Many improvements are planned for the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds that will ultimately make it one of the premier horse show facilities in the world. Although final completion is not scheduled for a couple of years, a few updates will be noticeable to exhibitors at this year's show. Some of the improvements will include a new work arena behind Barn 6, as well as newly paved roadways on the grounds. Stabling, unloading, and loading will not be affected this year. Shortly following the 2005 show, work will begin on a new "super barn" that will replace Barns 1 and 2 for 2006.

In other news, show manager Fern Bittner recently has informed the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show of her plans to retire following the 2005 show.

"After managing the show for 13 years, it is time to move on to other activities in the equine industry. I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity and pleasure of managing this grand event," Bittner said. "I look forward to attending the show in 2006, buying a program, and sitting in the stands to enjoy the wonderful competition."

The Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show Committee would like to extend their deep appreciation to Fern for her many years of valuable service to the show. Show officials contend that much of the success of this great show could not have been possible without the team effort exhibited by Fern and the entire Grand National Committee and Staff. Beginning in 2006, the committee is proud to announce a new management structure led by longtime Grand National team members Steve and Caroline Fauks.

At ten years old, Steve Fauks was showing horses in all breed shows. By 12 years old, he was a winning equitation rider. Those years were just the beginning of a life dedicated to the horse show industry. After an approximate 15-year leave to go to college, serve in the Army, and work as a water skier and events director for Cypress Gardens in Florida, Steve returned to Oklahoma and started his horse transportation business. A natural progression followed as he started helping out at many of the shows to which he transported horses. Throughout the past 20-plus years, Steve has worked in a wide variety of positions at shows for numerous breeds. He has worked for the Andalusians, Appaloosas, Arabians, Morgans, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, and several all-breed shows. He has worked as show manager, assistant manager, barn manager, grounds manager, paddock master, ringmaster, facilities coordinator, and vendor coordinator.

As Executive Director of the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association for approximately four years in the mid-1980s, Steve coordinated the futurity and maturity programs within the World and National shows.

Caroline Fauks found her way into the horse show world in 1989. Prior to that, her experience with horses was limited to working summers as a kid on her grandfather's cattle ranch. Happy to find a way to pair her love of horses with her chosen career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Caroline was hired by the International Arabian Horse Association (IAHA) in Denver, Colorado, in 1987. Several years later, she started attending the Arabian national shows as a part of the management staff.

In 1994 Caroline left the IAHA and moved to Oklahoma City to join Steve in his horse transportation business. This paved the way for being hired in a variety of positions at shows for several different breeds. Throughout the past ten years, she has worked for the Arabians, Morgans, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, and several all-breed horse shows. Caroline has worked as a horse show CPA, show secretary, assistant secretary, paddock announcer, paddock assistant, patron/sponsor hostess, and vendor coordinator.

Caroline was the financial manager and controller for the International Arabian Horse Association (now known as the Arabian Horse Association) for approximately eight years. Prior to that she was an auditor for the international public accounting firm of Peat, Marwick and Mitchell, now known as KPMG. She holds current licenses in Oklahoma and Texas and still does some freelance accounting work.

Obviously, the vast array of experience exhibited in these two individuals will create a management team that will continue the show's proud tradition of excellence.

The Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show is scheduled for Saturday, October 8 through Saturday, October 15 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. More than 1,200 of the Morgan breed's best horses will compete in 400-plus classes for disciplines including Carriage Driving, Classic Pleasure, Classic Pleasure Driving, Dressage, English Pleasure, Hunter Pleasure, Park Saddle, Park Harness, Pleasure Driving, Roadster, and Western Pleasure. Show times will be each day at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 7 p.m. More information can be found at www.morgangrandnational.com.