San Vicente Saddle Club Fun Day
People of all ages saddled up and participated in the San Vicente Saddle Club Fun Day at the International Equestrian Center.
Sisters Laura Miller and Cheryl Schlauch—San Vicente Saddle Club Vice President and treasurer, respectively—hosted the event along with the Saddle Club Officers. This is the first Fun Day in many years, and the sisters are trying to spread the word to this beautiful community to rebuild and grow interest in the saddle club, which went dormant for a few years due to Covid and a few other factors.
Now, the club offers events each month that include the Cowboy Challenge, Horsemanship Clinic, Poker Ride, 4th of July Parade, Cuyamaca Horse Camp, Progressive Breakfast, Halloween Parade, Christmas Party, Tack Sale, Charity Ride, Social at the Western Center, and Ride to the Par Lounge for meet-up.
There are a few hundred members, past and present, who are active and inactive. The annual membership fee is $20 for a single person or a family. The club charges $4 per event or $30 for all events. “You don’t have to have a horse to participate,” says Schlauch.
The events included stick horse races, 3-legged race, lead line, golf ball and spoon race, dollar race, ribbon race, back through horseback, 360 spin and the turtle race. In the turtle race, the rider starts at a lope, transitions down to a trot and finishes with a walk without stopping. If the horse stops, the rider is disqualified.
The stick horse race was the first event to kick off the day. Participants could bring their own stick horses, and if they did not bring one, the Saddle Club provided broomsticks for the event. Ribbons were given to the class winners and participants. Other prizes included horse items such as fly spray, brushes, and riding socks, to name a few.
The club sold Domino’s Pizza for $2 a slice to riders and guests during their lunch break, and The San Vicente Golf Shop donated the golf balls for the Golf Ball and Spoon event.
Derek Sterling, father of Georgia Sterling, age 3, rode a black horse named Candy and was so excited for the show, specifically to trot in the event, and has talked about it the weeks leading up to the Fun Day.
Danielle Bergen, 15, rode a 6 ½-year-old Mustang-Warmblood named Stella, originally an orphan brought down from Nevada. The horse belongs to Christine ONeal, who brought another horse named Teddy to the event. They were using the show as a test for Stella to compete in her first show. Bergen says she has competed in many English shows in the past and was excited to experience this fun event.
According to San Vicente Saddle Club Officer Michelle Kelleher, their goal is to get back into the community and outside of Ramona to encourage riders to join the club. You can bring your own horse or work with a trainer and use their horses. They are trying to raise money for the club by having a booth at the quarterly craft fairs and getting the word out about the club through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Ramona Radio. They’ve also advertised through The Ramona Chamber of Commerce and the Country Estates Association.
Riders from near and as far as Julian came together to share their love for horses at this Fun Day and hope to have many more events like this in the future.
