The Minnesota Horse Expo begins Friday and continues through the weekend at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. While this may be a fun event for many, Minnesota Horse Expo Vice President Leslie Stewart says it also highlights an important part of the state’s economy. “In Minnesota, surprisingly enough, it’s almost a $1 billion annual economic sector; that is a substantial number, right? You don’t have to believe me; this comes from the University of Minnesota Extension and the American Horse Council.” All of the profits from the Minnesota Horse Expo are funneled back into the state to support the industry. “There are scholarships. There are direct grants. There are riding therapy programs, all that is funded by the funds that come out of the Minnesota Horse Expo. If you’re a trail rider, it’s going to be your trails and campgrounds around the state. For your kids, it’s going to be riding programs or therapy programs. We will also help out with things like county fairgrounds that have equine events. It’s just a really wide range.”
