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The Menlo Charity Horse Show, a staple summer event for Atherton, is coming to an end after 51 years. In a statement on Dec. 31, 2024, the show’s board announced that the event would be cancelled because “the evolving landscape of horse showing has made it increasingly difficult to sustain (the) boutique event.” Organizers, participants and Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired — the charity that the show benefitted — are all mourning the loss of the “unique” event.
Suzanne Rischman, one of the co-chairs of the show, said that the board’s decision to end the show’s 51-year run was primarily financial, as the expenses of producing the show had risen dramatically, partnerships had dropped off and participation had waned.
“It’s devastating for all of us,” she said in an interview with this news organization. “It was kind of a gem out here on the West Coast. We had some of the best riders in the United States consistently showing at Menlo. … A lot of individuals got their start showing in the lower children’s (classes) as juniors, and then went on to become trainers and become Olympians.”
Karl Cook, who helped the U.S. Olympic Jumping Team clinch the silver medal in the 2024 Olympics, and Natalie Dean, who was shortlisted for the team, competed at the show as juniors. Olympians Will Simpson, Guy Thomas and Peter Breakwell have also competed at the show.
“It hits a lot of people,” Rischman said. “We’re talking about grooms (stablehands), we’re talking about trainers, we’re talking about all the staff that works the show. … We’re bringing in, you know, 600 horses and each horse has about one to three people attached to it. So what will it do to the hotels and restaurants and everything?”
She said that the show’s board explored multiple options to keep the event going, but ultimately they found that it would not be possible to keep the show alive given current show expenses and economic conditions.
“We worked very hard since the last show (in 2024) to keep our partnerships in hopes that we could move forward, but at the end of the day we had to make some really hard decisions,” said Rischman. “We can’t run in the red — we couldn’t put on a show and just hope that somebody would pay the bill at the end of the year.”
Rischman said fewer competitors were willing to haul their horses to Atherton for one week given the rise of “corporate-style horse shows” that last for multiple weeks on end. Fewer participants meant less income for the show.
“We were down about 190 horses last year,” she said. “We still had significant, competitive barns, … but there are a lot of other options that people were taking advantage of.”
A rider and horse compete in a show jumping event during the Menlo Charity Show at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton on Aug. 12, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Noah Nelson and his horse jump during the Menlo Charity Show at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton on Aug. 12, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
The Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County rides past Menlo Charity Show attendees dining at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton on Aug. 12, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Tara Ardalan and her horse Zario go over a jump at the Menlo Horse Charity Show in Atherton on August 7, 2019. Photo by Sadie Stinson. 
Several horses rest before their next events at the Menlo Horse Charity Show in Atherton on August 7, 2019. Photo by Sadie Stinson.
The show had previously been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2023 due to renovations of the Menlo Circus Club where the show is held.
The show was established by Atherton resident Betsy Glikbarg, who, with the help of several other friends, first organized the show to raise money for a new roof for the Circus Club stables as a one-day horse show in 1971. Through the years, it bloomed into a week-long “AA” rated event — the highest possible rating from the United States Equestrian Federation — that included high-level show jumping and hunter competitions, nightly social events, wine and beer tasting and boutique vendors.
The show was recognized as a heritage horse show for its contribution to the development and promotion of equestrian sport by USEF in 2012.
Rischman said that one of the most unique and special aspects of the show was its focus on charity and volunteerism. Proceeds from the MCHS benefitted the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually impaired in Palo Alto.
“Our mission was always to put the show on with an eye toward giving financial support to local charities — in particular, the Vista Center.” she said. “We were one of their largest sources of income for a very, very long time.”
The MCHS has supported the Vista Center, a nonprofit that provides services to over 3,700 blind and visually impaired clients throughout San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, since the beginning of the show, according to Vista Center CEO Karae Lisle. Lisle said that the organization now has a large hole in their budget that it needs to fill.
“They were giving us $300,000 a year for many, many years,” she said. “That’s a lot of funding to lose. That money went directly to client programs and services. … Without that money we’re challenged to replace those funds with new donors.”
In the board’s announcement of the show’s cancellation, it encourages all competitors and supporters to continue their philanthropic efforts and volunteerism, and to continue donating to and supporting the charity with both time and resources.
“Let us honor the legacy of the Menlo Charity Horse Show by continuing to make a positive impact in our communities,” the board wrote.
Learn more about the Menlo Charity Horse Show and read the statement from the show’s board at menlocharityhorseshow.com.
Learn more about Vista Center at vistacenter.org.
Editor’s note: Staff Writer Eleanor Raab competed in the Menlo Charity Horse Show in her youth.
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