Hello members!

How fast this year is passing by!  September has come and gone. I can’t believe we are already in October!  We had a fabulously successful playday on Sept 15th. A big thanks goes to Karen Topping and her students.  The girls were able to campout at Blomquist Friday night to get initiated to camping with their horses.  The next day, they all competed on the course with their trusty mounts and a good time was had by all!  Jim Blomquist enjoyed announcing for both the kids competition and our SMHA competition that immediately followed. Thank you Jim!

October brings with it shorter days, cooler weather and the annual Grand National Rodeo!  Check online and get your tickets for this exciting event which will be held October 12-13 and 19-20 this year.

We are also looking for nominees for open SMHA offices in October.  We will need to fill the positions of: President, Vice President, Membership and a Sunshine Chair.  Please consider taking on one of these roles or nominating a capable friend for one of the positions.  It is crucial to the club’s longevity that these positions be filled.  People currently in these positions will be happy to discuss the duties with you.  We will start taking nominations at the October 12 general meeting and through the November 9 meeting when the actual elections will take place.

Another October event is our annual Halloween poker ride. Get out those costumes and dust them off!  This is always a fun event and a good ride.  It’s enjoyed by both horse and rider!  Check the enclosed flyer for details.  See you all there on Oct 27th at Bear Ranch!

Our October general meeting is 10/12.  We will have guest speakers from LAE and Cal Fire.  They will give a presentation on how to prepare your property for fire prevention as well as helping you to develop an emergency plan.  Don’t miss this important meeting!  SMHA will provide snacks.  Please feel free to bring something to share.  See you all there!

“Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success” –  Unknown

Bev

Hello members!

Wow! August certainly was a busy month for SMHA.  We celebrated our 50th Anniversary on 8/4 with a terrific BBQ hosted by our own Audra Soltis at her ranch in Hollister.  The wind gave us a bit of a challenge but we overcame it and had a great time visiting with past presidents, new and seasoned members, playing horseshoes and enjoying a great meal!

Next we strutted our stuff at the Gilroy Rodeo!  Sterling Trubman and Andrea Calwell proudly carried our SMHA flags in the Grand Entry on Saturday.  Steve Oliveria joined Sterling on Sunday to represent us in the Grand Entry.  This was the first Gilroy rodeo in over 61 years and I am proud that SMHA got to be a part of it.

On August 16th through the 20th we converged on the campground at Jack Brook.  What a fantastic trip it was! The weather was perfect, good company, awesome trail riding and fun around the campfire at night. Such a fun, relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable trip that no one wanted to come home!

September is shaping up to be just as fun.  Our general meeting will be held on Friday Sept 14th.  For those of you that missed the anniversary party, we will be showing the DVD of club pictures for your enjoyment and Carolyn Tucker will bring the club history books for you to peruse.  Pizza is the order of the day for a nominal fee.  Please rsvp to Kathy McBride so we can get an accurate headcount for ordering the pizza.

The day following the meeting, we will be hosting our September 15th Playday at Blomquist arena. You don’t want to miss this one!  We have changed things up a bit and added some new and challenging obstacles. Please come out and support your club and join the fun at this event!

Also, please start thinking about board positions you would want to hold and nominees for club officers.  We will take nominations through our October meeting and elections will take place at the November general meeting.  This is very important.  We need to get new people at the helm and on the board to keep our club active, interesting and growing!  Also at the October meeting, we will have guest speakers from LAE and Cal Fire to discuss what you can do for fire prevention and emergency evacuations.  Don’t miss it.

• No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow your progress, you’re still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.
• Tony Rumins –

See you on the trails!

Bev

Hello members!

We had a good turnout at our July meeting.  We all enjoyed our chicken dinner while Leslie, Kathy and myself excitedly shared our experience at the recent Clinton Anderson 3 day clinic with Jeff Davis.  Kathy showed some clinic pictures on her computer to accompany our stories.  I think everyone got caught up in our enthusiasm while maybe learning a few new things to try with their horses!  I also announced the results of the Morgan Hill 4th of July parade.  I think we did pretty well . . . first place pooper scooper, first place Adult Riding Group and Best Overall Equestrian Group!! Whoo Hoo!!!  Thanks go out to all who participated with special thanks to Allene Liebenburg and Steve Oliveria for their help. You all represented your club well and should be proud!!

