The race was on at San Diego Saddlery as co-owner Denise Fraser and show manager Trish Watlington battled to see who could be the first to finish their “horse show hair” demonstration. Hair nets and elastics flying, hair was whisked up and under on their teen volunteers, capped off with two styles of ASTM/SEI helmets and gently adjusted over the tops of ears.
The scene was the first of several planned informational clinics co-hosted by San Diego Saddlery and the East County Horseshow Organization. It was held on March 2 to help novice show parents and riders get ready for the upcoming show season. Each attendee received a wealth of knowledge from these two longtime show moms, along with Trish’s new booklet, The Pocket Guide for Horseshow Parents. There was plenty of opportunity to have hunt coats fitted, explore all the options for grooming supplies and ask questions.
Denise Fraser and Liz Michalina, owners of San Diego Saddlery, which opened last November, are excited about the turnout generated by the first clinic and are looking forward to scheduling more.
“It’s a great chance to connect with the horse community,” says Liz. “There are so many of us out there, but with the advent of Internet shopping, we have lost the personal contact and ability to share knowledge. When we opened the store we were hoping to build that camaraderie, and this was the perfect chance. Plus, it was fun!”
ECHO show management knows all about camaraderie and the horse show community. Since its inception in 1996 with Katy Boswell of Hidden Fox Farm, ECHO has been a grassroots campaign fostering education and volunteerism. With Trish Watlington holding the reins for the last four years, the organization has continued and expanded that vision. Although the show draws all levels of riders and trainers, ECHO staff and judges make an extra effort to educate inexperienced riders and show parents. From hand holding to handouts and direct feedback from judges, Trish and her team make ECHO more educational than a typical show.
This year, ECHO will do even more to benefit the community. “Hoof Prints– Equestrians Making a Mark” will be a permanent addition to the ECHO May and September schedule. For this Open Pleasure class, exhibitors will solicit pledges instead of a class entry fee and every rider will receive a t-shirt for their participation. The rider who raises the most money will get a special grand prize. For 2008 all pledges, matched 100 percent by ECHO, will go to Valhalla High School’s Peace Corps Partnership Club.
ECHO is very grateful for continuing support from its many sponsors and especially from Joan Embery and Duane Pillsbury who provide a spacious, well-maintained facility at minimal cost. Trish sincerely appreciates all that they do for the show and the community at large.
For clinic schedules and more information about San Diego Saddlery, go to their website at www.sandiegosaddlery.net. For more information about the East County Horseshow Organization, visit them at www.echohorseshow.com.
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