All blog posts
- Super 2013 Spring Semester Volunteers
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
-Mark Twain
Through the kindness, hard work, and dedication of our volunteers, SIRE clients are able to ride. Our volunteers spend thousands of hours in our arenas, on our trails, and at our events to make it possible for our clients to feel ...
- SIRE Seeks New Volunteers
Thanks to “Your Houston News” for publishing our press release in Atascocita and Humble.
SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Center, will be training volunteers for summer at all three sites: in Hockley (northwest), Spring (north) and Richmond, Fort Bend (southwest). The summer session will be June 10th through July 27th.
Volunteers are needed at all locations and all ...
- We are Thankful For You JoAnn Trepl- Staff Profile
Every week day before any riders, clients, or volunteers arrive at SIRE’s Hockley site, JoAnn Trepl is getting ready for her work day. Many clients and volunteers may not even be aware of her office, the “west wing” attached to our caretaker’s house. From the front of this office, JoAnn can see multiple pastures full ...
- Spring Rider Awarded 4-H Scholarships Spring site Rider Christi Roberts has been an active member of 4-H for the past seven years. She was awarded two 4-H county scholarships and will attend the VAST Academy in the fall as well as continuing to ride with SIRE. Christi is home schooled and is graduating from high school later this month.
Christi ...
- Precious Medals Won by SIRE Riders Congratulations are in order for SIRE’s equestrian competitors in the Special Olympics this year. In Area 6, several clubs met at the Lone Star Cowboy Church in Montgomery, Texas. Kim Richards, mother of competitor Katherine Richards, says it was a “beautiful venue and the athletes had a great time.” For Area 22, the Richmond State ...
- Rider Surpasses Own Record at SIRE Gala We had 200 in attendance for our 2013 SIRE Triple Crown Gala, tons of fabulous entertainment and auction items, a wonderful m.c. in Don Teague, touching testimony by SIRE parent Angela Dampeer, and a great new video – thanks to Kiki Teague. We even had a special surprise from the gala chairs Sandra Cortez and ...
- Thank you for a Fabulous Gala! Thank you to all our sponsors, guests, volunteers, and donors! All had a great time at the gala. Just three live auction items raised a combined $100,000 for SIRE’s programs. Stay tuned for photos and more.
- Triple Crown Gala Post Saturday, April 20, 2013
Westin Oaks Galleria
5011 Westheimer Road
- SIRE featured in State Newsletter Issue in PDF form, RSSLC Community spring-2013
- Major League Parties with BBQ, Tequila & Ties or Travel to Napa, South Africa & More We belong to an extraordinarily generous community, with hundreds of companies and individuals donating items for the gala. We’ve logged in nearly 250 auction items! You will be able to get some amazing bargains and support SIRE at the same time.
Don’t forget our online auction, too!
Big Board Items
1) Port Aransas house ($855 value)
• 1 weekend ...
- Rider Profile – Derrick Perkins by Carol Mason
Derrick Perkins is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has been riding with SIRE for five years. Joelle Devlin, to whom Derrick affectionately refers as the “drill sergeant”, was initially his instructor at the Fort Bend Sienna Stables site. Anthony Busacca taught him for two years at the Hockley site and ...
- Triple Crown Gala attracts media attention
SIRE Therapeutic Equestrian Centers will host the Triple Crown Gala at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the Westin Oaks Galleria, 5011 Westheimer Road.
The Triple Crown, which originated as the more casual Horses and Harleys fundraiser, provides an opportunity for equestrian enthusiasts to dress up and head out on the town in support of a good cause. The ...
- Experiential Ride at Fort Bend On Wednesday, March 27th SIRE/Fort Bend hosted an experiential ride for six residential physicians at Richmond State Supported Living Center. The resident staff audited the demonstration as the physicians, who had no prior horse experience, rode the therapy horses using bareback pads and surcingles. The physicians experienced several positions: forward, sideways and backwards. SIRE Head ...
- Spring SIRE Welcomes A New Horse The herd at our Spring site has grown again! Maximus arrived on March 29th and comes to us from San Antonio. He’s 16 years old and is a 17 hand Thoroughbred who is ready to retire from his career as a Jr Hunter. He has decided that cantering over jumps isn’t his calling anymore and ...
- Partnering with UTMB and Nat’l MS Society
This spring at SIRE, a grant sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society MS Entrepreneurs program will fund a study examining eight pre-selected individuals living with MS and the effects of therapeutic horseback riding. Through a program entitled “Horses Offering Occupational Therapy,” the participants will engage in a therapeutic riding intervention overseen by a licensed ...
