Florida Sport Horse Club

We’ve gotten into the habit of reviewing our ended club year in August, just to track our activities. COVID-19 put a damper on many of our usual pursuits, but the club still had an active year. Interested in joining us? Visitors are encouraged to ride out with us a few times to see if our club suits their styles; individual memberships are $15.

We welcomed 18 new or lapsed-and-returning members

The Club participated in Community Activities/Work Parties:

1. 15 members trimmed the Tenoroc trails on August 24
2.  Members worked with SWFWMD on the Hampton Tract’s trail and parking issues; the parking lot has, after many years, been upgraded to a usable surface
3. There was a strong turn-out for the annual Friends of Colt Creek public meeting (January)
4. We organized and ran Colt Creek State Park’s first “Veterans Day Mounted Scavenger Hunt” on November 9, 2019, which won the Florida State Parks “Outstanding Special Event” in the state.
5. 11 members educated an estimated 1800 Polk County 2^nd graders about horses at the January 16 “Water Wings & Wild Things” event at Circle B Bar.
6. The club supported the Osceola Trail Ride through the purchase of an ad in its program.
7. We worked to convince the Lake Louisa State Park manager that the wooden bridge needed to be replaced, and donated funds for materials; 7 members painted a textured surface on the rebuilt bridge in June.
8. The club donated 4 gallons each of Simple Green Deck and Fence concentrate to Lake Louisa and Colt Creek State Parks
9. Members gave pony rides at:
   1.  Colt Creek’s February 8^th “Animal Day”
   1. Bunch Ranch “Day without Disabilities on March 7

3 of the monthly meetings hosted speakers:             

• Detective Jay Scarborough (February) on how to protect our horses & property
• Member Del Jones (May) trailer safety
• Member Janet Del Castillo (July) loading green horses

Other Activities:

1. Instituted year-round dine-arounds which were well attended pre-pandemic
2. Made name badges for all members
3. Club campout held at Colt Creek
4. Began a club library (Karen Turbeville, librarian)
5. Had the club’s first (and second) private cow sorting clinics at JM Farms, Plant City
6. Named our first “Trail-Boss-In-Training” (Del Jones)
7. Appointed 2 club campout coordinators (Barbara Lassiter & Karen Turbeville)
8. Awarded lifetime memberships to Bobby Hancock and Harold Williams
9. Increased Facebook followers from 513 on July 30, 2019 to 830 on July 31, 2020.