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I INTRODUCTION <br />OVERVIEW <br />The horse industry is highly diverse,supporting a wide range of activities in each region <br />of the country.A recent report prepared by the American Horse Council,"The <br />Economic Impact of the U.S.Horse Industry in the United States"estimated that the <br />horse industry contributes $40 billion annually to the gross domestic product and <br />provides 460,000 full time equivalentjobs.In Washington State,horse ownership is <br />woven into the fabric of the state's history and essence.In terms of horse ownership, <br />Washington,with over 250,000 horses,ranks eleventh among the states in the nation in <br />total number of horses and ranks among the top states in the number of horses per <br />capita.Annually Washingtonfacilities host hundreds of small,medium and large scale <br />events.The equestrian communityfinds that no satisfactory facilities exist to handle <br />the highest quality or multi-stateevents.Most existing facilities offer limited capacity, <br />older buildings and poor access (WSPRC Memo.) <br />Horse shows and western events are basic parts of the horse industry.Shows vary by <br />breed and type of event,each requiring specific facilities in which to conduct the <br />activity.The shows range from small,one-day local shows to large,multi-day national <br />and internationalexhibitions and activities.In the past decade,new facilities have been <br />developed in many locations around the country:Virginia,Kentucky,North Carolina, <br />Colorado,Arizona,Oklahoma,and New Jersey. <br />National Trends <br />We have three sources for Nation Trends in horse shows;the number of horses and <br />horses involved in shows for 1996 and 2005 (American Horse Council Foundation), <br />2000-2005 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)data (http://www.usef.org),and <br />8