BRAVE HEARTS!

The inaugural Brave Hearts event took place on Sunday, June 22, under beautiful weather conditions. The equestrian segment commenced early in the morning. Kris Vollrath secured first place in Ranch Rail, followed by Greg Valenti in second place, and Kate Adams in third place. In the Ranch Obstacle category, Virg Jimenez achieved first place, Kris Vollrath came in second, Greg Valenti placed third, and Roberta Coons secured fourth place.

Special recognition is extended to Marcia Gagnon, Kris Vollrath, Angelique LeVell and the Brave Hearts Committee for their exceptional organization of this event. Special thanks as well to Judge Diana Goddard and Ring Steward Karen Magdaleno. Karen Magdaleno also led us in prayer and sang the National Anthem beautifully. We appreciate all the riders who contributed to making this event remarkable.

The Brave Hearts Community Open House was also a resounding success, with strong attendance from members of the community. Food trucks served tasty food, kids enjoyed fun games, and horse tours attracted many people. Band Palomino did a fabulous job entertaining the crowd in the Horses with Heart arena.

We acknowledge the involvement of first responders, active military personnel, and Veterans in the event. An Honor Parade was held to recognize all first responders and military branches. The event was organized by Kris Vollrath, with Amanda Marsh of the Eric Marsh Foundation serving as the honorary leader of the parade. Arizona Rangers, including Mickey Kissell and Bill Arsenault, provided security through both foot patrols and horseback mounted units. Chino Valley Police Department, Chino Valley Fire District Station 62, and Priority Ambulance also participated in the event with their staff and vehicles.

Finally, we extend our deepest gratitude to Captain David Stopke of the Arizona Troopers for his attendance and participation at the Brave Hearts Community Open House. Captain Stopke and several Troopers brought multiple patrol vehicles and set up an information booth. Additionally, they led our Honor Parade carrying the American Flag. We appreciate their support and all they contribute to our community.

Also acknowledged are the support of the following sponsors and other supporters: Dusty Spitler for being a fabulous Master of Ceremonies; Findlay Subaru for their ongoing commitment to Horses with Heart; APS for donating several exceptional raffle prizes; Sandy and Garth Owens with Drill Tech for providing an electric bike as a raffle prize, the event beverages and equipment; Becky Davidson for her help in scheduling the band Palomino; Debra Hrynyk with WC Marketing Designs; HG and C Landscaping; Archer Bike; the Fraternal Order of Police; Helen Collins; Debi and Mark Covington, Angelique LeVell; Kay Lyons; Sutton King; Landry King; Jill Underwood; Margaret Kilian; Chelsea Barth; Cheryl Minnick; Parker Minnick; Bonnie Moreau; Laura Jaramillo; Winkie Robb; Ellen Arkin; Sandy Meadowcroft; Russ Miller; Renee Miller; Debbie and Steve Hutchens; Marcia and Lee Gagnon; Sherry and Russ Hoover; Kate and Mark Adams; Aireal Dallam; Kristina McConnell; Lynn and Greg Valenti; Kimberly Christie; Dwayne Toombs; the HWH Board of Directors; and the Brave Hearts Committee members and other Horses with Heart volunteers who dedicated numerous hours of their assistance and deserve our sincerest thanks.

Gratefully,
Anne Spiess, HwH Executive Director

Parade News

The Horses with Heart entry to Prescott Frontier Days Parade is well underway - and just wait to see what the team came up with this year! It’s not too late to ride in the Haywagon, or walk with our entry! If you would like to join us in the parade on July 5th, please email Sherry Hoover at sherryhwh@gmail.com or sign up in the HwH office.

Summer Clinics and Trainings

We will be offering several Clinics and Trainings this summer. Have you ever wanted to learn the basics of ASL (American Sign Language)? Our wonderful volunteer Sue Stephenson will be teaching us some basics on Wednesday, August 5th from 6:00 - 7:00 pm in the Horses with Heart office. Spaces are limited, so please sign up by emailing Sherry Hoover at sherryhwh@gmail.com.

We will also be holding a CPR & First Aide class Wednesday July 23rd at 11:00 at Horses with Heart! If you wish to attend, please follow this link to sign up: **PRIVATE CLASS** CPR/AED & First Aid for Horses with Heart - Adventure Medics

Stay tuned for info on more Clinics and Trainings coming soon!

Wrangler Luncheon Sign-ups!

