Prior Years' Themes

There are horse shows and then there are horse shows! The Iowa Gold Star, in just a few short years, has managed to move itself into the second category—that is, the rarest of shows that Arabian horse enthusiasts put in pen on their calendars at the beginning of each show season. Yup, it’s that good. Last year’s show was no exception. With its “Golden Renaissance” theme, meals around the clock provided by generous sponsors, significant prize money, vendors, and an exciting stallion auction, exhibitors had plenty to do, see and enjoy. Besides all that, there was a brand new show arena for what organizers describe as one of the deepest fields of horses they’ve ever seen. Competitors have gotten the word about the Iowa

Last Labor Day the theme was the Roaring 20’s. Gangsters, Gun Molls, Flappers, Ma Barker and Bonnie and Clyde roamed the streets and back alleys of the Iowa State Fairgrounds, while training barns and farms hosted parties like the Charleston Chew and the Lindy Swing Fling at Speakeasies and the Cotton Club Cabaret. Show entertainment included Equine Extremist Tommy Turvey and the hilarious Willie Farrell, the “Godfather of Comedy” who was a roaring success at the Stallion Service Auction banquet on Friday night, held each year at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel. Gold Star Futurity growth has been up annually 25 to 30% in participants, stallion involvement, number of people winning prize money, new people attending

There were more than a few of us shaking our heads and wondering, seriously, how the team that turned Des Moines into a party town were ever going to top the 2008 Iowa Gold Star Futurity Show. The show themes, beginning in 2007 with the Famous Fifties, have been the wildest horse show success story since show sheen and hoof black. In 2008 the Gold Star theme was Pirates and a lot of people dressed up and came to the Stallion Service Auction to have a fabulous time. Never mind that. Seriously...it was NOTHING compared to 2009. The 2009 theme was the Wild, Wild West and there was something for everyone, every minutes of every day.  Wild West cowboys, Indians and Buffalo Bill himself roamed the Fairground's streets from dawn

Everybody that’s anybody in Arabian horses was in Iowa for the Gold Star Futurity over Labor Day Weekend in 2008! Absolutely nobody wanted to miss the excitement, the show, the parties and events, the live stallion presentation and, of course, the Magnum Futurity, where horsey folk rubbed elbows with global glitterati. The Gold Star has become one of the must attend events of the show season for Arabian horse owners. Horse people go once for the show and the prizes, and come back every year for the fun and the excitement. The 2008 stallion service auction theme was “Pirates” and the costumes were beyond belief! There were real gold treasure chests, lovely Pirate wenches, and even Captain Jack (aka:Johnny Depp’s