Spring Valley Ranch Junior Horsemen's Club
In 2010, the youth riders at Spring Valley Ranch formed the Spring Valley Ranch Junior Horsemen's Club, a youth equestrian club that allows them to participate in education and competitive equine events.
The youth held a fund-raiser early in 2011 to raise money to attend the Midwest Horse Fair. At the Horse Fair, the youth competed in the youth judging contest, saw a professional rodeo (the first live rodeo for many), saw the Grand Prix jumping event and took in all the other great clinics, horses and shopping available.
Last May, the Passuello's hosted a 'Kentucky Derby Party' on Derby Saturday for the youth and their adult advisors and parents. The girls and ladies were required to wear their derby hats. Miah Marchello's hat was judged 'Best Derby Hat' and won a prize.
In June of 2011, the Junior Horsemen's Club produced an all breed horse show that was sanctioned by AQHA and UPQHA. The show was produced as a charity show and the youth donated all profits from this show to the Gogebic Community College Scholarship Foundation and the U.P. Equifest Horse Fair. The show's major sponsor was United Ag Services of Ashland, WI and many other sponsors also contributed to make this charity show a huge success.
Left: Tara Stuhr wears a western style 'Derby hat'.
Right: Miah Marchello and Ashley Alonen show off their traditional 'Derby hats'.
Junior Horsemen's Club members Dayne Stuhr and MaKenzie Long present a check to Gogebic Community College President Jim Lorenson, for the GCC Scholarship Foundation.
The kids had a get-together shortly after Halloween. Several dressed up with their horses. They also played games with the horses and discovered that horses do NOT 'Bob for Apples' very well. They also did an in-hand pole bending class-with a twist. The horses had to go through the poles at a walk or trot the first half of the pattern-but they had to BACK through the second half of the pattern. The youth ended the evening with pizza and snacks while watching the movie 'Secretariat'.
2012 is starting out very busy for the youth group. They are currently planning a fund-raiser to again be able to afford to go to the Midwest Horse Fair. They are also planning a horse show for June 23rd. Their show this year will be held in Iron River, WI, as part of a two day show week-end with a show produced by the new Lake Superior Quarter Horse Association. To make the show a financial success again, the youth will be getting sponsorships to pay show expenses.
The youth are also planning to show their horses at various shows and fairs thorugh-out the summer and fall. They are hoping to send as many members as possible to the U.P.State Fair and the U.P. Equifest Championship Show.
The Spring Valley Ranch Junior Horsemen's Club is a dedicated, hard-working group of youth focusing on HORSES. They are learning life skills while riding and learning about horses.
