SYV Therapeutic Riding Program Cowboy Ball

Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program is excited to announce that it will be hosting its annual Cowboy Ball fundraising event on Saturday, August 26th, at 5:00 pm at the beautiful Foxen Canyon Ranch. Join us for a fabulous dinner, wine, live band, rider demonstrations, and an auction celebrating healing through horses in the Santa Ynez Valley. Parking is provided by Fess Parker Winery.

Chef Brett Stephen of High on the Hog will prepare a signature top sirloin dinner accompanied by local wine and a selection of local beers from Figueroa Mountain Brew Co. There will be live music by Christina Barnes and David Ochoa.

Auction items include a Hollister Ranch beach horseback ride for six that includes a photographer, a five-night Colorado vacation stay, a private cooking class provided by Chef Daniel Milian, a horseback ride at the beautiful El Rancho Arbolado with outriders and a picnic lunch, wine, dinners, and so much more. Several wonderful cakes will also be auctioned off, including delicious treats from the Baker’s Table, It’s the Sweet Stuff, New Frontiers, Patti Bakes, and Solvang Bakery.

Board President, Vicki Wedmore, has been volunteering as a year-round mucker and feeder for almost five years. “I see the difference this program makes every day with our students, and as a volunteer, I am privileged to help such a worthy cause. As a horse owner, I truly see how wonderful and unique therapeutic horses are and how much good they do for adults and children in this community.”

The fundraising event is the organization’s annual major fundraiser, and this year marks 30 years of offering the local community the power of healing through horses. Shelby Hughes of the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation will be honored at the event for her years of generous support.

Proceeds from the Cowboy Ball allow the nonprofit to provide scholarships to low-income students, continue to provide services to those in the community with mental or physical challenges, help fund the cost of the herd, and help keep the facility running smoothly. The program serves individuals of all ages and varying abilities, including those with cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, autism, Down syndrome, and more. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Special thanks to our wonderful event sponsors: Wood-Claeyssens, Montecito Bank and Trust, Kingfisher Farms, Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, Rio Vista Chevrolet, Mechanics Bank, Charlotte’s, Coast Hills Credit Union, Jose Villa Photography, Lieff Wines, and Jordano’s.

Tickets for the Cowboy Ball event are $150 and include wine, local beers, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and lots of fun. For tickets and event details, visit www.syvtherapeuticriding.org/events.

For more information, contact Jillian Knight at jillian@syvtherapeuticriding.org.

Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program serves northern Santa Barbara County and is a PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) Intl. premier accredited center that partners with horses to provide equine-assisted services for children and adults with physical, learning, social, behavioral and emotional challenges — regardless of their ability to pay. More than 50 students attend the riding program each week.