By Laura Scaletti
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Every aspect of Coagi Long’s life has been shaped by horses. “Horses have taken me on many adventures, led me to my husband and are an integral part of my lifestyle and who I am,” Coagi said.
As president and owner of Equine Affaire, Coagi shares her passion and celebrates all things horse with tens of thousands of attendees each year. A mecca for horse lovers, Equine Affaire is an all-breed, all-discipline horse expo that is held yearly in Columbus, Ohio, and West Springfield, Massachusetts—exactly the type of event Coagi would have loved to attend growing up in Michigan.
The first horses in Coagi’s life were two Norwegian Fjords her parents purchased to power the family’s horse-drawn cider mill. “My first riding lessons began at age 5 on Arabians with a trainer who owned the property that has now become the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival horse show in Williamsburg, Michigan. I learned to ride English, trained for and competed in some 25-mile competitive trail rides on a borrowed Arabian and was introduced to a taste of dressage,” Coagi said.
When Coagi was older, she began riding one of the cider mill Fjords. “I was fond of the days when I would hop on my Fjord bareback in the pasture behind our house and gallop up the hill, race my sisters in the orchard lanes and splash in the rivers on our campouts,” she said.
Coagi began taking monthly lessons in Sutton’s Bay, Michigan, when she was in middle school. “I was determined to train my Fjord in dressage,” Coagi said. Taking the leap into the world of dressage proved to be a wise choice, as Coagi ended up making lifelong connections through the sport.
Finding Findlay
With an eye towards being on an equestrian team in college, Coagi pursued dressage and hunter-jumper lessons while in high school. Much like she was determined to turn her Fjord into a dressage horse, Coagi was determined to go to a college that offered equine studies.
Once she’d completed a tour of colleges that met her criteria, Coagi chose The University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. “Findlay was a nice size, not too big or too small; was known for its excellent equestrian studies program with English instruction, daily riding and a beautiful equestrian facility; had an IHSA team; provided opportunities to double major; and it wasn’t quite as far from home as some of the other options,” Coagi said. “It felt like the right fit for me.”
While at Findlay, Coagi was a member of both the hunter seat IHSA team and the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) team. Findlay had a large IHSA team that practiced twice a week, while the IDA team was comparatively smaller and practiced just once a week. By being a member of both teams, Coagi spent plenty of time in the saddle while also focusing on her studies.
“The opportunity to ride many different horses, both in practice and competition, was an invaluable experience that helped my riding tremendously. I learned to adapt quickly and effectively to each horse and earned three individual hunt seat national titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003,” she said.
In addition to earning individual titles, Coagi’s hunt seat team won the national title in 2001 and the reserve national champion title in 2003. During her senior year in 2003, Coagi also served as the IDA team captain, qualified for the IDA nationals and was the First Level reserve national champion. “I loved the IHSA and IDA team experiences at Findlay. I really enjoyed traveling with the team and the camaraderie we shared,” Coagi said.
Not only did Coagi have success on the equestrian teams but she also thrived in the classroom, graduating summa cum laude. With a double major of marketing and equestrian studies, Coagi initially wanted to become a graphic designer or website designer.
“I had done an internship in high school and was inspired by my mentors’ talents and all the options current technology could provide in the creation of art and promotional pieces. I wanted to dual major to allow myself options in the event I decided to pursue a career outside the equine industry,” she said.
Equine Affaire
While perusing the University of Findlay’s job board in the spring of 2003, Coagi saw a job posting for a marketing associate position with Equine Affaire. She applied and interviewed for the position, and was offered the job.
Coagi began her journey with Equine Affaire in July 2003 when she started as a marketing associate. That first job opened the door for a long-lasting career with Equine Affaire. During the past 21 years, Coagi has climbed from an entry level position all the way to the top of the organization.
Over the years, Coagi has served as a marketing associate, program director, vice president, executive producer and is now the president and owner of Equine Affaire. By holding all these roles, Coagi has developed a comprehensive understanding of how the entire Equine Affaire organization runs, from coordinating marketing materials and websites to developing the educational programs for each event to producing the events and managing the day-to-day operations and staff.
As Coagi worked her way up the ladder, gradually increasing her responsibilities over time, she worked closely with Equine Affaire’s founder, Eugenia Snyder. After 25 years of running Equine Affaire, Eugenia had accomplished her goal of creating a first-class, education-oriented horsemen’s exposition in which horse people representing all breeds of horses and all equestrian disciplines would convene in a non-competitive environment and share their passion for horses.