- Enjoy Celebrating and Supporting SIRE
Two weeks and counting to two fabulous parties celebrating SIRE’s 30th anniversary! Maharajas and Mallets celebrates Indian culture and the sport of polo, all to benefit SIRE at the Marque on April 18th. And SIRE celebrates our very own Triple Crown Gala April 20th at the Westin Oaks in the Galleria. Come join us!
Start with ...
- SIRE Receives grant and local notice
We love Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes!
http://online.fortbendlifestylesandhomes.com/publication/?i=150637&p=115
- 2013 Gala Auction Sample Everyday seems like Christmas around SIRE lately. Not a day goes by that we don’t get another package or two or three to open and sigh over. And the best news? These are presents for you! Well, for you to buy. Not only will you get a chance at these great items, but also the ...
- 2012 Client, Volunteer, and Staff Awards Client Achievement Awards
Fort Bend – Thomas H. and Derrick Perkins & Riley Miller
Hockley – Christopher Chan & Ryan Yeager
Spring – Leah Stryjewski & Sean Tabliago
Fort Bend Volunteer(s) of the Year
Margaret, Lissa, and Vickie Blackert – East Bernard, TX
Margaret and her daughters have been volunteering as leaders since May, 2011 contributing over 500 hours in total. ...
- Therapeutic Horsemanship and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Nearly one-third of SIRE’s riders are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. We’ve found that therapeutic riding helps with self-control, communication, body awareness and more. Some parents have noted they came to SIRE as a last resort and have seen their children improving not only here but at home and in school as well.
Temple Grandin, professor ...
Thursday • May 16, 2013 • by ndejong
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
-Mark Twain
Through the kindness, hard work, and dedication of our volunteers, SIRE clients are able to ride. Our volunteers spend thousands of hours in our arenas, on our trails, and at our events to make it possible for our clients to feel the benefits of therapeutic horsemanship.
We would like to honor and sincerely thank everyone who has donated their time and showed compassion to the clients at SIRE. A special thank you goes out to those volunteers who committed more than 100 hours for the Spring 2013 semester.
| Fort Bend |
|
| Susan Meeks |
177.5 |
| Fern Pickle |
168 |
| Raegen Kubacak* |
160 |
| Laurie Kruse* |
154 |
| Lauren Diggans |
153.5 |
| Lynne Brown* |
149 |
| Jeannette Macha |
135 |
| Deanna Hausman |
120 |
| Lois LaRose |
119 |
| Pam Hameka |
116 |
| Tim Hausman |
114 |
|
|
| Hockley |
|
| Joe Welsh |
309 |
| Natalie DeJong |
258.5 |
| Laura Marshall |
191.5 |
| Robin Gray |
166.5 |
| Pat McLaughlin |
134.5 |
| Diane Becker |
124 |
| Jill Hanna |
122.5 |
| Holly Freeland |
105 |
| Chris Ellsworth |
104 |
| AJ Patterson |
101 |
| Courtney Muckelroy |
100 |
|
|
| Spring |
|
| Cassie McCollum |
187 |
| Jennifer Billiot |
130 |
| Lauren Krolczyk |
128 |
| Emily Mickey |
123 |
| Carmen Gray |
123 |
| Traci Hockabout |
121 |
| Bonnie Knowlton |
109 |
| John Flatow |
107 |
| Debbie Sweren |
106 |
| Tricia Purcell |
100 |
|
|
| *New Volunteer |
|
Wednesday • May 15, 2013 • by sstrawn
Thanks to “Your Houston News” for publishing our press release in Atascocita and Humble.
SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Center, will be training volunteers for summer at all three sites: in Hockley (northwest), Spring (north) and Richmond, Fort Bend (southwest). The summer session will be June 10th through July 27th.
Volunteers are needed at all locations and all times. Potential volunteers can find more information and sign up for training at www.sire-htec.org. The next scheduled orientation will be Wednesday May 29th, 6 to 8 p.m. Training will be the morning of Saturday, June 1st. In some cases, volunteers can be trained and placed sooner.
Volunteers for the lessons must be 14 or older, must be able to walk for 45 minutes perhaps supporting a moderate amount of weight and able to jog for brief periods. SIRE is looking to add significantly to its horse herd, too. Potential therapy horses must be emotionally mature, be trained and be healthy. More information can be found at www.sire-htec.org under the tab, “You Can Help.”