By the time this Eventer reaches you, we should be right on top of our 50th Anniversary BBQ event.  I hope you all RSVP’d by the August 2nd deadline and we’ll see you there.  We’re planning some fun activities: horseshoes, trivia and showing some photos, both old and new, on the big screen for all to enjoy.  Come and mingle with your fellow members, past and present, and let’s celebrate our 50 years as a family oriented horse club!

Gilroy is bringing back their rodeo after 61 years of absence. It’s slated to be a fun, family event.  SMHA will be represented both days in the Grand Entry by having riders carry our flags.  Please come out and support your club and enjoy the rodeo.

August is turning out to be a busy month for us.  Jack Brook campout is upon us August 16-20.  Based on the outpour of enthusiasm to book the campground this year, and not let our reservations lapse, I was expecting a much larger number of campers.   I’m taken aback by the low number of signups that we’ve had.  I’m hoping that those of you that were so interested in securing the camp will be sending in your reservations soon!   Jack Brook really is the epitome of horse camping and an awesome place to ride!  Get your applications in today!

There is no general meeting in August so we will see you all at our September 14th meeting.  I believe pizza is the order of the day for a nominal fee.  Check next months Eventer for more details.  In the meantime, let’s all get out there and bond with our horses and enjoy our many riding trails!!

– Embrace dirty boots and smelling like your horse –  Annonymus

Bev

Well it’s officially summer!  If you missed it on the calendar, the weather is certainly letting us know!  Don’t let the heat discourage you from riding, just ride later in the day!

I’d like to extend a big club thank you to Sandi Parker for her presentation at our June meeting.  She was very well received.  Sandi has also agreed to do a discounted clinic for our SMHA club members so please let me know if you are interested so I can arrange a day and time with Sandi.

The Morgan Hill 4th of July parade is right around the corner as of this writing.  Allene is busy pulling the float together.  We have some mini donkeys and some riders on full size horses but need more riders and people to ride on the float!  Please reach out to Allene so we can have a proud representation of our club in this huge hometown parade.

Jack Brook campout is also just around the corner, August 16-20.  Please contact me to secure your reservation soon!  The invitation has been extended to other clubs and you don’t want to miss out.  This campout is always good riding and good fun!

Our July meeting on the 13th will be a potluck and feature some of our members who attended the Clinton Anderson clinic at the end of June.  They will give us a rundown of their experiences.  Come and find out what they learned.  You may find you’ll be interested in signing up for the next clinic!

Our 50th anniversary event is scheduled for August 4th at Audra Soltis’ Ranch in Hollister.  Mark the date on your calendars!  Everyone should attend this members only event and learn more about your club while having a great time!  More details to follow.

I’ll leave you with two 4th of July quotes .. . one funny, one sincere.

Why are there no knock-knock jokes about America?  – because freedom rings!

-We don’t know them all but we owe them all –  Author Unknown

Bev

Hello members!
What a busy time of year. So much going on but we still had a good turnout for our May general meeting. Everyone enjoyed the delicious Taco Bar prepared by our own Kathy McBride and there was an ample supply of salads and desserts provided by our members. Thanks to everyone for a great meal!
We’d also like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Angel Fletcher. In spite of feeling a bit “under the weather” she came and presented a very informative and fun program on Horse First Aid on the Trail. As always, we all learned new and useful things from Dr. Fletcher. She also was kind enough to give away some pretty awesome wound spray. Thanks for everything Angel. We love having you speak at our meetings!
Our next meeting is June 8th. Don’t miss this one. Sandy Parker will be our guest speaker and will be showing us a video of her and her horse at liberty. This should be very exciting to watch.
Our meeting is just the tip of the June activities. We still have the OSA ride on the 16th . Contact Chere Bargar for that one. There is a Tack Sale at Thorson’s arena on the 23rd and rounding up the month is our own Clinton Anderson Clinic at Blomquist arena on June 29th – July 1st. There is still room for 2 participants or you can come to audit. Contact Kathy McBride for this event.
Immediately after all the June activities is the Morgan Hill 4th of July parade! We’ve had a few people step up offering to help organize this event – Amy Alford, Allene Liebenberg and Avi Gardner. Thank you ladies for helping your club! If you want to ride in the parade or simply help with the decorating please contact one of these ladies or call me! We need to be represented in this hometown parade.
Last but by far, not least, is our big 50th Anniversary Event on August 4th at Harvey Bear Ranch. Let’s have a huge turnout for this fun event. Come and meet some of our past presidents, listen to stories about “the way it was” and have fun building friendships with your fellow club members at the BBQ. All of this plus you get to ride your horse. Don’t miss this exciting party! Contact any board member to help out with the event. Remember, many hands make light work!
The weather is great, the days are getting longer . . .let’s make ourselves and our horses happy and get out on the many trails our area affords us!
Happy Riding, Bev
“The more you use the reins, the less they use their brains”
Pat Parelli

