Humans, Horses and Events Management

Horses are perhaps the most common non-human animal to feature in planned events, but although there is considerable research on equestrian sport, there is virtually none on equestrian events. This book begins to address this gap, using the National Championships of the Icelandic Horse as an extended case study to explain in depth the process of managing an event, as well as the larger theoretical implications of events management.Drawing on diverse viewpoints and theoretical perspectives, the book draws wider comparisons to connect events management to larger themes in the social sciences, such as human-animal relations; nationalism; place branding; event impacts; event experience; and inclusion and exclusion. The book is a contribution to two fields. In relation to human-animal studies, it focuses on how the Icelandic horse breed is marketed and celebrated through top-tier competition; whereas from an events management perspective, it considers the role of the event in community building, the practical and theoretical aspects of running a sustainable equestrian event, and the issues that arise in multispecies event contexts.This book:- Uniquely draws together events management and human-animal studies.- Is formed from empirical research conducted by a multinational team of events management and tourism researchers.- Uses a single, extended case study to explore a range of themes and issues, both empirically and theoretically.A valuable resource for researchers of events management, human-animal studies and tourism, this book also provides an in-depth look at end-to-end events management for industry professionals.

Katherine Dashper (PhD) is Professor and Director of Research Degrees in the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University, UK. Her research interests focus on gender and human-animal interactions in tourism, events, sport and leisure. She has published widely on these topics, including a research monograph Human-Animal Relationships in Equestrian Sport and Leisure (Routledge, 2017) and a co-edited collection Humans, Horses and Events Management (CABI, 2021).

Guðrún Helgadóttir is a professor of tourism at The University of South-Eastern Norway and Hólar University, Iceland. She has led numerous research projects and published in international journals on equestrian tourism, events and tourism sustainability in addition to co-authoring and illustrating a textbook and a handbook of best practice in equestrian tourism. Guðrún has organized a number of conferences and volunteered at various events. She developed a diploma program of study in event management for Hólar University in Iceland. She is an amateur equestrian.

Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir is an assistant professor and the head of the department of Rural Tourism at Hólar University, Iceland. Her educational and practical background is in management and business administration, tourism, equine science and agriculture. Her recent research focuses on horse events and equestrian tourism. She has published in international and domestic journals and books on tourism, events, horses, and business. She has written and published different kinds of teaching material for university level and practical handbooks for business operators, both individually and with international co-authors. She has led research- and business development projects and participated in organising international seminars and conferences on horses and tourism. She is an accredited young horse trainer within The Icelandic Horse Trainers Association, a horse breeder and an owner of a horse transport business.