Cindy Piritz of Katy says, “I absolutely love every minute I spend at SIRE. It is probably one of the most rewarding volunteer things I’ve ever done.” Amber McCreery of Missouri City started volunteering at SIRE at 15 and now graduates high school having won the honor of SIRE’s Fort Bend Junior Volunteer of the Year. “Volunteering at SIRE has made me to be more sociable. I made a lot of new friends, two-legged and four-legged. And I love leaving a smile on the riders letting me know I’m doing a good thing and helping them ride.”
Last year, SIRE provided 5,447 therapeutic riding sessions to 220 clients. In client surveys, 100% reported improvements from therapeutic riding. And each rider relies upon one to three volunteers to be able to ride. All together SIRE volunteers donate more than 30,000 hours, worth $650,000 annually. As SIRE’s Executive Director Lili Kellogg explains, “We’re in a significant growth mode, expecting to provide services to 30% more people this year.” Marketing Director Sabrina Strawn adds, “We’re already training and hiring more staff. To make a difference in more lives, SIRE is growing our volunteer corps and adding more ‘four-legged therapists,’ too.”
SIRE brings people with all sorts of disabilities together with horses so they can ride beyond – beyond limits, beyond dependence, and into fresh air, freedom and a lifelong, Texas-traditional sport. For SIRE’s clients, therapeutic riding not only increases strength and independence, it also provides more freedom and independence to their families. Moreover, it can initiate more effective interaction and education at school, work, and in other community settings. Clients range in age from 3 to 83.
As one family member remarked, “SIRE has become part of our family. Alex cannot wait to meet the new volunteers, instructors, riders, and the horses. SIRE has opened up a whole new world of possibilities and opportunities for Alex. And that has been such a blessing.”
Thursday • May 9, 2013 • by ndejong
JoAnn Trepl in front of the west wing
Every week day before any riders, clients, or volunteers arrive at SIRE’s Hockley site, JoAnn Trepl is getting ready for her work day. Many clients and volunteers may not even be aware of her office, the “west wing” attached to our caretaker’s house. From the front of this office, JoAnn can see multiple pastures full of SIRE’s therapeutic riding horses. JoAnn knows how SIRE’s special horses foster independence in riders, saying that “everything [our riders] do on a horse develops [the riders'] abilities to control their bodies and minds.” The quality of life improvements are seen not only in SIRE clients but also for family members and even for the many staff and volunteers. JoAnn recognizes that the horses at SIRE play a very important role saying, “they move like humans and they are gentle. They develop a bond to their rider or handler.”
Though the west wing doesn’t afford easy views of the various arenas, JoAnn insists she sees all the possibilities and connections people are making with their horses. She knows that as our administrative assistant, she’s “part of something that’s important” and that can benefit not just a single rider but our community as a whole. “If I meet someone that hasn’t heard of SIRE, I like to make sure and tell them about SIRE,” JoAnn says commenting that “almost everybody knows someone who is disabled,” feeling the need to share the possibilities that SIRE can bring to an individual and family.
The SIRE staff members working in the west wing don’t always get to watch clients climb on the backs of their horses or empty sand out of their shoes at the end of the day, but they do get to see SIRE’s impact on its clients. The west wing office is home to two more wonderful women, Sherry Flores and Susan Sanders, who are behind the scenes making sure SIRE stays available for all those who can truly benefit from the therapy of a horse. As administrative assistant, JoAnn works in partnership with the staff to assist with general office and administrative duties. Sherry is the Director of Finance and Technology and is responsible for overseeing the financial operations and for implementing technology solutions at SIRE. Susan, as office assistant, handles client registration and performs general office duties relating to all three SIRE sites.
At the end of the day and after thirteen years with SIRE, JoAnn has seen the many benefits of therapeutic riding and the related activities. “It’s amazing how many people have used horses for therapy. I brag on the horses and tell [people] that our horses are especially trained to be therapists. It takes a very special horse to be a therapy horse.” And it takes very special people to handle all our administrative details. Thank you, JoAnn, Susan, and Sherry!
Thursday • May 9, 2013 • by vcspring
Spring Rider Christi Roberts
Spring site Rider Christi Roberts has been an active member of 4-H for the past seven years. She was awarded two 4-H county scholarships and will attend the VAST Academy in the fall as well as continuing to ride with SIRE. Christi is home schooled and is graduating from high school later this month.
Christi riding Harry at Top Hands
Christi has ridden with SIRE for the past year and has competed in both Top Hands and Special Olympics.
