Arabian Horse Association marks 60 years of U.S. Nationals in Tulsa

The Arabian Horse Association will bring the 60th U.S. National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show back to Tulsa Expo Square from Oct. 22-31, 2026. The event is expected to draw more than 1,800 horses and more than $1 million in prizes, underscoring its role as the top national stage for Arabian competition.

Why it matters: - The 60th U.S. National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show is the pinnacle event for Arabian competition in the U.S. - The show is expected to draw more than 1,800 horses, 3,500 exhibitors, 250 trainers and 6,000 spectators. - The event generates an estimated $28 million in economic impact for Tulsa and the surrounding county each year. - Admission is free and open to the public, widening access to a premier equine event.

What happened: - The Arabian Horse Association announced the show will return to Tulsa Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Oct. 22-31, 2026. - The 2026 event marks the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Nationals. - The show will feature Arabian and Half-Arabian horses, trainers, breeders, owners and enthusiasts from across the U.S., Canada and other countries. - Tulsa Expo Square has served as the event's permanent home since 2008.

The details: - Competition will span working western ranch classes, English riding classes, costume classes and other divisions. - Grand Finals are scheduled for the final Friday and Saturday nights, with championship rounds in Working Western, Western, English, Country, Hunter and Halter divisions. - More than $1 million in cash and prizes will be awarded across the show. - The Arabian Western Pleasure Association finals will take place on the final Friday and will award more than $300,000 to top 4-year-old Arabian and Half-Arabian horses. - Additional major awards will go to horses entered in high-stakes Arabian programs. - Opening night on Thursday, Oct. 22, includes a cocktail party and a “Slide for Cash” event in the Mustang Arena. - Free daily barn tours will give spectators behind-the-scenes access to competing horses and exhibitors.

Between the lines: - Dave Daugherty, chairman of the U.S. National Show Commission, framed the anniversary as both a celebration of legacy and a push to modernize the experience for exhibitors, spectators and future generations. - The show has moved through multiple venues over six decades, including Estes Park, Springfield, Dallas, Louisville and Albuquerque, before settling in Tulsa. - The event's appeal reaches beyond the arena, with celebrity owners and multi-generation families among the breed's longtime supporters. - AHA is using the anniversary year to expand digital engagement, improve the show experience and introduce new audiences to the Arabian horse industry.

What's next: - AHA expects competitors and spectators from around the world for the October show. - The organization will continue youth outreach and breed promotion as it builds toward the 2026 championship. - The 60th anniversary comes as the Arabian horse community also marks the “Year of the Horse” in 2026.

The bottom line: - Tulsa's 2026 U.S. Nationals will blend tradition, prize money and public access in a marquee event for the Arabian horse world. - The show remains the only U.S. venue where an Arabian horse can be crowned U.S. National Champion.