REGION 2
Amy Star
Hi fellow WE enthusiasts! Our R2 Director, Amy Star (thank you so much, Amy!), asked for a little something about Bay Area Working Equitation (BAWE). We are an Affiliate Organization based in Santa Cruz, California and attract people from south of San Francisco down to Monterey.
We started with two goals: To bring Working Equitation to the Santa Cruz area and to provide resources for others to start up WE wherever they are. BAWE started in 2023, and our Facebook group has grown to 800 members.
Our first year we did three playdays to introduce local people to the sport. Some stuck with it, and some just had a whole lot of fun for the day. We also had beginner-oriented clinics. Facebook posts included things like little tips from Ali Kermeen and tidbits from the rule book.
This year, we tried to expand the experience a little bit. We hosted a great 3-day clinic followed by a schooling show, all under the management of Ali Kermeen. Add a garrocha clinic, two more WE clinics, and an upcoming second schooling show to round out the 2024 calendar.
Over the past year and a half, we somehow put together a full set of WE obstacles!
We also hosted a booth at Western States Horse Expo. The booth was generously donated by Ali Kermeen, who was doing WE clinics and demos at the Expo. Many people in the area knew of WE, were interested, but just had no resources or direction as to how to begin. I am hoping that as a coordinated Region 2, we can help these people! How do we help them get things started at home, or at a local club or barn, before having the commitment to pay for a clinician to come out? Online education, resources, connect with others who are also interested? Here’s to hoping that we can all work together to bring new people in at a grassroots level!
Feel free to contact Darren Hawks at bayareaworkingequitation@gmail.com if you are looking for more information.