Monday • May 6, 2013 • by sstrawn
Congratulations are in order for SIRE’s equestrian competitors in the Special Olympics this year. In Area 6, several clubs met at the Lone Star Cowboy Church in Montgomery, Texas. Kim Richards, mother of competitor Katherine Richards, says it was a “beautiful venue and the athletes had a great time.” For Area 22, the Richmond State Supported Living Center hosted several more clubs in Special Olympics equestrian competition also in April. (And many thanks to volunteer Carol Mason for her contributing the Fort Bend portion of this post.)
See photos in our gallery and at http://lonestarimages.zenfolio.com/2013sireso, use the passwordsirersso
In Richmond, competitors from Special Friends Equestrian Team of Friendswood, Texas, Turn-N-Burn of Pearland and the Dream Team from Huntington Stables joined riders from SIRE to participate in the fun-filled day. Horses and riders competed in such diverse events as showmanship, barrel racing, trail, western equitation and English equitation. “The balance, the stability and the right communication between the horse and the rider is a key element for success in equestrian sport,” according to the Special Olympics organizers.
Richmond opening ceremonies featured 1LT Ragnar Jamieson, husband of SIRE instructor Renee Jamieson, and his colleague SSG Scott Jarvis, of the Texas National Guard, Unit 136 of the Expeditionary Signal Battalion. We were also pleased to have Officer Pryor and Officer Mann of HPD’s mounted division here for the ceremonies. Angela Dampeer, mother of a SIRE rider, delivered a beautiful and moving rendition of the National Anthem.
SIRE’s Hockley and Spring locations brought 24 riders to the competition in Montgomery. Together, these riders brought home 35 medals; 11 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze. In Richmond, SIRE’s six riders celebrated being awarded 18 medals total; 8 gold, 4 silver and 6 bronze. Scroll down for individual placings.
All in all, we had two beautiful sunny days filled with camaraderie and friendly competition. Congratulations to all of the Special Olympic participants and a big thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible!
Come see the State Special Olympics!
May 17-19, check with your SIRE site for times.
Brazos County Expo Center
5827 Leonard Road, Bryan, TX 77803
Riders have already made their commitments.
Current volunteers can ask about signing up at your respective sites.
| Name |
Eng eq |
West eq |
Trail |
Show. |
Relay |
Poles |
| Alex |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
| Amber H. |
2 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
| Amber J. |
4 |
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
| Archie |
|
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
| Carolyn |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Christie |
2 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Claire |
3 |
|
5 |
|
|
|
| Dana |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
| David |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
| Drew |
|
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
| Garrett |
|
4 |
5 |
|
|
|
| Holly |
|
4 |
2 |
|
|
|
| James |
|
4 |
6 |
|
|
|
| Jessica |
1 |
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
| Kalyn |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Katelyn |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Katherine |
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
| Kevin J. |
|
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
| Kevin M. |
|
4 |
3 |
|
|
|
| Kevyn |
3 |
|
4 |
|
|
|
| Lauren |
4 |
|
5 |
|
|
|
| Leah |
5 |
|
4 |
|
|
|
| Matthew |
|
2 |
5 |
|
|
|
| Micheal |
4 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Nathaniel |
3 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
| Pam |
2 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Sebastiaen |
2 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Sebastian |
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Thomas |
|
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
1 |
| William |
|
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
Friday • April 26, 2013 • by sstrawn
SIRE rider Megan Fry poses with her painting, Beyond the Storm.
We had 200 in attendance for our 2013 SIRE Triple Crown Gala, tons of fabulous entertainment and auction items, a wonderful m.c. in Don Teague, touching testimony by SIRE parent Angela Dampeer, and a great new video – thanks to Kiki Teague. We even had a special surprise from the gala chairs Sandra Cortez and Sabrina Shumsky, an ice sculpture echoing the gala logo presided over by the living statue of a mermaid. But nothing could top the fierce bidding war over a painting by SIRE rider Megan Fry. Earlier, Megan had been cautioned by her parents not to expect a repeat of last year’s SIRE gala, where Megan’s artwork raised $23,500 in the live auction.
Having the artwork to display is miraculous enough. Megan has been severely affected by cerebral palsy since birth and must rely upon assistance to move, to communicate, and to paint. To paint, Megan signals her Dynavox Eyemax with her eyes to select colors and draw the design.
