family-friendly horse show might use more vibrant visuals and approachable language.
This identity should be present everywhere: on your website, social posts, signage, email headers, and promotional video graphics. Consistency builds trust and reinforces the perception of a professionally run event.
Build a Conversion-Friendly Website
Even if your event is part of a larger series or hosted at an established venue, it is essential to have a dedicated digital home. This could be a a stand-alone website or dedicated landing page that makes it easy for people to register or buy tickets.
Your website should include:
Detailed event schedule
Entry and ticketing information
Venue map and parking info
Rider or sponsor highlights
Visitor FAQs
Contact details
Links to your social channels
A conversion friendly website will allow people to easily register or purchase tickets without being redirected multiple times - fewer clicks equal more sales. Also check the mobile responsiveness of your website. This is non-negotiable as many users will first encounter your event on a phone, and first impressions matter.
Using embedded tracking pixels from Facebook and Google will also allow you to retarget website visitors with ads later in the campaign.
Run Targeted Paid Ads
With a cohesive brand and website in place, most venues will start running digital ads around three to four months before the show. Facebook and Instagram are ideal for reaching both equestrian enthusiasts and broader local audiences. If your event has a younger audience, you may consider including TikTok in your media mix, utilising short, engaging teaser videos to build early intrigue. Paid search ads (e.g. Google Ads) can also be an effective way to increase website traffic, if set up and managed correctly.
We always use A/B testing to experiment with different creatives, messaging, and formats. We recommend you track results weekly (including CPC and ROAS) and adjust as needed, and increase ad spend in the six weeks leading to the event.
Develop a Strategic Email Campaign
Email is one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience and convert interested prospects into attendees. Build segmented lists (e.g. competitors, spectators, and potential sponsors) and tailor your content to each group. A one-size-fits-all newsletter is rarely effective. For returning attendees, highlight what’s new this year. For newcomers, focus on what makes your event worth attending.
Email content should include:
Key date reminders
Feature stories (highlighting riders, trainers, or horses)
Travel and accommodation tips
Behind-the-scenes sneak peeks
Early-bird discounts or ticket deadlines
Set up an automated sequence for new signups, and don’t neglect post-purchase emails. A “What to Know Before You Arrive” message the week before the event can significantly improve the attendee experience. This should be an ongoing effort throughout your planning timeline.
Create a Social Media Content Plan
Your social media presence is one of the most powerful tools you have in the lead-up to an event. It's where you can build momentum, showcase the atmosphere of your show, and keep your audience informed and excited. Video content, in particular, tends to perform better than static images in terms of reach and engagement. A well-produced 30-second teaser can be used across platforms and also embedded in emails or on your website.
Use organic social content to tell the story of your event and build anticipation, structured in clear phases:
Early phase (4-8 months out):
“Save the date” graphics
Past event highlights
Announcements of key partners or sponsors
Middle phase (8-12 weeks out):
Rider and vendor spotlights
Behind-the-scenes previews
Countdown posts and FAQs
Final phase (2 weeks out):
Ticket urgency messaging (“Limited spots left”)
Weather or travel tips
Giveaway contests
Use Stories and Reels to add energy to your feed. Plan to post 4-5 times per week across your main platforms. Maintain engagement by responding to comments and resharing content from riders, vendors, and fans who tag you.
Phase 2: During the Event
Design the Onsite Experience for Social Sharing
Your marketing doesn't stop when the gates open. Your event is one of the biggest opportunities to generate content, increase reach, and elevate brand perception. Assign one or more people to manage content creation during the event, which includes sharing real-time updates across social media: opening ceremonies, behind-the-scenes moments, awards presentations, and crowd reactions. If you have the capacity, stream portions of the event live on Facebook or YouTube.
You can also encourage attendees to share their experience online by creating an environment that naturally lends itself to social content. Many equestrian events do this by setting up branded photo backdrops near the entrance, and by clearly displaying social handles throughout the venue. Saut Hermès is a standout example of this - offering imaginative, immersive experiences like VR rides, interactive displays, and artistic equestrian performances. These moments are easy to capture and highly shareable, increasing visibility well beyond the event itself.
And, of course, be sure to tag sponsors in relevant posts. This adds value for them and increases the chances of resharing.
Capture Professional Photography and Video
High-quality visuals matter. Ideally, you want a team of photographers and videographers to document the event from multiple perspectives - action shots of riders, candid moments in the crowd, sponsorship branding, and venue details. Capture both portrait and landscape formats, so the content can be repurposed across different channels in your marketing after the event.
