Please join us in welcoming Red Colt's new resident caretakers, Elise Marquis and Graham Dube! Elise and Graham moved in at the end of April, and we are thrilled to have them join our team. Over the past year there has been a fair amount of upheaval at the barn with co-op members pulling in different directions, as well as caretakers who have allowed the property to decline and worse, neglected to properly care for the horses.
However, the horses are sleek and healthy and the property is looking great again, thanks to the efforts of our new caretakers plus all the volunteers who have come out for work parties. Amongst those volunteers I'd particularly like to thank our equipment manager Ben Davies who has been a huge help in tirelessly running work parties. You rock, Ben! With a trimmed down and refocussed co-op board we are now dedicated to making Red Colt the premier Mounted Combat destination in BC, as well as an all-round awesome place to ride and board your horse. Here are some of the things we're looking forward to this year:
Mounted Combat Playday
Come on out to our June playday and put your skills to work with mounted games, sparring, and archery. This one starts a little later, to take advantage of evening light and let you make your way down from the Vancouver Martial Challenge that wraps up on Sunday. Volunteers are greatly appreciated, and spectators welcome at no charge!
Mounted Combat Playday
Sunday 5 June 5pm - 8pm
cost: $15 + $15 for borrowed horse
specatators: free
Friday Clinics
Friday evening clinics will return in June, beginning with Mounted Games on June 10th. Each clinic will feature a different equine activity, such as Mounted Sparring, Prix Fiore, Cross Country, Dressage, etc. More details to come!
Sundays 6:30 - 8pm
cost: $60 +gst
More Riding & Horsemanship Classes
Starting June 13th we will be running Monday evening Riding & Horsemanship classes. Saturdays will resume in July, and in the last weeks of summer we'll run classes on Mondays and Thursdays to prep you for Carosella 2016!
Mondays 13 Jun - 18 Jul
Saturdays 16 Jul - 20 Aug
Mondays/Thursdays 22 Aug - 8 Sep
Intro to Mounted Combat
Back by popular demand, this 3-hour workshop will introduce you to grooming and handling horses, riding, and swordplay from the ground and horseback. The perfect way to start the summer!
Sunday 3 July
Horseback Archery
Robert will be back on July 17th for another fabulous day of Horseback Archery. This is the last workshop before Carosella and they tend to fill up, so sign up soon!
Carosella 2016
Three fabulous days of Mounted Combat, Archery and Games! The dates have been set for September 9th - 11th. Registration isn't yet open, but you can look at last year's schedule to get an idea of what's on offer, and start planning your training now.
A New Fuzzy Face
And finally, we're hoping to see Flavie's flanks grow larger this year with the end result of a brand new Canadian foal at Red Colt in 2017, and we're asking for your help to make it a reality. If you can spare some change, please consider contributing to Flavie's maternity fund, and help make her a mother one last time!
Jennifer Landels heads up Academie Duello's Cavaliere Program. She has been swordfighting since 2008, and riding since before she could walk. She started the program as an excuse to combine those passions. Read more from Jennifer Landels.