SADDLE UP! Horses and Horsepower Unite in WestWorld of Scottsdale’s Rich History
July 30, 2024
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Barbara Toombs
We can all agree: Arizona wouldn’t be Arizona – nor would Scottsdale be “The West’s Most Western Town” – without horses.
These majestic creatures have become synonymous with the state’s Western heritage, playing a significant role in building Arizona’s communities, performing essential duties on vast cattle ranches, and providing residents and visitors alike with unforgettable recreational activities.
Even as automobiles began appearing in the state back in the early 1900s, horses remained the primary form of transportation – particularly for ranchers and those having to travel on Scottsdale’s many unpaved side streets at the time.
In the ensuing decades, equestrian recreation gained in popularity, with riding clubs, polo teams and rodeos popping up throughout the Valley of the Sun.
An entirely horse-drawn parade initially known as the Sunshine Festival debuted in Scottsdale in 1951. It was the predecessor of the Parada del Sol – an event that continues to this day, drawing hundreds of horses and participants, as well as thousands of spectators. In 1956, a rodeo was added to the Parada del Sol festivities.
The 1950s also saw the establishment of several Arabian horse ranches north of Scottsdale, which in turn led to the first All Arabian Horse Show at the Arizona Biltmore in 1954. The growing event later took place at ranches north of Scottsdale.
It wasn’t long before the city of Scottsdale saw the need to provide a dedicated space for its residents to ride their beloved horses and, in January 1972, opened Desert Park (later renamed Cholla Park), on the north end of the Scottsdale Airport runway, as an equestrian park. However, 10 years later, the park was closed to make way for the airport runway extension.
The city then entered a long-term agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to lease land north of the Central Arizona canal, at the base of the McDowell Mountains, for development of a new park. The result was Horseman’s Park, which opened in 1986 and initially featured an open-air arena, as well as several smaller open arenas and stables.
Scottsdale’s long-serving mayor at the time – the visionary Herb Drinkwater – saw enormous potential in this northern portion of the city. He successfully persuaded the steadily growing Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction and the Arabian Horse Show to move their events to the site, which became known as HorseWorld in 1989 and then WestWorld in 1990.
Today, WestWorld encompasses an incredible 386 acres, over 300,000 square feet of permanent exhibition space and 11 arenas – and plays host to a plethora of world-class equestrian and sporting events (including the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, the Parada del Sol Rodeo and the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships); wide-ranging music, art and lifestyle festivals; and a variety of automotive events – headlined by Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions. Barrett-Jackson utilizes more than 75 acres of the vast site and brings the total “under cover” exhibition space to more than 1 million square feet by connecting the permanent North Hall, Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center, South Hall and “City Tent.” This combined structure that Barrett-Jackson “builds” year after year was recognized in 2014 by Guinness World Records as the “Largest Single-Unit Marquee.”
Once considered a remote location in the desert at the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, WestWorld is now incredibly easy to access from any point in the Phoenix metropolitan area and beyond thanks to the nearby Scottsdale Airport and Loop 101 freeway (which will soon be even better with the current widening and improvement project). First-rate dining, lodging, shopping and entertainment are plentiful and just minutes away.
From its humble beginnings as a city horse park, WestWorld of Scottsdale has evolved into one of the country’s premier event venues, where the worlds of horses and horsepower converge in a most spectacular fashion.