When it came time for Eugenia to retire in 2018, Coagi was presented with the opportunity to purchase the company and continue to lead it. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. With my husband’s support, we assumed the responsibility to carry the company and its mission forward,” Coagi said.
Under Coagi’s leadership, Equine Affaire continues to raise the bar in its offerings. “If you love horses, want to learn, shop, connect with other equestrians and enjoy top-notch entertainment, Equine Affaire is a must-attend event for your calendar,” she said. “Once you’re there, our signature Fantasia evening show, a musical celebration of the horse, is always the perfect way to cap off a day at Equine Affaire with entertainment showcasing a wide variety of equine and equestrian performers from throughout the nation.”
Perfect Partner
When Coagi isn’t working on all things Equine Affaire, you’re likely to find her at the barn. This love of all things horse led her to meeting the love of her life at a dressage clinic in 2003.
At that time, Coagi was boarding her horse at a farm in Hillard, Ohio, when she found out her dressage trainer from college was conducting a clinic at a nearby farm. Without a truck or trailer of her own, Coagi’s trainer asked Chad, Coagi’s now-husband, to pick up her horse on the way to the clinic.
“While Chad is primarily a jumper rider, he occasionally took dressage lessons and had signed up for this clinic. My horse wasn’t a big fan of Chad and actually kicked at him when we loaded her onto the trailer,” Coagi said. “But we all survived, made it to the clinic, and Chad called me a few weeks later to invite me on a date.”
The duo later married and then, in 2006, purchased their own farm in West Mansfield, Ohio. “We are truly fortunate to have each other and appreciate each other’s love for the horse. Having horses at our own farm is essentially a lifestyle, and it makes it easy for us to understand and support each other’s goals, needs and often long hours in the barn,” Coagi said. “Our vacations are essentially going away to horse shows, which we both enjoy. Our horses are like our children and receive much of our devotion and energy.”
Coagi and Chad share the equestrian lifestyle at home and at work: In addition to his own career in real estate, Chad works for Equine Affaire. “He became involved with Equine Affaire by default of being married to me. With a degree in animal science from Ohio State University and a wealth of horse experience, it was a natural fit,” Coagi said. “I initially recruited him to work at the events as a venue manager where he was responsible for running one of the arenas. He later took on the role of site manager, overseeing security, serving as a liaison between Equine Affaire staff and facility staff and troubleshooting issues that arise—a role which he continues to carry out today.”
When they’re not working at the events, Coagi and Chad work together networking with potential exhibitors and sponsors, researching new products and developing new ideas and concepts to feature at future events. They can also be found grooming for each other at their various shows—jumpers for Chad and dressage for Coagi.
Inspiring Others
Coagi is proof that you don’t have to ride every day, or even at all, to enjoy a successful career in the equine industry. “If you look at our trade show floor, you can see firsthand many, many different types of companies, organizations, products, services and ways to be involved in the industry. If you have a particular skill or interest, there’s likely a way to weave it into a career in the horse industry,” she said.
As an entrepreneur, Coagi has had to work hard to meet her goals. “In most cases, there will be many early mornings and late nights. It’s important to always strive to continue to better yourself,” she said.
Whether climbing the corporate ladder or simply pursuing your equestrian dreams, Coagi believes it’s essential to take time for yourself, something often easier said than done. “Stay in tune to your body and its needs. Cherish your relationships and your commitments,” Coagi said. “Take time to reflect on who you are, what you’ve accomplished and what you continue to aim to achieve.”
Through her journey with Equine Affaire, Coagi has met like-minded people in the industry to network with. She believes making these connections is essential and inspiring. “Most people in the horse industry are willing to help, especially when you have a common passion or goal. You will find comfort in knowing there are others out there like you, striving to do their best,” she said.
As Coagi looks towards the future, she plans to carry on the tradition of bringing the equestrian community together, producing successful Equine Affaire events in Ohio and Massachusetts. “We’ll continue to be innovative in the offerings at Equine Affaire, elevating the equestrian experience in a myriad of ways. If all the stars align and there’s the opportunity to bring Equine Affaire or a similar likeness to another location, we wouldn’t rule it out,” Coagi said. “All in all, we look forward to continuing to cater to all breeds, all disciplines, and providing our wide variety of services to the horse industry.”
Still the horse-crazy girl at heart who loved her Fjords, Coagi feels lucky to be a horsewoman. “Horses have afforded many opportunities for me to dream big, work hard and be thankful. While the world seems big, I am often reminded just how small the horse community really is,” she said. “You never know when or where you might meet a fellow horseperson, or what kind of impact he or she may have.”
For more information, visit equineaffaire.com
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
