Celebrating Connection at the Inaugural Liberty Festival 2022

By: The International Liberty Horse Association 

On October 21-23, 2022, the first-ever Liberty Festival will take place at the historic Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

“The Liberty Festival,” explained Dr. Elizabeth James, the event organizer for the International Liberty Horse Association (ILHA), “is a celebration of all things Liberty—The discipline, the methods, the fans, the possibilities.”

For the past three years, the ILHA has hosted its Championship show every October at the Horse Park. Still, this year it has turned into an event for everyone to enjoy, from those merely interested in Liberty to those competing at the highest levels.

“The most common questions we get through the ILHA come from people who are interested in Liberty but don’t know where to start,” said James. “So, we designed the Liberty Festival with them in mind.”

There will be top trainers hosting clinics for those looking to learn methods. For people with questions, there will be trainer booths, DVDs, memberships, online courses, and Q & A’s.

For Liberty enthusiasts looking to take their Liberty to the next level, there will be youth, non-pro, pro, and senior ILHA competitors competing in Championship Classes showcasing what’s possible.

If you want to make a trip out of the event, there will be VIP events and all the beautiful Kentucky offers in the Fall.  For those seeking community, there will be social events, including a Happy Hour with Horses from the hit TV series Heartland where attendees can connect with other Liberty fans. 

For those wanting to shop, there will be vendors, and for those looking to be entertained—and even inspired—there will be an Invitational Liberty Freestyle highlighting what’s possible when you combine top Liberty horses, trainers, music, and costumes.

“There is something for everyone,” promised James. “But when it comes to trainers, we went for the best of the best.”

Pat Parelli of Parelli Natural Horsemanship has been teaching people worldwide how to have a relationship with their horse through Liberty before Liberty was even a thing. 

“It’s impossible to talk about Liberty, let alone celebrate it, without Pat,” said Dan James, founder of the ILHA. “No matter what expo, clinic, or show you watch, if Liberty is mentioned, Parelli is sure to follow. We have tremendous respect for Pat as a horseman and industry leader, and him at the Liberty Festival is an honor.”

In addition to hosting clinics, there will be an exclusive Breakfast with Pat Parelli for limited participants on Saturday, October 22.

The Liberty Festival will also feature talks by Warwick Schiller.

“Liberty is special because the relationship between horses and humans is special, and no one speaks more to the intricacies and complexity of that relationship than Warwick Schiller of Attuned Horsemanship,” said James. “Warwick is not only an accomplished competitor but also a thought leader in the industry, and anytime people get the chance to listen to or learn from him, they (and their horses) are better for it.”

Last but not least, the Liberty Festival will proudly feature Dan James of Double Dan Horsemanship.

“Of course, we will have Dan James,” said James as she referred to her husband. “Dan—and his partner Dan Steers—were teaching Liberty clinics before they were even a thing. Dan has made his career out of teaching and training others to achieve their goals of performing, showing, and even competing with Liberty horses.  Dan is a world champion trainer and competitor in reining and colt starting. Still, it has been watching his horses perform in high-end photo shoots with Versace and Vogue and in hit TV shows like Heartland that he counts among his greatest accomplishments.”

“I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface when it comes to Liberty,” said Dan James. “But we get a glimpse through events like the Liberty Festival.”

To purchase tickets to see Pat Parelli and other excellent demos, visit the ILHA’s website at libertyhorseassociation.com

We look forward to seeing you there!