Newfoundland & Labrador Report
with Ruth Story

 

Getting busy on the Rock

This summer is gearing up to be one of the busiest ever with many events being planned for the spring and summer throughout the entire province. For the first time in many years, western Newfoundland is delivering an extensive list of clinics, shows and other events.

The Western Newfoundland Equestrian Club (WNEC) held its AGM and election of officers in Corner Brook on March 8. Congratulations to the newly-elected board: President, Susan Batstone; Vice President, Darryl Murphy; Secretary, Shelly Hoyles; and Treasurer, Dianne Kennedy. Bernd Staeben, Michelle Chaulk, Dennis Mahoney, and Donna Scott are the Directors.
Susan gave an overview of the Club's accomplishments in 2008 including becoming incorporated; obtaining a lottery license, holding its first big fundraiser, and organizing the Humber Valley horse show. A schooling show will be held on July 18 and the Humber Valley horse show is scheduled for Aug. 22. Check out the Club's website for more information by following the WNEC link at www.AtlanticFarmer.com.

Silverwood Stable in Steady Brook will hold a Western riding clinic April 9-11 with clinician John Hughes from New Brunswick. Another clinic will be held June 6-7 with John Perkins of Butternut Stables in New Brunswick. For information, contact Darryl Murphy, 709-639-1344 or email dmm@nf.sympatico.ca.

Cache Rapids Stable has many events planned for this summer and will kick off the season with a Western riding clinic, rider level testing, and horse training with Jim Durling from Nova Scotia on May 16-18. This will be followed by the annual three-day wilderness ride to Lomond River Lodge on June 13-15. Dennis Mahoney, a hunter/jumper trainer and instructor originally from New Brunswick will deliver an English schooling show and clinic on July 4-5. A Western horse show and clinic is scheduled for July 25-26 and an EC Bronze Level Western and English horse show on Aug. 15-16.
A competitive trail ride is being held on Aug. 29 and the annual beach ride on Sept. 6. Children's horseback riding camps will begin on June 29, continuing for 10 consecutive weeks. Plans are also in the works to dabble with some team penning. It should make for a busy summer. For more information on any of these events, email horse@nf.sympatico,ca or contact Ruth Story at 709-635-5224.

A new equestrian facility has opened in western Newfoundland. Poetry in Motion Equine Training Center located in Sops Arm is offering natural horsemanship training for horses, as well as horse sales. They specialize in unbroken horses and provide economical training and transportation to and from their facility. For information, call 709-482-2793.

West Coast equestrians were scrambling to find horse grain as the Purina distributor in Corner Brook discontinued carrying this product in early March. We are all pleased that Calvin Parsons has taken over distribution and is selling Purina grains from his business in Corner Brook.

NADA of St. John's is holding the Rhinelander Spring Classic, a recognized Equine Canada Bronze Level dressage show on May 9 at Clovelly Stable in Logy Bay. The judge is Mary Longden FEI (Australian), a national A level dressage judge. NADA is planning two additional dressage shows this summer. Details and dates will be available soon.

Adventure Riding Club in Grand Falls-Windsor has scheduled an EC Bronze Level English and Western show for July 11-12.
Kathie Lane of Adventure Farms in Grand Falls-Windsor is planning an Easter horse camp for April 12-13. Summer events include children's horseback riding day camps and riding lessons. For information, contact Kathie at 709-489-6166.

In January the provincial government, with the help of the Newfoundland Pony Society and Memorial University's Department of History, launched a project to honor Newfoundland's Heritage Animal, the Newfoundland Pony. Members of the public are asked to submit photos and stories of Newfoundland Ponies to help create a photo archive and a book of their submissions. Contact Dr. Christopher Youé at the Department of History by phoning 709-737-8420 or by emailing at cyoue@mun.ca. Submissions can also be mailed to the Department of History, Memorial University, St. John's, NL A1C 5S7.

The 2009 Shave for the Brave was held on March 7 and set records as more than 400 people participated in this year's community shaves. As of press time, 485 people and one horse had gone under the clippers, with more than $100,000 raised to support programs for young adults dealing with cancer. Trigger, a Newfoundland Pony owned by Julia Smith Porter, was also shaved and raised more than $500 for cancer research. Clovelly Executive Director Erin Gallant says the Centre is working towards efforts in community service and that while Trigger had to be shaved, it was great to raise money for such an important cause.

Clovelly Stable in Logy Bay has hosted numerous events this spring, including a Valentine's musical ride and several clinics. Upcoming events include three general performance shows including Western, hack, hunter, and equitation, pending approval of the dates from the Newfoundland Equestrian Association (NEA). The Canada Day show is scheduled for July 4, the Summer Classic on Aug. 1, and the Fall Classic on Aug. 19.

Avalon Equestrian Center in Upper Gullies will hold a reining show on May 16 and a clinic with Mona Lewis of Nova Scotia on May 17-18. The show will offer classes for all levels from walk/trot to open. If time permits, there may be a Western schooling show too.

Share your news from Newfoundland and Labrador: Your club activities and tidbits about Newfoundland people and horses. We would also love to receive photographs of you and your horse. Write to Ruth Story at Box 3848, Deer Lake, NL A8A 3M2, email horse@nf.sympatico.ca, or phone 709-635-5224.

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