Number of positions: 1

Internship Dates: October 26 – January 24

Supervisor:  Kendra McConnell, Director of Horse Show Operations

The National Western proudly hosts top equestrian athletes of various disciplines from across the nation. The Horse Show department continues to be a premier destination for competitors and equine enthusiasts alike, through a wide variety of competitions and ticketed performances. The Horse Show Production intern will be exposed to various aspects of horse show management and event production and promotion, as well as have the opportunity to network and build lifelong connections within the industry. 

NWSS strives to provide a meaningful experience while allowing the intern to support the overall goals of the Horse Show Department by using core disciplines like event planning, organization, leadership, interpersonal skills, interviewing, and live event production skills. Applicants should possess effective verbal and written communication skills, organizational skills, a strong work ethic and integrity, an attention to detail, the ability to cope with pressure, flexibility, the ability to think on their feet, and an enthusiastic attitude.  

The following tasks are intended to provide the intern with a broad scope of the event production and management responsibilities of the Horse Show Department, and the intern should be flexible and prepared to assist with other projects and tasks as assigned: 

• Assist with managing logistics for events, which includes collecting exhibitor materials (entries, Horse Health Declarations, payment, production items, etc.) 
• Support the inventory and proper distribution of credentials, competition numbers, gifts, awards, etc., to exhibitors 
• Prepare event materials such as nametags, QR codes, signs, digital patterns, etc. 
• Assist show secretaries with verifying judges’ cards and results, collecting and copying scoresheets, and posting results 
• Provide consistent and accurate information, data, results, pictures, etc., to the Horse Show communications team to ensure timely updates to the website and social media 
• Contribute to the production and event teams by attending production meetings and rehearsals, updating scripts and show flows, greeting anthem singers, assisting with awards presentations, etc. 
• Support the setup and tear down of various events 
• Generate, send, and monitor exhibitor surveys 
• Assist with additional tasks to support the Horse Show 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Eager to learn and work with various departments and personnel of the organization 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe products, with a readiness to learn other technologies 
• Ability to prioritize and accomplish multiple tasks 
• Cope well under pressure 
• Represent the Horse Show Department in a professional capacity 
• Previous live event production experience is desired but not mandatory 
• Ability to utilize video calling software, including Zoom and Teams 

This intern will need to be available a minimum of 4 hours per week beginning October 26th and full-time January 1st – January 24th. Daily hours may exceed eight (8) hours leading up to and during the Stock Show, with some late nights and weekends required.