NEW - Save the Date - OCTOBER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL AND COOKOUT TO BENEFIT
CITY TO SADDLE- Bearspot
Farm 276 Pope Rd, Concord, MA - October 3. Time: Late Afternoon/ Early Evening. TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE ! CLICK HERE
NEW City to Saddle Equestrians Attend US Pony Club Clinic…. August 3, 2008 -
Looking Glass farm, Middleborough, MA - Nine City to Saddle boys
and girls participated in a horsemanship clinic very generously
sponsored by CTS Board member, Susan Smith. The event was graciously
hosted by trainer/ instructor, Deb Kirsch, at her Looking glass
farm Equestrian Facility, and featured US Pony Club Executive
Director, Peggy Entrekin, as officiating Event Clinician. The
full day of activities included both mounted and unmounted horsemanship
exercises. Each child was assigned a horse, and, with benefit
of individual coaching, given responsibility for pre and post
ride grooming, tacking, cooldown and leading one of Deb's wonderful
school horses safely to and from the indoor lesson ring. Although
Sunday was extremely hot and humid, the children also took advantage
of watching the more advanced pony clubber participants coached
by Peggy over a series of outdoor jumping courses.... ...hurdles
which may well be tackled by these City to saddle equestrians
in the not so distant future!! (Look for pics - Soon to follow
on the Gallery Page)
Saturday, June 28, Fairfield
Connecticut-Seven items, donated for sale on behalf of City to Saddle,
raised $5,000 at the Equus Foundation Auction. The
Saturday event, held at the Fairfield County Horse Show,
capped a week-long series of equestrian activities and competitions
including the Grand Prix Jumper Classic viewed by spectators
enjoying ringside seats at the tented Equus Foundation champagne lunch.
Sincere thanks to our very generous
donor friends DePrisco Jewelers, Barbara and Arnold Zenker, Martial
and Josette Andre/Provence Shop.com, Alexandra Cherubini/Equifit,
Dover Saddlery, Elliot Vance/Carry Art Handbags, and an anonymous
friend of City to Saddle.
April,
2008-Susanne Winslade ,
a nationally recognized equestrian instructor and trainer,
has been appointed to the City to Saddle Board. She brings to
our organization both knowledge and experience working with all
levels and ages of riders and horses - from the very novice to
professionals and amateurs competing horses at national and international
events. Many youngsters participating in programs and clinics
run by the United States Pony Clubs, Inc. have benefited from
her extraordinary teaching capabilities. Esteemed throughout
the equestrian community for her Seatworks Clinics, Sue focuses
on mounted and unmounted body awareness exercises to bring elements
of human balance, symmetry, harmony and movement into fusion
with those of the horse.
Greatly supportive of City to Saddle’s
mission, Sue will be exhibiting her Meridian Equidance Company
at the October Fest Equestrian Performance and supper. This fundraiser
event, conceived and organized by Suzanne and her team of riders
to benefit City to Saddle, will be held October 3rd at BearSpot
Farm in Concord, MA.
Sue is honored to be part of the
City to Saddle organization, and states the following. “I
believe horses are a terrific medium that connects children and
opportunities for growth experiences related to life. I also
believe that when riders can share their horses and their time,
it broadens their perspective with the world.”
January, 2008- Susan Smith, a resident of Cape Cod and Tortola, British
Virgin Islands, has been appointed to the City to Saddle Board.
An active equestrian and long-time advocate for charitable programs
involving both riding and children, she has served as a generous
contributor to City to Saddle, continually demonstrating her
personal commitment to our mission and program growth.
In 1981, when her son joined the United States Pony Clubs, Susan
became a Club volunteer at the local level. For the past 27 years,
she has logged many hours with the organization both regionally
and nationally, serving on the USPC National Board for three
terms, and currently involved with the USPC International Exchange
Program.
Susan has volunteered for other children’s organizations
as well, including Museum and Historical Society programs in
Rhode Island. She and her husband, Austin, have two sons and
five grandchildren.
2006 - City to Saddle Receives $7,000 from Equus Foundation The Equus Foundation
awarded City to Saddle a $6,000 grant. Based in Westport, Connecticut,
this non-profit fund raising and granting organization promotes
the positive use of the horse for the benefit of the general
public and the equestrian sport as a whole. An additional $1,000
was paid to City to Saddle from the proceeds generated by items
auctioned on behalf of City to Saddle at the Equus benefit auction
held in Wellington, Florida this past February.
2006 - 1st Annual Jumper Clinic to Benefit City to
Saddle Raises $3,600 and Wows City to Saddle Onlookers
- Plainville, MA, October
9 - Twenty three riders from
Novice to Grand Prix level participated in a jumper clinic hosted
by trainer /instructor, Paul Valliere and his wife Jill at their
Acres Wild Farm. Twenty four City to Saddle children sat front
row, center stage along old stone walls admiring the skills,
bravery, and grace of horses and riders. Joining auditors and
riders, the boys and girls were treated to lunch and refreshments
throughout the beautiful autumn day. Thanks to the generosity
of clinic arranger and sponsor, Randy Levesque, his wife, Donna,
and clinician Paul Valliere and Jill, the entire clinic proceeds,
including rider and auditor fees, were donated to City to Saddle.
(see photo in Gallery)
Alexandra Cherubiniis
founder and President of Equifit, Inc., a Massachusetts-based
company which designs and manufactures technologically advanced
products for top riders and horses throughout the world. EquiFit's
"shoulders back" device is improving the postures and
effectiveness of many equestrians, and is exhibited in the Museum
of Modern Art in recognition of its outstanding function and
design. Alexandra has been riding since the age of twelve, and
competes her horses in both the hunters and jumpers circuits
nationwide. Her passion for riding and love of horses is reflected
in her commitmant to affording underserved, urban children access
to the equestrian arena.
Randy
Levesqueowns and manages
Equine Insurance Services and Aquidneck Island Insurance, Middletown,
Rhode Island. Intrigued with his children’s riding activities,
ten years ago he segued from spectator to rider. Today, he competes
his horse, Simon, in Jumper classes. Raised in the inner city,
Randy looks forward to helping other disadvantaged, urban children
experience the benefits and pleasures of riding.
Laurie
Diamond is a Registered
Nurse practicing in the ICU unit of Newton-Wellesley Hospital,
Newton, MA. Previously, she worked in the health care industry
for twenty years as a sales and marketing professional. A City
to Saddle volunteer since the organization’s 2003 creation,
Laurie heads the Stewardship program, and manages the administrative
and programmatic interactions between host barns and youth organizations.
Laurie’s loyalty, commitment and demonstrated organizational
skills serve as valuable assets to the stability and growth of
City to Saddle.
A national competitive jumper, Tim
Boulton has been combining a love of riding with equestrian–related
business ventures. He is the owner of “LePeche Market, Inc.,
a gourmet food company with locations in the city of Wellington
and the Wellington Winter Equestrian Festival, and is assistant
to Eugene R. Mische, president of Stadium Jumping Inc- the largest
horse show production company in the world. A member of the board
of Governors for the Equestrian Aid Foundation, and supporter
of Just for World, a non-profit organization aiding children
in third world countries, Tim is eager to support City to Saddle’s
equestrian/youth based mission by adding marketing and business
expertise to the City to Saddle Board.
