Area horse club reinvigorated by former, new members
Seven-year-old Ginger Taylor showing her pony, Sonny, in 1988.
… and showing her new horse Dezi at her first show after a 20-year hiatus in October 2021
Ginger (Taylor) Gladkowski says that showing horses was “the foundation of her childhood confidence.”
“The earliest memories I have riding horses are from when I was four,” she recalls. “I had a tiny, one-eyed Shetland pony that I rode all over our property. My parents tell me that one day I told them to let go of the reins because I wanted to do it all by myself. And I never looked back.”
When the Taylor family moved to Manchester in 1989, Ginger was eight and already had been showing at open and 4-H shows for almost four years. Her parents stumbled on the Spur of the Moment Horse Club show circuit. This “hidden gem” on Esch Road had a white fenced arena and announcer booth at a sharp turn in the dirt road. It was known as White’s Arena and had been owned by a woman by the name of Anne White since the mid-1970s. The club continued on, led by volunteer members and thriving through sponsorships until it was stalled (sorry, I couldn’t help it!) by the pandemic in 2020.
Most horse shows consist of a series of competitions, called classes, where a group of equestrians perform on or alongside their horses that have similar training, discipline, or breed characteristics to compete against one another for awards and, sometimes, prize money.
Spur was a small but well-attended show with many very loyal regulars, so it was easy to get close to your fellow competitors and make friends. “Showing at Spur throughout my childhood ended up being pivotal years in my life, because of the friends I made and the trainers/mentors I had learned from along the way,” Ginger says. “I have stayed connected to many of them to this day, even during the years I didn’t own horses.”
As the show started to outgrow “White’s Arena,” it eventually relocated to the Chelsea Fairgrounds in the 90s. “This was a much better set up for these shows and it drew larger crowds,” Ginger recalls. “The show eventually relocated a couple more times before the pandemic. There were no Spur shows in 2020 and 2021, and the board at that time dissolved. So it was up to interested parties to revive it.”
That revival started with a general inquiry, back in December, from Ginger’s trainer, Casey Davies-Lloyd, on the Spur Facebook page about whether or not there would be 2022 show dates. From that one inquiry, came
Spur board member Lisa LaRoe and her daughter, Amanda, riding Nelson at a Spur show around 2011.
“a ton” of interest from previous members in attending Spur shows if they were going to happen.
Sadira Clarke, another long time Spur show attendee, reached out to Casey and things started to happen. Sadira and Casey initially did quite a bit of the homework on sourcing and logistics; they got more people interested in planning, organizing, sponsoring, and volunteering, and a Zoom meeting of all volunteers was held in mid-January. A venue was agreed on, three show dates were established, a draft budget was discussed, and a list of additional needs were created.
“The meeting attendees were such a great mix of backgrounds, knowledge, and connections,” Ginger enthuses. “We all divided and conquered right away. Within the first couple weeks, we had show dates booked, horse judges confirmed, a new Facebook page created, a new website and email address. Within the first month, we publicly shared the final showbill, fees, rules, and a Sponsorship form, and booked food trucks for all show dates.
“The planning committee is feeling very good with where we are at in just two months’ time. The first show date, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds on Ann Arbor Saline Road, is May 21; now it’s crunch time to get as many sponsorships as possible as there are so many up-front expenses prior to that first show.”
The group also elected officers: Casey Davies-Lloyd, President, Lisa LaRoe, Vice President; Ginger Gladkowski, Secretary (and back-up treasurer); Sadira Clarke and Sandi Naebeck, Treasurers; and Trail Czar, Amy Creteau.
The board’s plan is to “take the show back to its roots as a welcoming local show in a positive and fun atmosphere,” and that’s exactly what they intend to do. Their affordable and low-pressure format includes one-day shows, and a “Show Clothing Optional” choice. Ginger adds, “These are the perfect shows for people just starting out who don’t have the time or money to throw together complete show outfits. Additionally, horse shows can be on really hot summer days. So this also provides flexibility in their wardrobes such as less layers and even short sleeves. The only caveat to this is that all required safety gear is still a must. The shows will follow Michigan 4-H rules, which means helmets are required for ages 8 and under and proper riding footwear must be worn by all exhibitors.”
Spur board member Casey Davies-Lloyd and her son Luke in a Leadline class with their horse, Lacy, in 2021.
The shows, which are scheduled for two Saturdays — May 21 and July 9, and one Sunday — August 14, will include both children and adults, with special “Open” classes for all ages and a single division for 19 and over. Currently many of the participants are Spur alumni who now have children of their own showing. Some of the adults still show, while others are now supporting their children’s show career. Since most of them started out local, they are primarily from the Washtenaw County area. But over the years, it has drawn exhibitors from two hours away or more.
All of this time and volunteer effort are a great value to a club that is re-starting after a two-year hiatus, but there isn’t any nest egg on which they can fall back. That’s where sponsorships come in.
“We need our local community’s help to pull this off,” said Ginger. “Sponsorships are essential to make this all come together, especially for this year. Each sponsorship will help fund the forward momentum, ideas, and goals this planning committee has been working so hard towards, and the community has been rallying behind. Additionally, becoming a sponsor will help promote your business during the 2022 show season.”
The group hopes to attract exhibitors from near and far, to a well-organized, well-attended, competitive, yet fun and positive show experience for families. With just three show dates this season, the goal is to offer more dates next year and in years to come, along with year-end awards, (where more community business advertising opportunities will be possible).
How can you support the Spur of the Moment Horse Club? Visit spurhorseshows.org, follow them on Instagram @spur_horse_club, or find them on Facebook at @spurhorseshows. You’ll find the showbill for this summer’s events, sponsorship forms, and information to become part of this long-standing tradition here in Washtenaw County.
Spur board member Sadira Clarke’s daughter, Aurelia, showing off her first place ribbons at a Spur show
Spur alum Connie Ledwidge shared this photo of herself (center) at a show held in 1986 at White’s Arena with her horse, Char.
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