We’ve seen firsthand how powerful this kind of in-the-moment storytelling can be. During our first season working with Hickstead, a reel we published on-site gained viral traction, reaching over 40 million views across Instagram and Facebook. It was fascinating to manage the momentum and navigate the real-time excitement (and unpredictability) that comes with content of that scale.
That level of visibility translated into measurable results: Hickstead’s Instagram following grew by 15,000 and Facebook by 32,000 during the season. This meant that when we returned for the 2024 season, we had a larger organic audience to engage with. Several reels once again surpassed one million views, and the Instagram account gained an additional 11,000 followers over the 3-month period.
Highlight Sponsors in Visible, Organic Ways
Sponsors are a key part of most equestrian events, so it’s important to give them visibility in ways that feel natural and engaging. As well as logo placements (like arena boards or banner placements), look for opportunities to integrate sponsors into the event narrative. This could include shout-outs in social content, branded segments within livestreams, or short interview clips with representatives shared across your platforms. Even a simple ‘Proudly supported by [Sponsor Name]’ in captions or announcements reinforces their presence. These mentions feel natural to your audience and help humanise the sponsor’s involvement.
Also provide each sponsor with content they can share on their own platforms. When sponsors see their support turning into meaningful engagement, they’re far more likely to return next year.
Activate Partnerships and Influencers
If you have built relationships with equestrian influencers or passionate community members, now is the time to engage them. With the right strategy, event venues can partner with influencers to engage new audiences. Remember that influencers do not need to have massive followings to make an impact. Micro-influencers with niche, loyal audiences can often drive more meaningful engagement.
During the event, focus on giving influencers an experience worth sharing. When they’re genuinely enjoying themselves, their content often feels more like a recommendation than a promotion, and that authenticity is what makes their voice so effective. This could mean exclusive access, a chance to meet riders or sponsors, or simply a thoughtful, well-organised experience that lets them enjoy the atmosphere and create freely. The more immersed they feel, the more genuine and high-quality their content will be. It also deepens their connection to your brand, paving the way for longer-term advocacy.
You might also consider letting an influencer take over your social channels for a day - offering behind-the-scenes updates, interviews, or highlights from their perspective. It’s a simple but effective way to mix up your content and give your audience a fresh, trusted voice.
Phase 3: After the Show
Act Quickly to Sustain Momentum
The days immediately following your event are critical. Send an email to all attendees, sponsors, and volunteers within 24 to 48 hours, perhaps including a short video recap, as well as:
A thank you message
Preliminary save-the-date info for next year
A feedback survey link
This email sets the stage for your next campaign, and becomes a subtle invitation to join the next event. It also reinforces the positive experience and builds loyalty.
Share Post-Event Content Strategically
Spread out your content so the event stays visible for a month or more after it concludes. Create themed posts like:
“Top 5 Moments from the Grand Prix”
“Fan Photos We Loved”
“Behind the Scenes with…”
Re-share user-generated content (with permission) to keep the community feeling alive. Post thank-you notes to partners and volunteers publicly - this is both good practice and good PR.
Continue posting in the days, weeks, and months after your show. Feature rider interviews, testimonials from attendees, and standout performances. Spread the content across platforms and consider using paid promotion to keep the event visible.
This stage is also an opportunity to gather feedback. Send a brief survey asking attendees what they enjoyed and where there is room for improvement. Their responses can help shape the strategy for your next event.
Analyse Your Results
Once the dust settles, spend time reviewing performance across all marketing channels. Consider:
Email open and click-through rates.
Ad impressions, engagement, and conversions.
Social follower growth and post performance.
Ticket sales by source.
Survey feedback from attendees, riders, and sponsors.
Look for trends. What drove the most engagement? Which channels produced actual ticket sales? Use this insight to improve targeting, creative, and spend allocation for your next event.
Build a Year-Round Presence
Even if your event is annual, your digital presence shouldn’t go dormant. Effective event marketing is a continuous cycle and each show builds on the momentum of the last. Use the data you collected - both quantitative and qualitative - to refine your strategy and make improvements for the future.
Keep posting throughout the year with relevant updates, sponsor spotlights, and community news, and continue to build a reputation as a venue that delivers exceptional experiences.
Final Thoughts
Marketing an equestrian event requires careful coordination across multiple channels, with consistent messaging and high-quality content. From early targeting and creative promotions to live coverage and thoughtful follow-up, every step contributes to a successful outcome.
The goal is not just to attract attendees, but to create lasting relationships and build a community that looks forward to each event you host. Start early, stay intentional, and use each phase of your campaign to build lasting value for your brand and your audience.
If you’re looking for assistance with your event marketing, we’d love to help. Explore our Marketing Services, or get in touch to speak to our team.
