Apex Equisport: Promoting Equestrian Events

Apex Equisport manages and produces top-notch equestrian events in the Western United States.

Web Development and Digital Marketing Launch

Top Rope Media designed and built 3 websites for Apex Equisport. In addition, they set up our digital marketing infrastructure for Desert International Horse Park, the Arizona Winter Circuit, and our corporate website, Apex Equisport. The team at Top Rope Media was a key player in building out our email campaigns, feed & bedding store, and RV reservation system. Top Rope Media provided critical web development and digital marketing support as we got up and running with our west coast operations. Despite short deadlines, Top Rope Media delivered a world-class equestrian site, and continues to provide key marketing, web, and operational support for our shows.

Steve Hankin

CEO, Apex Equisport

Project Highlights

Equestrian events are attended by millions of competitors and spectators each year.  So when Apex Equisport entered the market in 2018, they purchased 2 equestrian event facilities in California and Arizona.  And, the rights to the equestrian shows that are held at each location.  The biggest challenge for Apex Equisport was that the two centers they purchased were known for poor management and poor customer experience during the shows.

Therefore, Apex Equisport needed to change this dynamic by creating a world-class show operation.  Their CEO, Steve Hankin, reached out to us to help them build 3 websites that showcased these equestrian events in a new light.  In addition, they wanted these new websites to allow their staff, trainers, competitors, spectators, and exhibitors to interact with the brand in a meaningful way.  You can find them now at Apex Equisport, Desert International Horse Park, and Arizona Winter Circuit.  And stay tuned for a new Desert International Horse Park site by 2023!

Here are a few of our project highlights:

  • Created 3 best in class websites for the team to showcase equestrian events
  • Developed a Feed & Bedding store that allowed internal staff to manage feed & bedding orders while minimizing in-person contact
  • Developed an RV Reservation system that allowed the team to accept payments and manage RV reservations in accordance with CA COVID-19 requirements
  • Established a live video streaming portal that allowed users to view competition in progress

Goals

Apex Equisport’s goals were as follows:

  • Develop 3 separate websites to beautifully showcase their equestrian events
  • Create an email marketing program to keep in touch with both competitors and spectators
  • Build an e-commerce platform to allow for competitors to reserve a stall and care for their horses while on-site
  • Setup an RV spot reservation system
  • Provide a look and feel that was distinctly different from other equestrian event centers in the industry

We partnered with the Apex Equisport team to successfully build 3 websites and we provide ongoing web development and email marketing support for all of their events and websites.  Here were some of their additional goals for each website build:

  • Easy to navigate for both the equestrian events’ internal team as well as website visitors
  • Sites had to accommodate periods of high use during the competition, and include video live streaming and content downloads