2017 5th
Anniversary Spring Equestrian Retreat – A Journal
If you have wondered what the Spring Equestrian Retreat is
like or what goes into creating such an event then this journal is for you.
Read along and share the adventure!
EVENT HISTORY &
CULTURE: This event was first
organized by Michael and Laurie as an activity for The Golden State
Horsemanship Club in 2012. The idea was to have a multi-day event where members
of the group could do a little horse training, have some fun experiences, enjoy
good food and good fellowship and perhaps try something new while relaxing and
recharging themselves. The culture of the group, since its creation in 2011 has
been one of support, learning, inspiration and courtesy. This is the fourth
year (2017) we have opened this to the “public” and as such we want YOU, the
attendees, to be aware and prepared to support the ideals of this event and to
embrace them over the weekend. This is a “team” event, meaning that we all work
together to make the event fun and successful.
IN THE PREVIOUS MONTHS: We have sold this event out to capacity three
times in the past several months. In fact we were FILLED the first time (ie: no
more spaces) within the first two weeks of promoting the event! Life happens
and folks have had to cancel here and there but for the most part we have
stayed at capacity! This is a good thing!
We have planned out activities, changed our minds, crafted
menus, changed the menus, settled on the menus. Shopped like crazy for cool
raffle prizes, figured out what type of beer and cider will go in the Beer
Truck, got the super nice commemorative glasses ordered and explored many ways
to take the FUN to new levels…without breaking the bank!
Finally we come down to the final week before the event…
THIS WEEK: It is
all about shopping to FEED everyone! It is all about PACKING all the things! It
is all about ANSWERING all the “last minute” questions! It is all about
logistics and organization and COOKING and preparations and…well you get the
picture.
Add into this joyful chaos this crazy little thing call
LIFE! Dealing with automobile repair issues, school projects (Michael is
working on his MBA), traveling for work, PROMOTION at work, family demands,
domestic demands and…again, you get the picture.
Thursday is the BIG PACKING/LAST MINUTE ERRANDS DAY. Early
Friday morning “Retreat One” heads off to Bar SZ Ranch to being set-up! Friday
afternoon “Retreat Two” leaves for the site with the remaining supplies in tow.
The WEATHER looks to be great all weekend! The food will be
awesome and the activities will be FUN! Since this is our 5th
Anniversary Event we are pretty jazzed! Looking forward to making new friends,
seeing old friends and creating some grand memories!
Ronan and Michael- Getting ready for the Retreat! Also trying a bosal for the first time.
DAY 1 (Friday):
The “staff” of Laurie, Mark and Nicole arrived on site about 12:00pm and
working with the Bar SZ Ranch team began the process of event set up,
registration and helping to get the incoming guests situated with housing (both
horse and human), meal prep team assignments and more. It is always happy chaos
with a tad bit of drama mixed in just for giggles. Still, we get through it
with creativity and style. Good times.
Friday night we had a great pasta dinner. Folks were HUNGRY
and we actually ran low on pasta and sauces. Note to self: We have never have
too much pasta or sauce. We covered some basic “ranch rules” and event
announcements, sold some commemorative glasses (gets you beer/cider all
weekend) and generally enjoyed the campfire by DOC’S BAR with some fine
fellowship and good country music. The “horse junkies” in the group took
advantage of the lighted/covered arena and rode for a while. The evening
wrapped up close to midnight and folks headed off to bed.
Always a good time!
DAY 2 (Saturday):
Breakfast casserole was a hit! We set up the Adventure Poker Ride and got the
City Slicker Cattle Drive groups set up. There was a mini workshop on
Foundational Communication (90 minutes), Knife/ Axe Throwing got moving along,
and got our “horse rental” folks all squared away. Then Group #1 headed out to
play with the cows! Bridge crossings, major water crossings (like up to your
stirrups in places) and lots of laughter happened as folks moved the herd
around. The Adventure Poker Ride also kicked off and folks rode the Ranch
following clues and picking up their cards. Yes, all of this BEFORE lunch! It
was a pretty full morning!
