Natives and newcomers
Natives and newcomers By Amie Wolf Photos by Marie-Dominique Verdier This edition of Natives and Newcomers, a department that offers the viewpoints of two native residents alongside those of two fresh transplants, profiles individuals with some pretty diverse interests – from French cooking, to horse roping, to flying airplanes, to racing electric cars. The interviewees all seem to have a unique zest for life, which they plan to make full use of during the summer months in Sandpoint. Enjoy getting to know them, and maybe get inspired to try something new along the way.
must-do list here during summer?
Natives
If you could change one thing about Sandpoint, what would it be?
Nichole Burnett Nichole Burnett, 33, has lived in Sandpoint her whole life besides time spent attending college in southern Idaho and in Lexington, Ky. The owner of Burnett Quarter Horses, she spends most of her time working with horses, doing training, teaching, shoeing and breakaway roping. The daughter of Lee and Alison Burnett, she also enjoys camping and exploring in the surrounding mountains. While she has worked Courtesy photo
for 12 years as a farrier, a skill she feels blessed to have, Nichole hopes to attend veterinary school. How did your family wind up in Sandpoint?
My grandparents Art and Myrt Burnett moved here from Coeur d’Alene in 1943 to farm and ranch in the Gold Creek area, then later moved to the Oden area where they raised seven kids, ran a dairy and later ranched registered Angus cattle. Ever been tempted to relocate somewhere else?
Yes, I’m a warm weather person, in love with wide open spaces. I was born into a climate where six months of cold weather isn’t uncommon and a community that is getting more crowded every year, and every hobby I love is built around the summer weather. But I’m still here. It’s home. What’s
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sUMMeR 2012
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My horse sports team, roping competitions, exploring the backwoods on horseback. The best adventure I ever had was a nine-hour trail ride from 7 at night till 4 in the morning with my best friend. Most said we were crazy – maybe we are, for two women alone, in the mountains, in the dark, but to us it was a lifelong memory. And we try and do a trip together every year. Some of my favorite things may be considered “work” to others – putting up hay, building fence. They’re “fun” to me.
Return it to a smaller community with no land developments (not possible, I know) where everybody knew their neighbor and there wasn’t so many “keep out” or “no trespassing” signs. We’ve lost some of our small-town trust, values and personal friendliness.
Shawn Riffe
Born and raised in Sandpoint, Shawn Riffe, 40, has worked at Encoder Products Company as a mechanical engineer for 14 years. He and his wife, Stacie, have two teenage daughters, Nicole and Kyler. Shawn enjoys snow skiing, riding motorcycles, golfing, fishing and playing basketball, and is known as a “dog whisperer.” While attending the University of Idaho, the hot rod and electric vehicle enthusiast set the land speed record with a hybrid electric race car at the Phoenix International Raceway. His parents are Larry and Judy Riffe. How did your family wind up in Sandpoint?
My grandparents, Norman and Barbara Riffe, began taking summer vacations with their family in the 1950s at Sam Owen campground in SANDPOINT MAGAZINE
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