Our Mission:
Empower.
We provide RIDERS, COACHES, EQUESTRIAN TEAMS, and HORSE SHOWS the developmental and operational tools they need to succeed!
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Our Team
Our Mission
Information and operational tools are scarce and hard to find in the Equestrian business. We leverage our decades of successful experience and knowledge in the horse business to help riders, coaches, teams, and businesses reach their goals.
Our Impact
In more than forty years in the horse show business, our programs have touched every corner of collegiate and scholastic riding and empowered success stories of champion teams and riders, profitable horse businesses and prolific educational programs. Equestrian Talent Search events have propelled hundreds of young riders to college, and many with scholarships. Tournament of Champions has for nearly three decades been the developmental key for the most successful collegiate and scholastic teams in the nation. Winning Colors continues to help teams and businesses find just the right branding to elevate them to the next level. We help collegiate, prep, and show barns execute their signature events each year with our Show and Event Management, Horse Show Judging, professional Show Secretary services, Jump Course Design, Show Steward services, professional Consulting and Planning, and much more. Now Southern Vines Designs Jump Building makes your vision come to reality inside the ring with equipment that expresses your style.
If it needs to be done in the horse show business, Beckett Run has done it successfully and can help your events and projects be successful too.
40+
years as professional horsemen
Over forty years ago, Jim began working professionally around Lexington, Kentucky as a groom, showman, and trainer while a student at the University of Kentucky. A few years later he coached his first National Champion Team with the first of six college teams, while Gwen began working full time in their first boarding stable. Both have worked full time in the Beckett Run business since the mid-1980’s.
30+
Years serving collegiate programs
Tournament of Champions began in 1990 as a scrimmage between college teams. More than three decades later it has grown to four annual collegiate shows, plus prep shows, attracting the top teams and riders in collegiate riding. The top coaches know that Tournament competition makes champions. To raise your boat you need to get it into deeper waters.
Jim has also done academic program consulting and evaluation for several major college and prep school programs.
15+
years helping college riders find the right colleges, and college coaches find the best riders
Since 2005, Equestrian Talent Search has helped thousands of high school aged riders find a meaningful place on a suitable college equestrian team. Many have earned college scholarships. It gives us great satisfaction to see past ETS riders competing for their teams at every Tournament of Champions show and every collegiate National Championship.
Our Programs
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and four decades in the horse show business has by necessity allowed us to find our various niches. When we needed more serious competition for our developing college team, Tournament of Champions was born. An organized recruiting event led to Equestrian Talent Search. Our Beckett Run Farm business taught us to manage horse shows, build jumps and jump courses, and by necessity we came to own all the hardware and software to run the shows.
Equestrian talent search
…wants to do for high school riders what football and basketball coaches camps have done for those sports. “Combines” allow young athletes to be taught, seen, and evaluated by college coaches in intensive weekend instructional / recruiting clinics, and experienced college coaches lend consulting expertise to students and parents looking or advice. Equestrian Talent Search is the clearing house for young riders and their parents to get information to help them understand exactly what college equestrian is about, how to become involved, and how to find a program that is a good fit. Thanks to Equine Journal for naming us “…best way to prepare for college riding.”
winning colors
“Made With Love By Momma Gwen” is the label carried on products that come from Gwen’s manufacturing shop of custom logo team gear, and horse show prizes at every price point. We outfit teams and riders for Nationals every year so we understand that sweet spot of functional riding wear and stylish logo wear that kids will actually wear. She also makes horse show prizes from inexpensive do-dats to exclusive and elegant keepsakes.
SOUTHERN PINES DESIGNS
tournament of champions
Like football bowl games, Tournament of Champions raises the bar on competition by pitting champions who would not otherwise see other until Nationals. Typically, sixteen teams will compete at each of four annual events - nearly all will be 1st Place teams in their regions, and Tournament will attact many of the best collegiate riders in the country in what coaches came to know as “Winter Nationals”. We get the best teams, best judges, outstanding prizes and giveaways, in the best locations around the country. Coaches understand there is no better way to prepare for Nationals.
HORSE SHOW SERVICES
We routinely fill nearly every role at the horse shows. Jim is an approved JUDGE for IHSA and IEA, and judges local association and schooling hunter and jumper shows all summer. He also does course design, builds beautiful jumps, and can professionally announce as well. Gwen and Jim are both approved IEA and IHSA Show Stewards. Gwen has the hardware, software, and knowlegable experience to serve as Show Manager and Show Secretary. She can take your IEA or association show from planning to point reporting, or anything in between.
“What a weekend!.....organized, exciting, enlightening, eventful, welcoming........thank you. You are providing a great service… and we appreciate all that you put into the weekend. We met many wonderful people, learned a lot, and had fun at the same time. Definitely worthwhile.” - Monica, Cathy and Fred Scarsella, Ohio
Jim and Gwen Arrigon
Matt Arrigon
Sammy and Woody Beagleson
Get Involved
Whether you are a young rider who wants help finding a meaningful college riding experience, or a college coach or Director looking for an advantage or consulting / evaluation, we can help you reach your goals. Maybe you are someone who needs help putting together a successful horse show, clinic, or event, we can provide the tools and knowledge you need to pull it off successfully. Contact us with ideas. We will make it happen.
Sign Up For an event
Click on a HEADING at the top of the page to get started, and even to download info and entry packets, etc. Contact us.
intern opportunities
If you are a college student studying marketing, event planning, web design, horse show management, we may be able to help you get internship credit.
volunteer opportunities
Contact us if you would like to volunteer time working at a horse event near your home.