By Jackie McFarland
Alexandra Cherubini and EquiFit, inc.
Back in August of 2009 we interviewed the owner of EquiFit, inc. Alexandra Cherubini on her innovative perspective on the market. Many of you West Coast softball players and fans may remember Alexandra and her husband Camilo joining us this past June not only to present the winner of the $30,000 Copa de Amistad Grand Prix but as sponsors and participants in the Blenheim Softball Tournament. Good times had by all…
We caught up with her this week, while she was at the Hampton Classic. Always impressed with EquiFit, inc.’s approach, we asked her a few questions about the line.
EQSOL: You have a wide range of products – all innovative. Can you tell us about the inspiration for some of these items? Life influencing product – how has your life experience played a role in the product line?
AC: My family is in the medical supply and manufacturing business so I had grown up with various foams and materials around me. I had also witnessed the development of many products over the years. After college I worked in fashion PR in NYC and was determined to figure out a way to incorporate horses into my life.
I noticed the lack of technologically advanced materials in the equine industry and decided to combine the two worlds; medical and equine. It seemed crazy to me that the equine athlete was not being catered to and that materials to help protect, support and encourage high performance were not being introduced to the market.
Our first product was Shouldersback, which bridged three worlds: Equine, Medical and Fashion. Our next endeavor was the T-Boot Series, which was a completely new product for the market, utilizing materials that had not been seen previously in protective boots.
EQSOL: From concept to completion – can you talk about that process a bit with some of the innovative products you’ve developed? How do you keep up with the needs of your market, stay on top with all the brands out there and continue to create innovative products?
AC: Research and development are a big part of my job and I love that aspect. I listen and observe A LOT. I try and find what horses and riders need. We also update our existing products on a regular basis, constantly making them better and expanding on our existing line. All of our products undergo rigorous testing by a large team of riders, managers, and grooms. If the product is not solely for the Equine market, we open up our ‘test’ group to a broader field.
EQSOL: You are very active on the equestrian scene – tell us about your horse life.
AC: I’m currently showing three show horses: EquiFit Pozitano and EquiFit Skandalos in the Jumpers, and Poker Face in the Hunters. My horse life is intrinsic within my professional life, allowing first-hand experience with all the products both on the market and in development. It’s a labor of love and I consider myself lucky!
EQSOL: EquiFit, inc. is also a well-known name through your ads and sponsorships, as well as innovative marketing. Explain a bit about what goes into that plan…
AC: EquiFit is all about creativity and thinking outside of the box, whether it be in product development, searching for new materials and pragmatic solutions or in marketing and educating the consumer. Because our products do utilize such different materials than anyone else, we HAVE to reach out and educate our customers on materials used and why they are different than current offerings. We do this through print advertising, web advertising, social media and a variety of other channels.
We spend a lot of time on the ground at horse shows allowing us to gain direct customer feedback, see our product in use, work with our stores and educate riders, owners and managers about the benefits and features of our products. We feel strongly about supporting our team of riders, our customers, stores, and horse show partners. We have a great community.
Thank you Alexandra – we look forward to seeing EquiFit, inc’s name and innovative solutions continue. We wish you the best on and off the horse!
