At the American Quarter Horse Association--largest of all horse-world groups, by far, with well over 300,000 members--efforts to target those of grandparent age are still more about "me" than "we." The association pumps resources into its Select (50 and over) show division, and into educational efforts for horse lovers of all ages, including children, but has yet to create ads, plans, or programs intended to
capitalize on the grandparent/grandchild relationship.
"That's still in the discussion phase right now," says Tom Persechino, AQHA's senior director of marketing.
Steve Taylor, CEO of the Appaloosa Horse Club, reports that his organization is just starting to explore ways to make hay from the expanding field of horseowning grandparents. As a grandparent himself, he knows firsthand about the powerful influence that can accompany relationships with grandkids.
"Beyond the normal thrills and feelings of rejuvenation that come with grandparenthood, I've experienced what I suspect is a universal resolve to support the worldly development of this new person in my life," Taylor muses. "Some treasured memories of my own grandparents helped set the mood."
"We boomers are fairly easy targets for marketing--just play on our emotions, our ongoing search for adventure, and our apparent need to invest in meaningful fun. If a marketing effort can help make the connection between generations, and add some personal development, it's one we ought to be making."
Until such efforts can be put in place by Taylor's organization and others like it, individual grandmas and grandpas will remain in charge of the grandkid marketing team.
And when all is said and done, they may still be some of the best people for the job of passing love for horses to a new generation.
"Until I became a grandparent myself, I didn't understand that the so-called 'grandparent market' isn't just about all the cute stuff that grandparents can't resist buying," says Juli S. Thorson, H&R's lifestyle editor. "It's also very much about investing from the heart, in a treasured relationship. If that's not a collective force to be reckoned with, where the horse world's future is concerned, I don't know what is."
