Thank You Horsey Ladies Okanagan

By Keelly Gordon (See the story on the left… page 20)

I was so very excited and honoured to be offered this amazing gift from the fundraising Tack Sale held April 1st in Armstrong BC.

The Okanagan horse community has been my horse family since I was very young. I’m pretty sure most of the ladies in the Horsey Ladies group have witnessed me getting into mischief at horse shows and events for the past 25+ years. Now, as a local stable owner and coach, I pride myself in the programs I offer and have created to keep horses accessible to all the little girls and boys dreaming of their unicorns! I thought hard about how best to distribute this $891.40 gift fairly, and it really wasn’t too hard. I have picked 4 amazing young ladies in all different stages of their equine journey.

First, I have little 8-year-old Kaylee Waines and her pony Spice! This little lady has worked hard to be a strong enough rider for her spicy little pony and really, to be honest, reminds me of myself bombing around at top speed wanting to jump higher and higher! Kaylee always puts Spice first and is always early to her lessons, and always the first to help out around the farm. Kaylee is gifted $200 to put towards lessons to keep advancing with her and her pony!

Next we have Jaylynn Jespersen. Jaylynn has been working cleaning paddocks at my farm for over a year. Never complains, always shows up rain or shine and works her buns off! She often rides her bike which is 30 minutes of backroad hills to get to work early. Always the brightest smile and most gracious helpful attitude. Truly the nicest young lady I’ve ever met. Jaylynn is gifted $200 to put towards her next horse show with her new pony Douglas!

Teens these days struggle to have focus, dedication and passion; but not this next one! Quinn Puhlmann has been a student for the past 8 years. She’s got an amazing network of family helping her along this journey, but she works hard for everything she gets. This winter, I gave Quinn a young pony and told her, “better get him broke and going for my son.” Well, with dedication, she has brought along this fun little 3-year-old pony from unbroken wild man to entered in his first jumping show. Quinn and Ace are given $200 to put towards their next show.

Finally, I believe in creating the next generation. As my business grows, the hours of the day don’t get any longer, so I’ve had to clone myself. Brooke Krause is my final recipient. As a young, new coach, she’s working hard to follow all the guidelines and get her certification. When I was becoming a coach I know how much all the little costs add up, when the pay doesn’t often ride with the costs. Brooke is being offered the remaining $291.40 to put towards her coaching and insurance fees which amount in the thousands.

I just can’t express how grateful I am to share this gift with these young ladies. No matter what stage of horsing around you’re at, the support of your community is so wonderful. From the bottom of my heart thank you Horsey Ladies Okanagan.