PRESS RELEASE
SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship Purchases 40-acre Fort Bend County Property, Achieves Strategic Goal of Two Premiere Training Centers
Rider Classes Commence Sept. 10; Grand Opening Celebration Set for Oct. 23
FULSHEAR, TEXAS (Aug. 26, 2021)—Realizing another milestone in its comprehensive strategic plan, the SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship Board of Directors today announced the purchase of a 40-acre equine property, which will serve as the nonprofit’s permanent home in Fort Bend County. Along with the current capital improvements underway at SIRE’s Spring, Texas, site, this new acquisition becomes the second of two preeminent educational sites.
Located in Fulshear, Texas, the bucolic locale features three barns with hot/cold washing racks, grooming stalls and tack and feed rooms and over 20 acres of fenced pastures. There are also two arenas, which will afford flexibility in SIRE’s scheduling of its two primary teaching programs: therapeutic horsemanship rider lessons and equine-assisted ground programs, each of which utilize the assistance of the horse in a different manner. The 20,000 square foot covered arena includes lighting, sound system and dressage mirrors.
SIRE—a nonprofit devoted to improving the quality of life for people with special needs through therapeutic horsemanship activities—approved its comprehensive five-year strategic plan in May of 2019, with a target of establishing two state-of-the-art facilities to serve as permanent training centers by June of 2022.
“With the purchase of this Fulshear property and the tremendous donor generosity that enables us to expand our Spring facility, SIRE has found its forever home” said Joe Wappelhorst, SIRE Executive Director. “We are ahead of our timeline and excited to commit to these two marvelous facilities. Bolstering the quality of our infrastructure is a critical piece in our strategic plan. We will leverage our investment to continue to attract elite-level professionals and deliver life-changing therapeutic and educational programing.”
In June, SIRE broke ground on the LGI Homes Education and Visitors Center generously underwritten by LGI Homes as part of a $3.5 million capital campaign to improve infrastructure and expand services at its Spring site. To date, SIRE has received gifts and pledges for the Spring site renovations of more than $3 million, including a generous $900,000 challenge grant from the Mabee Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to support construction.
SIRE will hold its first day of fall classes at the new Fort Bend facility Sept. 10. A Grand Opening event is set for Oct. 23, 2021, in conjunction with SIRE’s iconic annual fundraiser Saddle up for SIRE. For more information, click here or contact Beth Burroway, 281-414-4830.
Who is SIRE?
The mission of SIRE is to improve the quality of life for people with special needs through therapeutic horsemanship activities, therapies and educational outreach. A nonprofit organization founded in 1983, SIRE is recognized by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International as a Premier Accredited Center and serves almost 300 riders in weekly lesson programs. At two Houston-area facilities—in Fulshear and Spring, Texas—SIRE owns and maintains more than 30 therapy horses and conducts specialized instructor training. The most common diagnosis for riders served is autism. Although riders’ ages range from three years to senior citizens, the greatest percentage of riders is children. SIRE also has a strong connection with the military and wounded veterans. For more information about SIRE, visit www.sirehouston.org or call 281-356-7588. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.