Hello members!

We had over 20 people attend our April general meeting.  Those that were brave enough to venture out on Friday the 13th were rewarded with good food and an interesting presentation  by Lori Oleson on the T-Touch Method. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Lori for taking the time to speak to our club!

Our Ranch Playday is likely a day away as you read this newsletter.  The event is May 5th at Blomquist Arena.  Registration starts at 9:00am, practice 10:00am to 12:00 noon and competition begins at 1:00.  Hot dog lunch will be available for purchase while you contemplate how you’re going to maneuver the obstacles for a win!  Don’t miss it!  Lots of fun for you and your horse and prizes for the winners!  Come out and support your club.

If you’re ready to camp with your horse, there is a non-SMHA event right around the corner.  Coit Campout at Coe Park on Memorial Day weekend, May 25 – 28.  If you don’t like to cook, this event is for you. For a small fee your meals will be catered for you. What a deal!  Leaves a lot more time to ride!  Contact Chere Bargar for more information.

Our next general meeting is Friday May 11th.  We will feature our popular “Taco Bar” for a nominal fee.  We will also have Dr Angel Fletcher speaking on First Aid for the Trail.  Come enjoy the great food and show our guest speakers that we appreciate the time and effort it takes to speak to our club.  A good turnout always lets the speaker know we were interested in what they had to say.

Keep up the enthusiasm!  Our club continues to grow.  We’ve most recently added five new members to our roster!  Make sure to introduce yourselves to our newest members and make them feel welcome.

–  I would travel only by horse, if I had the choice – Linda McCartney –

Happy Riding,

Bev

Hello members!

No fooling, it’s April already!  Where is the year going?  We had a great turnout for our March meeting and I think everyone enjoyed our St. Patty’s corned beef dinner as well as playing “HORSE” bingo.  Lots of winners, lots of fun!

I do need to share some sad news.  On Saturday, March 24^th,  we lost a longtime member and friend, Steve Knepper.  I’m sure we all know him for his commitment to the club and his awesome baked beans he prepared for a lot of our events.  Steve was also heavily involved in Coe Park and was always there to lend a helping hand.  He and his dad used to work cattle at Coe before it was s state park . He was also instrumental in creating what is now known as the Springs Committee at Coe  He loved animals, especially his dog which has now found a home with Kitty Swindle since Steve’s dog is the mother to Kitty’s dog, Snickers. Steve will be greatly missed by all his friends at SMHA.

On a happier note, we have an upcoming ride at Coe on Saturday, April 14^th.  It’s the annual Wildflower ride. Although this is not a SMHA event, it is always fun.  How many flowers can you name?  Be at Hunting Hollow entrance ready to ride at 10:00am.

Our next club event is our Playday at Blomquist arena on  Saturday, May 5^th.  Spread the word!  Let’s get a big turnout for this event which is always a lot of fun as well as educational for you and your horse.

Next general meeting is April 13^th.  The club will be providing pizza for a nominal fee of $5.  Please rsvp to Kathy McBride. Our guest speaker will be Lori Oleson.  She will educate us on the Linda Tellington Jones T-Touch.  Don’t miss it!

“ A horse doesn’t care how much you know until he knows how much you care. Put your hand on your horse and your heart in your hand” – Pat Parelli

Happy Trails, Bev

Hello members!