Ranch House Chili was the feature for lunch. It too seemed
to be a hit. Then Group #2 headed out to bring the cows in for Team
Sorting/Penning later in the day. Tim, Michael, Colton and neighbor Tanner (a
Champion in the Roping world) went out and finished building fences and setting
up gates to complete the cattle corral/arena area. The Gun Range got going and
had lots of folks shooting a variety of firearms. Impromptu Roping workshops
happened as did some arena work and general socializing at Doc’s Bar. The Beer
Truck had Coor’s Light, Blue Moon and Angry Orchard Cider on tap. Helped to
slake everyone’s thirst for sure!
Did we mention the awesome trails? With over 600 acres to
play on the trails were very popular!
Dinner was a Pot Pie Casserole which folks seemed to enjoy.
Music, a little dancing under the starts and lots of laughter happened. A
western themed Poker Game happened and the FOURTEEN Raffle Prizes got laid out
for inspection. The night wrapped up a little earlier as folks were tired from
a very full day.
Here are just a few pictures....
DAY 3 (Sunday):
Another day in horsey heaven! Breakfast was a classic. Pancakes, sausage and
all the fixings! Great way to start the day! More trail rides, more cattle
drive groups, a mini workshop on Quiet Control (90 minutes). Knife/axe
throwing, the gun range, billiards, darts and LOTS more of the same awesomeness
that Saturday brought to the event. It was a good morning. We had a cow give
birth to a new calf on Saturday. On Sunday it was noted that Mamma Cow was not
taking care of her baby as well as needed. So we brought the calf in, made sure
it was healthy, gave it some nutrition and later in the day reintroduced to the
herd. In between everyone got to love on “Norman” the calf.
Lunch was a taco bar! This year we had marinated (and slow
cooked) pulled pork carnitas and chicken ranchero along with all the fixings. After
lunch the fun started all over again! Folks could do as much or as little as
they wished! Folks really put some miles on their horses!
Then it was the BBQ DINNER! We had THIRTY pounds of mesquite
marinated tri-tip and THIRTY pounds of teriyaki chicken that was slow grilled
over oak wood coals! Sweet corn on the cob….and BEER! Did we mention the BEER
TRUCK? The truck holds kegs and folks could purchase a cool commemorative glass
and have access to ice cold beer all weekend long! We had Blue Moon, Angry
Orchard Cider and Coors Light (we did come home with some Coors Light however).
It seemed a popular feature of the weekend.
We had the Raffle! We have 14 PRIZES to raffle off. It was
fun. Folks hung out and socialized late into the evening (this happens every
year) and the bonds of fellowship were solidified.
It was a good time!
DAY 4 (Monday):
Breakfast burritos started the day off! We announced the three best hands from
the adventure poker ride and gave away PRIZES! Then folks went off for final
rides all over the ranch. Some knife/axe throwing happened and generally
everyone had a mellow morning. Folks also began to pack down and prep for their
journey home.
Lunch was a grab-bag affair with some fun featured items and some
leftovers from the weekend. After lunch the major exodus off the property began
in earnest. By 3:00pm most everyone had sad their goodbyes and hit the trail
homeward. By 4:00pm the Team (Laurie, Nicole and I) said our goodbyes to the
Borelands and we headed home.
Always a bittersweet day, Monday. Folks hate to go but they
look forward to the next year!
Plans are already underway for the 2018 Spring Equestrian
Retreat! Ranch costs of 2018 are going up a bit (like by $2000.00) but we are
doing our best to keep the single and family package prices as low as we can
and still cover all the expenses. Surveys have (and will continue to) go out to
past Retreat Attendees so we can gather feedback.
The struggle is not to host a
great equestrian vacation event, it is to do so under $500.00 a person! When
you look and unfun things like budget (ranch rental, food, prizes, insurance,
clean-up crew costs and so on) and then you want to add stuff like Clinicians
(who have to be paid mind you) it is super easy to blow right past the cost
consideration. We spend LOTS of REAL VALUABLE TIME preparing and then marketing
this event. We will do our best to keep costs low so stay with us, help out by
getting in your surveys and support the Retreat as best you can!
Looking forward to 2018!
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