Spring 2010

The first couple of weeks of spring classes have flown by. Ashley, Lindsay and six students returned from Florida on the 20th having had an educational and fun trip to Florida. The temperatures were cold and all riders except one were partnering with new horses . SAPCs Glen was champion both weeks with Audrey Bolte week one and Jodi Brinn in week two. Betsy Kaplan and her new horse Tucker were reserve in the same division. Rob Jacobs and his new ride Frankie won the 3’3” Adult Classic.

Also on that Monday many SAPC equestrians participated in the Martin Luther King day of service. This is a new event for the school and approx. 140 staff, faculty and students volunteered their time at local charities or for campus clean up. Service sites included the Red Cross, The Haven and Helping Hands Store. Students that were not involved in the day of service gave their time to their work study jobs.

The Laurinburg Exchange ran a great article summing up the long road to recovery for Focus the USERL rescue horse that was so badly hurt in a storm last May. Dr. Kellam spent many hours caring for this horse (including sleeping at the barn for many days), many other individuals have assisted in his care, area businesses donated supplies for his dressings and the best part of the story is that he has now been officially adopted by Jen Bruner. You can read the whole story at http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Horse+injured+in+storm+receives+community+support%20&id=5561562

This weekend we are hosting the first ever head-to-head competition with Duke. This is an unofficial competition for IHSA hunt seat riders and takes place on Sunday. Next weekend is the first IHSA western shows for this year. Two shows back to back on Saturday and Sunday.

2009 Retrospective

The equestrian staff took a moment to reflect on some of the memorable events in 2009.

• New enthusiastic and energetic staff members joined the equestrian staff in 2009.
• Showing Under the Stars seems to be a staff favorite especially the Halloween edition where many of the staff join with students for the costume parade.
• Rob Jacob’s win at the IHSA National Championships in the Novice Over Fences division was a moment to remember.
• Every IHSA western team rider placed in their class at the National Championships.
• IDA team qualified two riders (Greta Friesen and Lauren Parker) for the National Championships.
• Restructuring saw the creation of the Equine Studies Department, chaired by Pebbles.
• The successful creation and delivery of online classes in both Equine Business and Therapeutic Riding.

Horse wise we said goodbye to Gunsmoke (GQ), Jester, Kampari, and Tuffin. Satchmo retired to Shelby French’s farm in Sweet Briar and Wheels found a child locally in Laurinburg. (He actually lives with Mike Kryszak). Bobby Lou went to live at Ann Neal Thompson’s farm and Lucky found himself a family in the Hope Mills area and competes in dressage and jumping at local shows with his teenage owner.