General Posts

• State Special Olympics 2013 All eyes were on the Brazos Valley Expo May 18th and 19th as 10 exhibitors demonstrated their best riding skills for the judges. Local media came too, resulting in a wonderful piece featuring Spring rider Katherine Richards, her horse Harry and trainer Shayna Bolton. Congratulations to the following SIRE riders, who won five gold medals, six ...
• Wotan, is that you?! Hootie, at 30, is SIRE’s oldest horse. Below is a story written by one of our instructors regarding him. You can also see an adorable video with Hootie and one of SIRE’s riders on our Youtube channel. By Mary Craft Nepute In 1994 I had to sell my horse for the usual reasons. My situation had abruptly ...
• Willow Creek Elementary School Field Trip As the sun came up over the trees of Hockley, a Tomball ISD school bus drove up the driveway at SIRE, full of excited students and teachers from Willow Creek Elementary. (See the bus* and lots more pictures in our photo gallery.) The students were from a special education class of kindergarteners through fourth graders. ...
• 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 ...
• 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.
• 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 ...
• 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 ...