Attend Debi's Presentations at the

August 23-24, 2008
Belvidere, IL
Click here for Northern Illinois Horse Fest site

The Boone County Fairgrounds is located on the corner of Illinois Highways 76 and 20, just one mile north of Belvidere , Illinois , and easily accessible from I-90.

SCHEDULE: Tenative schedule below

Time to be announced - "Horse Identification: Why it is Important"

This is an overview of the many different reasons your horse may need identification. Do you buy or sell horses on the Internet? You will want to hear the true horror stories and learn how to protect yourself in the future.

I will talk about actual situations in Illinois and surrounding areas where owners have lost their horses, how they were able to find them and bring them home as well as the ones who were not so lucky and why. If you have had or are currently missing a horse please come in and tell us your story. Some of the topics will be theft, runaways, disaster and civil related disagreements.

If you have questions I will do my best to answer them based on 10 years of experience working with victims, law enforcement and thieves using "real world" situations. For those who think "it" can never happen to you this seminar is a must.

Time to be announced - "Micochips for your horse "
There are pros and cons surrounding microchipping horses. Here is your chance to see how easy it is to insert the microchip, separate facts from fiction about microchips and have your horse microchipped by a vet in the demo. (Contact me for details and arrangements) If you would like to have your horse scanned for a microchip drop by the booth.

Visit Booth # To be announced

The Northern Illinois Horse Fest and Stolen Horse International are pleased to announce the best little horse fest in the midwest in Belvidere, IL , August 23-24, 2008 at the Boone County Fairgrounds. This midwest equestrian expo will feature two days of clinics, demonstrations, seminars, shopping and equestrian fun. The show will bring the best in everything equine to the attendees. The line up of top trainers in dressage, eventing, jumping, pole bending, reining, western pleasure, gaited horses, general training, driving and more, includes some of the best clinicians the horse industry has to offer. Come and see Debi Metcalfe, Kerry Kuhn, Scott Purdum,Tommy Garland, Colleen Kelly, KC La Pierre, Richard Shrake, Lynn Palm, and many more in seminars, breed demonstrations, the best vendors the horse industry has to offer, trailer shopping extravaganza, search for American Horse Idol, Night of the Horse and much more!. 

The Best Little Horse Fest in the Midwest!

Show Times
Saturday August 23, 2008 8:30am -7pm
Sunday August 24, 2008 8:30am-5pm

Visit the booth. TBA

Debi Metcalfe and Missing Horses, Tack, Trailers and Horse Identification

Often referred to as the “John Walsh” of the horse industry, Debi Metcalfe is perhaps the most recognized expert in the field of horse recovery, theft prevention and horse identification.

More than just a pasture fence was broken when thieves took Idaho, from Debi Metcalfe’s husband in Shelby, North Carolina, in 1997. Important ties binding her family together were stressed by the abduction of a horse they viewed as a member of their family. They reacted with confusion—people still steal horses?!—and fear. When she realized local law enforcement considered her family’s loss a minor matter, she took action.

Metcalfe began what would prove to be one incredible journey. Her quest led she and husband Harold into the dangerous world horse thieves inhabit. Along the way she discovered unexpected allies and recovered Idaho in a church parking lot 51 weeks later in Tennessee.

She didn’t see it coming but Stolen Horse International had started forming itself as soon as she sent out her first plea on the Internet by email to anyone who would listen. Little by little people joined this unnamed group linked together by big hearts, kind hearts and broken hearts.

Stolen Horse International, Inc., located at www.netposse.com, sometimes referred to as NetPosse or SHI, is a one-of-a-kind, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with hundreds of thousands of visitors to the website each year. Information ranging from stolen horse listings to theft protection, from recovery tips to disaster planning and much more are on website. NetPosse, a volunteer group of people who forward IDAHO ALERTS for missing horses via email, print flyers and post in their communities, and watch for stolen horses at auctions, numbers into the thousands and is responsible for many of the recoveries.

Metcalfe’s book, Horse Theft: Been There, Done That, is a must read addition to every horse owner’s library. Stolen Horse International, Inc. has been featured in many international magazine articles such as America’s Horse, Dressage Today, Horse and Rider, Paint Horse Journal, Equus, Practical Horseman, The Appaloosa Journal, as well as television newscast and shows. Metcalfe, recently featured on the cover of The Gaited Horse magazine, can be seen on RFDTV on Best of America by Horseback and HorseCityTV’s In the Barn series. She has presented programs at all the Equine Affaires, Equine Extravaganza’s in NC and VA, and many more throughout the US. Metcalfe has been a contributing columnist for PhelpsSports.com, TWHBEA's The Voice, Tom Seay's of Best of America by Horseback Radio. She has also been on radio with Rick Lambe, Wayne Williams, Jim Campbell and Lisa Ross-Williams.

Metcalfe is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Available at the booth:

• Microchips

• NIP Tack Chips

• Farm security signs

• Travel signs

• Freeze Brands

• Horse theft book written by Debi Metcalfe

• NetPosse Identification Program (NIP)registry

• HorseTrac Registry

• Bring your tack and have it
  permanently marked for easy identification

Microchips and Registrations for DOGS!
Click on the sad puppy to order for dogs, cats, parrots online or pick up at the booth.