I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house at our February meeting after watching the very inspirational story of Harry and Snowman.  It really showed what an exceptional bond we can form with our horses.  We had a great turnout and I think everyone enjoyed the movie.

The surprise I mentioned in last month’s Eventer was announced.  SMHA has secured Jack Brook campgrounds for August 16 – 20.  Everyone was very disappointed when we previously had to cancel this campout.  The club had a couple of successful events putting us in a better financial position so we were able to book the campground Thursday through Monday.  Hope to see you all there to enjoy the beautiful trails, facility and camaraderie of other club members.

March’s general meeting should be lots of fun. The club will be providing corned beef and cabbage with all the trimmings for a small fee.  We’re also going to play a few games of “horse” bingo.  Cards will be $.50 each or 3 for $1.00. Prizes will be fun “white elephant” gifts supplied by your board members.  See you on the 9th for this meeting,

The weather has been spring-like on and off making for beautiful trail rides.  The days are getting longer and longer providing more time for riding. Due to delays in the opening, we were unable to have our March ride at Rancho San Vincente but the SCCHA is having their “Dirty Horse Ride” on the 17th at Calero.  Pull those horses out of the pastures, leave ‘em dirty and win a prize if your horse is the dirtiest.  Since our ride was unable to take place, let’s support our fellow horse club at their Calero ride.  I’m sure they will reciprocate on future events!

We are off to a busy start and this year has a lot of fun events still in the wings.  Keep coming to the meetings and checking your Eventer for all the upcoming fun!

-No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle – Winston Churchill

Happy Trails, Bev

Hello members!
We started off the year with a lot of fun.  We had good  member attendance at our January general meeting along with five guests!  Our annual soup contest yielded a big win for Gene McBride with his Butternut Squash soup.  Ron Lowery came in a close second with his famous chili.  I’m sure Ron will be back to try to reclaim his title  as SMHA#1 Cook next year!

It seems like spring is in the air which is awesome for January!  I am getting excited for a new year of riding and fun.  We have outlined our 2018 schedule and it is posted in this month’s eventer.  Obviously, things can change but we hope to succeed in fulfilling these events.  I will speak briefly about the first couple of events at our February general meeting.  I will also have a little announcement so make sure you’re there!

This months meeting will be our movie night.  We will be providing popcorn and candy for a nominal fee.  The movie will be “Harry and the  Snowman”.  If you haven’t seen this one it is well worth it!  It is a heartwarming horse story of  hope and possibility.

As you know, this is our 50th anniversary of SMHA!  The club was established in 1968.  We are starting to plan a campout to celebrate the occasion.  We hope to have the event on July 28.  We are still determining the location so stay tuned for more information and keep the date open!

I’m looking forward to a fun and successful year for our club.  We are off to a fine start so let’s keep up the good work!  Spread the word about our great little club so others can join in the fun!

“Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring” . . . Lilly Pulitzer
Bev

Hello SMHA members,

Well, I’d like to start by wishing everyone a Happy New Year!!! I
hope everyone had a fabulous holiday and got a lot of riding in too!
I’d like to thank you all for having the confidence in me to once
again represent SMHA as your club President along with your
outstanding board members. We had a very successful 2017 with
both our events and bringing in several new members.
2018 Goals:
1) At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would like to
say that one of my goals this year is to continue to push for new
members! We all know that the way to do this is for each of us to
bring in just one new member this coming year. I know you can do
it!!
2) I would like to continue the enthusiasm around events and
getting new members more involved in the planning and execution
of those events.
3) The club needs to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s
happening in our area to be able to keep existing trails open and do
what we can to help promote new areas to ride. We need to keep
our horse community “horse friendly” for years to come.
4) Last but not least, we all need to have fun! Get out there
and ride more!!
As you know, our January meeting is our annual Soup/Chili Contest.
Bring your best recipe on Jan 12th and try to take the coveted
trophy from Ron Lowery. I would love to see everyone at our
meeting and better yet, bring a friend! The board meets the week
following our general meeting to set the 2018 calendar. If you have
an idea for an event, let us know at the January meeting so we can
get it planned!
** Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. **
– William James
Bev