We watched first in excitement and then in awe as our supporters’ bidding almost doubled the take from last year’s painting. “After the Storm,” Megan’s piece for this year’s gala, garnered $40,000. And another of Megan’s paintings sold for an easy $10,000, bringing the total earned by Megan’s artwork for SIRE for the 2013 Triple Crown Gala to $50,000. Not all the bills or checks have arrived. Even so, we estimate the gala will provide $180,000 net for SIRE’s programs.
And if you would like to see more about Megan’s artwork, check her website, http://www.justmyeye.com/
The posed photos by Mary Cooksley are available in our photo gallery. Photos by Tod Gilpin will be available soon.
A huge thank you to all the staff and volunteers who helped with the gala, including our board and the gala committee. A great big round of applause to our gala sponsors, too.
2013 Triple Crown Gala Committee
Sandra Cortez, co-chair
Natalie DeJong
Sherry Flores
Alicia Garcia
Kellye Hall
Diane Heinricks
Lili Kellogg
Bonnie Knowlton
Vida Rhoton
Pat Roddy, honorary co-chair
Sabrina Shumsky, co-chair
Sabrina Strawn
Molly Sweeney
Debbie Sweren
Kelley Wiginton
2013 Triple Crown Gala Sponsors
Gold Crown Sponsor
Nancy & Richard White
Jeweled Crown Sponsors
Bryan & Cheryl Nelson
NuTech Energy Alliance
Page International Communications
Texas Business Theatre
Iron Crown Sponsors
John and Sharon Beck
The Robert & Janice McNair Foundation
Dan and Leah Peed
Robert Creasy & Patricia Roddy
TGS
Tiara Sponsors
Joyce Blackburn
EP Energy E&P Company, L.P.
Cody and Gloria Hogue
Guy and Judy Hunter
Lockton Companies
John and Jane Mancuso
Dan and Leah Peed
Shannon Fine Jewelry
Sabrina and Matt Shumsky
Jan and Thomas Simmons
Brent and Kathy Smolik
Molly Sweeney
Dinner Underwriter
Jim and Jane Wise
Invitation Underwriter
Geospace Technologies
Decorations Underwriter
Dixie Chemical
Thursday • April 25, 2013 • by sstrawn
Thank you to all our sponsors, guests, volunteers, and donors! All had a great time at the gala. Just three live auction items raised a combined $100,000 for SIRE’s programs. Stay tuned for photos and more.
Thursday • April 18, 2013 • by sstrawn
Issue in PDF form, RSSLC Community spring-2013
Tuesday • April 16, 2013 • by sstrawn
We belong to an extraordinarily generous community, with hundreds of companies and individuals donating items for the gala. We’ve logged in nearly 250 auction items! You will be able to get some amazing bargains and support SIRE at the same time.
Don’t forget our online auction, too!
Big Board Items
1) Port Aransas house ($855 value)
• 1 weekend 2 night stay at a 2-2 beach house that sleeps 8
• Enjoy beachcombing, sunbathing, swimming, fishing, dolphin-watching, parasailing, museums, the U.S.S. Lexington, and the Texas State Aquarium.
2) Brian Cushing Autographed Football ($250 value)
• Houston Texans defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, has called Cushing a “holy phenom … one of the best I’ve ever coached.”
3) Hermès Scarf ($700 value)
• Pristine 1985 Hermès jacquard silk 35-inch square scarf entitled ‘Fantaisies Indiennes’
• Dubbed the perfect gift by Esquire, Hermès scarves have been worn by Grace Kelly, the Queen of England, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O and even Miley Cyrus.
4) Coal Vines Wine Dinner for 8 ($800 value) in Sugarland
• Lake Pointe Parkway and U.S. 59 in Sugarland
• Chef Steve Marques will create a custom 5-course dinner for you & seven guests.
5) Spirit of America Limited Edition Bronze Sculpture by Laran Ghiglieri ($27,000 value)
• 29″ x 14″ x 11″
6) Tie one on with LUCHO ($3780 value)
• One tie per month for 12 months and wardrobe consultation.
• LUCHO is an Italian boutique located in Houston’s Uptown Park
7) Water Fowl Hunt at Thunderbird Hunting Club ($690 value)
• One day and one night excursion for 2 near El Campo, guided by Chris Cool, SIRE board member
8) Goode Company Party at your place ($750 value)
• Barbeque for 50 valid within 50 miles radius of downtown Houston
9) Rockport Fishing Adventure ($680 value)
• Guided trip for three with Coastal Conservation Association Texas Assistant Director and local fishing expert, John Blaha
10) Custom oil painting ($2,000 value)
• An award winning artist, Hollee Clawater specializes in painting portraits of people and animals and landscapes capturing unique moments in time. Her work is a mixture of realism of the subject and impressionism in the backgrounds.
