ALCOLA – Fun meets horses with a new show performing daily at the Clarion County Fair.
Making its debut at the local fair for 2024, Areli Equine Entertainment features a variety of trick riding and comedy acts including western trick riding, rosinback liberty horse, roman riding and more, under the leadership of co-owners and performers Rusty McCray and Laurie Long.
“Our intentions with the show are to give people a place to be amazed, laugh and have a good time,” Long said Monday of the 35 to 45 minute show that runs three times daily at the fairgrounds at Redbank Valley Municipal Park.
Both longtime performers, McCray, a Florida native, and Long, who grew up in Bloomsburg, met on the rodeo circuit and decided to branch out with their own show about 12 years ago.
“We both have entertaining in our blood,” McCray said, noting that he serves mainly as the emcee of the show, while Long handles most of the trick riding. “It’s a great partnership that combines both of our talents.”
According to McCray, the original show consisted of a couple of acts centered mostly around trick riding, but has evolved over the years to include different facets of horse riding and interaction.
“It’s great because this truly is a family act,” McCray said, pointing out that Areli Equine Entertainment is not only geared towards fans of all ages, but also features the involvement of his and Long’s families. Long’s son, Monty, performs in the show, while her husband and daughter, Alayna, help behind the scenes. McCray’s daughter also joins the team when scheduling permits.
“Work usually takes you away from your family, but with this, we are able to do it together,” Long agreed, adding that she and McCray try to limit travel to Pennsylvania and New York and mostly perform during the summer months.
Reflecting on their favorite parts of the six-horse show — featuring Snowman, Brother, Grizz, Joey, Lucky and Zoey — Long said she enjoys the “playfulness” of the show’s opening act, the liberty act, that she performs alone in the ring with her horse.
“It’s not super fast paced and not necessarily athletically demanding. It’s just fun and different every time,” Long said. “Even when it doesn’t go how I choreographed it, I know him so well and know that I can rely on him to work together to finish.”
While his favorite act to perform is his comedy trick pony act with “donker doodle” Joey, McCray said he also enjoys watching Long perform the rosinback act with the show’s largest horse, Snowman.
“That act is very much a cornerstone of what started the show itself,” McCray said, pointing out that perfecting the rosinback act likely also cemented the friendship between he and Long. “We went through a lot together and sunk a lot into developing that act.”
Although this is the first time Areli Equine Entertainment has performed at the Clarion County Fair, McCray has actually performed at the local fair in the past, both as a contestant and clown in the rodeos.
“It’s nice to be back here for the whole week,” he said, adding that he never really got a chance to enjoy the fair as a member of the rodeo. “Normally, I’m here for a night and gone.”
In fact, both McCray and Long said they enjoy visiting and experiencing the different county fairs.
“We love county fairs,” McCray said, noting that he and Long enjoy walking the grounds and especially look forward to seeing what the locals bring to show at the fair, whether it be animals, handmade items or their talents. “We really like the local feel.”
Looking ahead to their week in Clarion County, McCray and Long said they are most excited about entertaining and interacting with the crowds at the fair.
“It’s great to be able to work off the feedback of the crowd and their feedback is always awesome,” McCray said. “We are thankful to our sponsors and the Clarion County Fair for giving us the opportunity to be here.”
Areli Equine Entertainment is sponsored by the following businesses: Chickatees by Miller’s Custom Stitches, First United National Bank, J.M. Smucker Company, K. Wells Cleaning Services LLC, Tom’s Riverside Quality Foods, and Pop Radio 92.7, 93.1 and 95.9 FM.
Areli Equine Entertainment performs daily at the Clarion County Fair with shows at 4, 6 and 8 p.m.