It is really funny and I hope I explain it well enough. Ray will explain things as he teaches with what I call “Rayisms”. A perfect example I remember is him describing about how if you are driving your car and the brakes don’t work in the yard you wouldn’t take it out on the road or out on the highway. Well he explains it is the same with horses and riding. If you can’t control your horse in the ring you wouldn’t take it out on the trail or in a giant field. Another “Rayism”, he explains that you need to put your foot in the stirrups correctly because you wouldn’t drive your car with your foot hanging out and your door open. I know there are so many other “Rayisms” and I would love to have a list to write them all down and I know there are so many stories people have about Ray that I wish they would share because he has touched so many people with his gift or training horses and people.
When I found out Ray was diagnosed with cancer I knew I wanted to do something to help him and his family. Since Ray’s passion is sorting I thought it was the best thing to do for a fundraiser. So my co-chair, Adrian Manning and I put this event in motion. The Riding for Ray event was a huge success because of all the sponsors, donations, volunteers in our horse community that came together to support such a great man. Many have asked if we will make this an annual event. My answer to that is it is possible as long as we have enough community support and volunteers to work the event. Thank you to everyone who came out and supported Riding for Ray, The event was a huge success and surpassed our expectations earning over $8000. Without the many volunteers that actually helped with the event the day of we couldn’t have
done it without you. From the volunteers that helped with set up, bake sale, food prep and serving, selling tickets, raffles, koozies, and wrist bands. Thank you to the ladies that brought much needed tables and canopies for shade. Thank you to Dignified Cowgirls for selling their hoodies to help raise money for the event also. Thanks to all the raffle and event sponsors. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped with the sorting portion making it a success. Thanks to Amy Moro and others for helping Jennifer Putz as secretary on the sorting end. Thank you to Terry Temple and Lisa Wallace for announcing helping it run swiftly and smoothly. Thank you also to everyone that helped switch cattle and operate the gate. Thanks to Tommy Bishop for bringing more cattle. Special thanks to Justin and Jennifer Putz with Breeze N Farms for hosting this great event because it was a great amount of work getting ready and putting it on.
Thanks to the clean-up crew that came to my aide at the end that made it easy and fast even in the dark. Thank you to John Westbrook for donating his time to play his great music. Thank you the Bryan Buck for donating the hog. Thanks to Johnny and Karen Barnes who cooked the hog in the 95F heat it was beastly out. Thanks to all who donated food, waters, baked goods and all the other items we needed for the event. I also want to thank my husband Shawn who took care of our farm and animals while I worked 10 hour days for the last three weeks putting the event together and who worked hard at the event. Thank you to Betty Jo Smith for allowing us to use her gator is was so handy. I want to especially thank my co-chair, Adrian Manning for assisting, putting up with me and keeping me sane. Also the event volunteers that worked side by side with me and I couldn’t have pulled it off with-out them: Kim Kelly, Estelle Straley, Felicia Roche, Carey Faivre, Jen Pack, Rachel Covington, Shari Cutchin, Mike and Stephanie Sieradski. THANK YOU TO ALL and I hope I didn’t forget anyone. Photography by: Danielle Calore with Dignified Cowgirls Story by: Michele DeVinney Schmoll, Chairperson Riding for Ray Fundraiser
The Furry Cookie | Nov/Dec 2013
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