Horses with Heart hoping to continue this inaugural event as an annual ‘community picnic’.
The day-long gathering, free for all ages, includes a special horse event for veterans and first responders, followed by a community open house complete with food trucks, live music, games and an honor parade.
“We’ve never done anything quite like this before,” said Horses with Heart Executive Director Ann Spiess. “It’s an opportunity to open our facility to the Quad Cities community and really celebrate the people who serve – veterans, first responders and their families. We want everyone to feel welcomed and appreciated.”
The morning will begin with a horse event, from 9 a.m. to noon, open to veterans and first responders who wish to participate, regardless of riding skill. Riders can compete in a working Western rail and an obstacle course. The entry fee is $50, and space is limited to 20 participants. Registration opens Tuesday, April 22 at horseswithheartaz.org.
Marine Corps veteran, longtime volunteer and award-winning equestrian Kris Vollrath is the driving force behind the horse event idea. After years of traveling to Scottsdale for a similar event, Vollrath approached Horses with Heart about bringing a horse show and parade honoring veterans and first responders home to Chino Valley, after she learned the Scottsdale event would no longer be held.
“This is about recognition – about honoring who we are and what we’ve done,” said Vollrath, who served from 1971 to 1974. “The Scottsdale event was more about veterans, but ours includes first responders, along with veterans. We want to come together with flags, horses and a beautiful ceremony that truly acknowledges our service.”
Vollrath emphasized that participants do not need professional riding experience to join.
“If you’re a veteran or a first responder and have a horse, fill out an application and come out and ride,” she said. “You’ll be judged on how you ride your horse on a ranch – walking and trotting. It’s more about inclusion and celebration than competition.”
Awards will be given for both the obstacle course and ranch rail ride, including first through fifth place in each category and an overall high-point winner.
From 3 to 7 p.m., the facility will be open to the public for a family-friendly open house. Activities include live music from Palomino, games, a saloon-
themed wine and beer bar, docent-led tours of the horse barns and an honor parade featuring local veterans, first responders, flag bearers and a bagpiper.
The all-day event is free and open to all. Donations are welcomed to support the organization’s programs, which serve individuals with disabilities, veterans, first responders and seniors through equine-assisted therapy.
“Horses with Heart changes lives – not just for those who ride, but for the volunteers and the people who visit,” said Vollrath, who has volunteered with the group for seven years. “You can be having the worst day, but once you come through the gates, everything changes. The horses, the people and the programs give you purpose and hope.”
Founded more than three decades ago, Horses with Heart is the only Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center in Northern Arizona. The organization operates with 15-20 highly trained horses, most of which are donated, and a dedicated team of volunteers and credentialed instructors.
“These horses are like employees,” Spiess said. “They’re not our personal pets – they are working partners. It takes a special horse to do this kind of work. They need patience, strength and the ability to connect with people in a therapeutic setting.”
Each winter, the horses are given a well-deserved break at “resort homes” provided by local supporters, Spiess added.
While the Brave Hearts event is new, Horses with Heart hopes it will become an annual tradition.
“We had more than 400 people attend our 30th anniversary celebration in the summer of 2023, which was more than we expected,” Spiess said. “This time, we want to build something that continues – a kind of community picnic where people from all over the Quad Cities area can come together and see what we’re about.” QCBN
By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
For more information or to apply for the horse show, visit horseswithheartaz.org.
Courtesy Photo: Young riders with special needs connect with horses at Horses with Heart.
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