The Equip experience: Churchill Downs, puppies and bourbon

By Lauren White. 

From bourbon tastings to hands-on demos, the 2025 Equip Expo delivered an unforgettable mix of innovation, networking and Kentucky charm. 

It's been a couple months since the 2025 Equip Expo in October, but we can't stop thinking about it! Not only was Louisville, Kentucky a fun place to explore with their food scene, the bourbon and the scenery itself, but it also hosts one of the biggest trade shows for outdoor professionals. There were several things that really stood out to me as a first-time attendee to this show! 

1 – The sheer size of the show! 

Both inside and outside, there was so much to see, do, explore and try! It’s truly a playground for outdoor professionals. How many other places do you actually get to sit on the lawnmower and drive around a lawn to see how it turns, or try a pole saw to test its accuracy or even just see one of the latest autonomous tools the industry has to offer, whether it’s a pool cleaner or lawn mower, you really see it all at Equip. Hands-on demos, education, networking and new products are plentiful at the Equip Expo for the nearly 30,000 landscapers, dealers and manufacturers in attendance. You really get your steps in too considering the exhibit space is 1.2 million square feet both inside and outside! This is the place to be if you’re a contractor, dealer, manufacturer, industry partner looking for new products, tools and solutions. 

2 – The keynote 

Talk about a fun keynote! Sponsored by Kress, Jesse Cole greeted attendees in his signature banana-colored suit and shared the journey, successes and failures of the Savannah Bananas. What started as a struggling summer league team with low ticket sales has become a sellout event with a waitlist for tickets over three million long! He shared how outdoor professionals can create fans just like he did with the Savannah Bananas. Some key takeaways from Jesse himself besides the blind dance off and singing were: 

• When you have fans for life, you don’t have to market a day in your life 
• So many people chase customers, but you need to create fans first 
• The last impression makes a lasting impression one week later, one year later 
• Create an experience that matters 
• Listen carefully, respond creatively 
• Create raving fans on your team so they create raving fans 

3 – The Kentucky experience 

Starting with the Welcome Reception, we were fully immersed in the Kentucky experience. Attendees gathered at the iconic Churchill Downs raceway, sponsored by CAT, the home of the Kentucky Derby. Live music, plenty of food and drinks and networking inside and an amazing view of the track that hosts the Kentucky Derby outside. Surreal experience. On day one of the show, attendees were invited to a bourbon tasting at the Louisville Tourism Booth. Distilled Living partnered with Equip to make their very own Equip Reserve Backyard Blend, brewed in Louisville. What better place to sample bourbon than the home of bourbon itself?  

4 – All of the events 

From the Heritage concert to The Morning Show and everything in between, there was always something to do. Including competitions to show off talents and test equipment.  

On day one, I joined the team from Heritage to cheer on Mike Clonts, South Carolina territory manager, as he competed head-to-head with other outdoor professionals in Man vs GeoRipper III, which Heritage sponsored.  

Also on day one, was the private concert and fundraiser hosted by Heritage. Proceeds from the concert benefited Heritage Cares, the philanthropic branch of Heritage whose mission is to give back to the communities they serve. This year’s recipient of the proceeds was Project EverGreen, a nonprofit that provides lawn and landscape services for military families. 

Jason Boland and the Stragglers played at the Mercury Ballroom featuring Jackson Taylor and the Sinners. It was a great way to celebrate a successful first day of the show and see a bit of downtown Louisville! A packed ballroom, the concert was an opportunity to unwind, network and listen to great music. 

The next day started with The Morning Show at Expo, a podcast experience where podcast hosts spoke with special guests to talk about strategies, share insights and answer questions from each other and the audience. Hosting the panel was:  

• Naylor Taliaferroa, The LCR Media Podcast 
• Paul Jamison, The Green Industry Podcast 
• Caleb Auman, The Kid Contractor Podcast 

At the end of the day, after the Women’s Leadership Reception, which was an opportunity to network, connect and build relationships, attendees were invited to a free concert featuring Big & Rich with Gretchen Wilson, sponsored by Gravely, wrapping up the last full day of Equip week! 

5 - Mulligan’s Mutt Madness 

Puppies! One of the greatest trade show breaks I’ve experienced. The TurfMutt Foundation partners with the Equip Expo to champion green spaces for pets and people. This partnership began in 2018 and since then, Mutt Madness has matched almost 100 rescue dogs with new families.

Some people purposefully drive to Equip with the intent of adopting a dog to take home with them. And for those of us who were flying and didn’t plan on bringing a new furry friend home with us, we still got to pet, hold and play with all of the pups. 

Check out this interview with Alisa Gray, president and CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society, and Jupiter: 

If you couldn’t make it to the Equip Expo this year, check out our playlist on YouTube for more interviews and insights!