How to hire a horse show manager

How to hire a horse show manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step horse show manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a horse show manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new horse show manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The horse show manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A horse show manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, horse show managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of horse show managers.

   Type of Horse Show Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Horse Show Manager		$19-80
   Community Relations Director	A community relations director is a professional who is responsible for managing positive relationships with community members, nonprofit organizations, and fellow employees surrounding an organization. Community relations directors must plan, organize, and manage activities to help the organization achieve its public relations goal... Show more	$29-73
   Public Relations Director	A public relations director is a professional who is employed to design and implement marketing strategies that can cultivate the relationship between a company and the media. Public relations directors collaborate with the internal team to boost brand awareness and maximize brand consistency in all advertising efforts... Show more	$28-72

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Show Budgets
   • Onsite
   • Floor Plan
   • Event Planning
   • ROI
   • Event Management
   • Booth Space
   • Budget Management
   • Booth Layout
   • Show Management
   • Exhibit Space
   • Site Selection
   • Travel Arrangements
   • RFP

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage collateral, giveaways, shipment and rental equipment.
   • Manage and distribute RFP for all programs, collaborate with vendors, contractors concerning logistics.
   • Fabricate using various types of raw materials/ working with engineers and sales staff to achieve final look and function.
   • Manage booth logistics for museum industry conference expos.
   • Coordinate trade show giveaways and activities.
   • Organize RFP for corporate and dealer merchandising program and develop the contract.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your horse show manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A horse show manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, horse show managers' average salary in hawaii is 47% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level horse show managers 76% less than senior-level horse show managers.
   • Certifications. A horse show manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a horse show manager's salary.

   Average horse show manager salary

   $81,995yearly

   $39.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level horse show manager salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a horse show manager job description

   A job description for a horse show manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a horse show manager job description:

   Horse show manager job description example

   Are you an experienced and networked Trade Show Manager who loves to travel and is passionate about developing a big picture strategy, managing details, inspiring and effectively leading a team, and impactfully merchandising showrooms? If so, we would love to have you join our team!
   
   Primitives By Kathy is the #1 wholesaler of "present day primitives" to nationwide retail stores. With a focus on creative design, ahead-of-the-market product innovation, and international sourcing, the company currently offers over 9,000 unique home décor and gift items to more than 22,000 worldwide customers. Headquartered in Lancaster, PA, the company connects with customers through its robust catalogs, website, tradeshows, and permanent showrooms in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Dallas.
   Principle Responsibilities:
   
   Trade Show Management & Operations:
   
   * Manages all strategy and operations related to trade show planning, communication, and post-show wrap-up for continuous improvement. This includes development and oversight of a minimum of PBK's six main shows (and their coordinating work parties) throughout the year as needed, as well as coordination with Outside Sales Representative showrooms.
   * Leads all Trade Show planning meetings and owns Trade Show Template, including timelines, organization, communication among key participants, and reservations/cancellations for hotels and airline tickets.
   * Coordinates maintenance and utilization of Trade Show Handbook, checklists, show binders, SOPs, journals, and Master Show Calendars.
   * Manages day-to-day execution of all showroom events, labor planning, and needs.
   * Oversees the Show Room Coordinator to ensure all show operations, work party resources, and staff travel needs are organized and completed.
   * Coordinates and purchases designated show attire for all show representatives.
   * Coordinates Information Technology (IT) support at the showroom locations, including equipment transfers, and collaborating with IT to ensure everything is working properly.
   * Serves as point of contact at showroom during the Work Parties and non-show times for escalated issues, HR concerns, safety related incidents/issues, service complaints, showroom aesthetic, personnel conduct, work and break schedules.
   * Identifies and delegates equipment needs for each show and confirms transportation/delivery.
   * Works with Show Room Coordinator to oversee hospitality of showrooms (cleanliness and needed supplies).
   * Responsible for managing each show's pick list for items (developing pick plan process, follow up, scheduling freight, and calendar of events).
   * Coordinates with Show Room Manager on return freight (small packages to multi-skid shipments).
   
   Visual Merchandising, Show Room Displays, & Product Management:
   
   * Lead all merchandising and visual display efforts, ensuring that show rooms are innovative, on brand, effective and create a positive customer experience. Develop fresh, inspiring showroom sets for each season and ensure consistent displays, branding, and storytelling across all showrooms. Manage all purchasing, building or prop accrual, and coordinate the shipment to the destination showroom.
   * Work with Sales and Marketing teams on flow of showrooms, customer experience, and databased decisions on front-running lines to showcase.
   * Manage pricing formats and coordinate with IT to ensure all criteria is covered.
   * Make data-driven decisions alongside Product Development and Sales teams to evaluate what products need a physical presence in the showrooms and which ones can be represented through other easy-to-access options
   
   Team Management & Inspiration:
   
   * Effectively lead a team of staff, seasonal contractors, and vendors towards a clear, unified vision. Clearly coordinate a large team of colleagues and partnering departments to achieve an organized and successful show season.
   * Oversee part-time Show Room Coordinator and ensures all responsibilities are completed including recruiting and equipping a Work Party crew for each showroom and each season.
   * Responsible for identifying labor needs and working with Human Resources (HR) for the hiring of additional resources, and contractors beyond Primitives By Kathy employees as needed. Work with the Show Room Coordinator on showroom vendors, contractors, etc.
   * In conjunction with the VP of Sales, train all show staff on updated displays, showroom flow, products, technology, etc.
   
   Required Experience & Skills:
   
   * Preferred minimum 3-5 years trade show management experience, including event coordination
   * Preferred retail merchandising experience which could include set design and creation, construction/restoration, and space planning
   * Preferred proven team management experience
   * Experience completing multiple tasks on time and meeting strict deadlines with keen attention to detail
   * Adept with mechanical and creative skills (familiar with trade show fabrication and installation process) to identify custom applications and solutions for manufacturing and fabrication of project orders.
   * Ability to effectively communicate, both written and verbal, to all levels of the organization
   * Detail-oriented with ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and have strong organizational skills
   * Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while adapting to changing deadlines and priorities
   * Ability to work independently with minimum supervision and guidance, prioritize work and handle simultaneous assignments with success and accuracy
   * Ability to work effectively and accurately under pressure with tight timeframes
   * Proactive, responsive, results oriented and resourceful
   * Strong customer orientation and attention to detail
   * Computer proficient Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint skills
   
   Location & Travel:
   
   * Depending on where candidate lives, must be able to travel up to 30% of the time including weekends. PBK's permanent showrooms are located in Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Periodic travel required to home offices in Lancaster.
   * Travel, evening and weekend work required
   * Preferred candidate lives in one of our permanent showroom cities, ideally Atlanta, as it is our largest show room.
   * Depending on where the candidate is located, will hold regular office hours in Atlanta showroom
   
   Learn more at www.primitivesbykathy.com
   
   Primitives By Kathy provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Primitives By Kathy complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, and transfers, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right horse show manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with horse show managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit horse show managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your horse show manager job on Zippia to find and recruit horse show manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with horse show manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new horse show manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect horse show manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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