W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center Sunday Shows
DETAILS:
Location: 3801 W Temple Avenue, Pomona, CA 9176
Hours of Operation: Sunday shows occur on the first Sunday of each month (October-May) at 2PM. Please see their website for details (provided below under “resources”).
Parking: Limited free visitor parking spots available in front of the center (approximately 15 spots). Otherwise, a paid parking lot is available for $4.
Cost: $4 Adults / $3 Seniors & Children between 6-17, Children 5 and under are free / Cal Poly Pomona Students, Staff, & Faculty with ID are free as well.
Time Commitment: The show runs approximately 45min to 1hr. You are allowed to roam the stables afterwards. So 1-2 hours should be plenty.
Miscellaneous: Rain and other inclement conditions can force show cancellations.
Nestled in the picturesque hillside campus of Cal Poly Pomona is the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center (yep, the cereal guy). Kellogg founded the center in 1925 as a breeding facility for Arabian horses while vacationing in Pomona during the winters and quickly established the tradition of the Sunday Horse Show in order to highlight the wonders of his favorite animal. The center was eventually deeded to the university, becoming one of the preeminent equine research, breeding, and training programs in the entire world. There were only a few conditions that the university would have to honor in obtaining the center, one of which was continuing Kellogg’s legacy of the Sunday Horse Show.
The amazing thing about this show as well as the center itself is that it’s entirely run by students with help from department faculty. So one should forgive the fact if these shows aren’t completely polished when considering that it’s all a part of the education process for the students and the horses. This isn’t a professional rodeo, nor does it pretend to be, but that still doesn’t prevent it from being entertaining. It happened to be a Disney-themed show on the Sunday we went which saw each rider and horse dressed up as famous Disneys character, performing various tricks and riding disciplines to iconic Disney songs. Disney on Hooves! The combination of power and grace that these Arabians displayed was truly impressive.
After the show concluded, the audience was invited to stroll around the stables and witness these magnificent creatures up-close. Only then did we realize how large the facility truly was as it spanned out behind the grandstand for almost 40 acres, housing nearly 100 purebred Arabians. And as a nice little bow to our entire experience, we got to visit with several of the new foals that had recently been birthed there. Can you say cuteness alert?! Suffice it to say, our time at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center is one memory that I happily won’t quit.
RESOURCES:
W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center website.