Live Auction Items
1) Venice, Louisiana Fishing trip ($1500 value)
• 2 mornings, 1 night guided by CCA Louisiana Executive Director David Cresson
2) 4 Diamond Club Seats to Astros game ($1595 value)
• Closer to the catcher than the pitcher! Includes buffet dinner, drink service at your seat and VIP parking pass.
3) A Week of Skiing in Lake Tahoe ($4100 value)
• One-week stay at the Marriot Grand Residence December 27, 2013- January 3, 2014
• Sleeps up to 6 and air fare for 2 by Southwest Airlines
4) “Beyond the Storm” by Megan Fry (priceless)
• 14-year-old Megan Fry, a SIRE client since the age of 3, uses her eyes to create fabulous artwork about what’s important in her world. 26×30 painting framed on canvas
5) Sommelier Wine and Cheese Experience in Napa Valley ($4310 value)
• 3-Night Stay at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
• Airfare for 2
6) Tequila Tasting for 10 at LUCHOS in Uptown Park ($1900 value)
• Enjoy the upscale setting of an Italian boutique menswear salon with a Latin flair.
7) Zulu Nyala South African Trip ($4950 value)
- • Luxury Accommodations for 6 days and 6 nights at Zulu Nyala Luxury Safari Camp or Heritage Game Lodge in South Africa
- • 3 delicious meals per day prepared by the finest international chefs with an African flavor
Monday • April 15, 2013 • by sstrawn
by Carol Mason
seated, Steven Schulz and Derrick Perkins wait to ride in the SIRE Fort Bend Grand Opening
Derrick Perkins is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has been riding with SIRE for five years. Joelle Devlin, to whom Derrick affectionately refers as the “drill sergeant”, was initially his instructor at the Fort Bend Sienna Stables site. Anthony Busacca taught him for two years at the Hockley site and now Renee Jamieson and Jen Donahue are helping to refine his riding skills at the new Fort Bend site. In that time, he has made tremendous progress with both his physical conditioning and his horsemanship.
Derrick sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident while in the Air Force and when he started with SIRE, he was unable to sit upright and had virtually no balance once he was out of his wheelchair and onto a horse. However, Derrick is a very courageous and determined man and in June of 2008 he set his sights on the Top Hands Horse Show which was to take place in February, 2009. He did indeed participate in that show, winning a 2nd place ribbon in trail and placing 6th in equitation. With those victories, Derrick caught the horse show bug!
He participated in his second Top Hands Horse Show the following year, taking 2nd place in trail and 2nd in equitation. In the Top Hands show in February, 2013, Derrick captured 1st place in English equitation and 2nd place in trail. Way to go, Derrick!
Derrick has now set his sights toward competing on a wider stage, successfully transitioning to para-equestrian events. In April of 2012, he achieved international classification with the International Equestrian Federation. In addition to his riding with SIRE, Derrick has been making the trek to Dallas twice a month to work with Kai Handt, an internationally renowned trainer at the North Texas Equestrian Center in association with the US Para-Equestrian Association. Derrick’s hard work has really paid off; on the weekend of April 5-7, 2013, he competed in the Texas Dressage Classic at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler. Derrick took three blue ribbons in three different classes aboard NTEC’s Richter Scale – quite an achievement!
Derrick riding NTEC’s Richter Scale
Derrick is looking forward to several exciting events. In May, he plans to attend a clinic in Maine to train with international judges. In addition, he’s been preparing for his first international competition, which will take place in California in June.
Derrick has a couple of long-term goals too. He plans to compete in the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France. Another important goal is participation in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. Derrick believes that his US Para-Equestrian coach Kai Handt, an internationally renowned trainer at the North Texas Equestrian Center, is the best there is. Derrick credits the staff, volunteers, and horses at SIRE – Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers for laying a solid foundation and helping to refine his horsemanship. In addition, Derrick is pleased to work with his US Para-Equestrian coach Kai Handt, an internationally renowned trainer at the North Texas Equestrian Center. Derrick also wishes to thank the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Operation Rebound for their continued financial support. Para-Equestrian is an expensive sport and Derrick could not participate without sponsors like Kai Handt, CAF Operation Rebound, and SIRE. Derrick has been working hard to reach this level of excellence, and we at Fort Bend SIRE have no doubt he will be successful.