Now that you have logged all your Wranglr minutes, it is time to use them! Our Wranglr Luncheon and Wranglr Raffle will be held at Horses with Heart on Friday, July 18th at 11:00. Please RSVP to hwhvolcoord@gmail.com or sign up in the office by July 14th. We will be serving BBQ hot dogs, hamburgers and sides!

10th Annual Have a Heart Barrel Race

Horses with Heart is excited to announce that the 10th Annual Have a Heart Barrel Race will take place on September 27th, 2025 at Olsen’s Grain in Chino Valley. We hope to see you at this great event!

Upcoming Obstacle Challenge

Marvelous Minis Events:

The Minis went to Las Fuentes Memory Care on June 10. Las Fuentes is one of our favorite places to visit! The residents and staff love the Minis and, to our delight, ask us back again and again. Brady (Heidi Harvery’s Mini Donkey) and Liberty and Frosty (Meg Blackmon’s Minis) were our ambassador Minis for this day.

Our next program was June 17 at Granite Gate Senior Living, another stop on our frequent visit list. Rocky (HwH’s resident Mini) and Remy (Diane McCoy’s Mini) delighted the residents here, as you can tell from the smiles all around!

On June 19 we went to the most amazing summer camp for non-verbal kids using or learning to use augmentative and alternative communication devices. Tessa and Pirate (Rob & Michelle Whan’s Minis), Brady and Rocky were ambassadors for this camp. What a great time we had! We also had an unexpected pleasure of reuniting with former rider, Alex Baize!

Rocky took part in the Brave Hearts Open House on June 22, regaling visitors to the horse pens with his tricks, and a few unrehearsed antics!

Competition Team Update:

If you’d like more information on the HwH Competition Team, to sponsor or volunteer, please reach out to Pam Berry at hwhcompteam@gmail.com or 928-899-4759.

Wranglr Assistance

Wranglr, our volunteer timekeeping system, is crucial for recording our volunteer hours. This is vitally important because our submitted hours help HwH qualify for grants and donations. Secondly, volunteers also receive some fun benefits. If you need assistance with Wranglr, please contact Annette DeMarco at cyngrrl@gmail.com or Debbie Hutchens at hwhvolcoord@gmail.com and 408-210-3259.

Do You Owe Arizona Taxes? Use Your AZ Tax Credit to Support Horses with Heart!

Horses with Heart is a qualifying charity in the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Program. Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar cuts in your state tax liability: donate $938, for example, and you could cut your tax bill by $938. Under Arizona law, your dollar-for-dollar tax credit could be up to $470 for a single person, $938 for a married couple filing jointly in 2024. Be sure to consult your tax advisor to see how your HwH donation can benefit you.

DONATE

Volunteer of the Month - Ellen Arkin

How long have you been with Horses with Heart? I've been with HWH for a little over 4 months
Why do you volunteer at HWH? I've always wanted to work with horses but never really had an opportunity until finding out about HWH, which I'm really grateful for. I also want to give back to the community that has helped raise me and HWH provides an excellent opportunity to do so.
What is your favorite memory? My favorite memory was when Swifty wanted the grass so bad that he pushed his way by me after I pulled in a muck bucket. After seeing that he really wasn't wanting to fly with the wind and just started grazing, I sauntered over to Kristina to grab his food to lure him back to his stall. After receiving the news of his escape, Kristina was quite surprised and had a wonderfully executed animated reaction. I thought it was hilarious. Swifty did make it back to his stall without getting spooked or anything.
What would you share with new volunteers? Stay calm for every situation, even if it's an emergency. I've noticed that everything goes better if we try to stay calm when mistakes are made, horses get spooked, when horses get out, or when injuries happen. All in all, stay calm.
All the staff and volunteers are very nice, friendly and helpful. I have never left feeling sad or tired, I always feel good about the work, the people and that I can be a small part of helping out others.

Thank You HG&C!

Horses with Heart would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to HG&C for generously donating their time and services to maintaining our facility. Their team’s hard work was instrumental in getting the Ranch looking its best in preparation for our Brave Hearts event which was held on June 22nd. We are truly grateful for HG&C’s partnership and commitment to our mission. Debra- insert logo found in photo folder

Thank you AgWest for your generous donation towards our solar lighting improvement project! AgWest’s Rural Community Grants provide funds to non-profit organizations for projects that improve rural communities within Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. This includes efforts such as building or improving facilities; purchasing necessary equipment to facilitate a local program; and funding capital improvements which enhance a community’s infrastructure, viability and prosperity.

Blue Ribbon Moments Winners:

Week of May 19th…Patty Alberg
Week of June 2nd…Landry King
Week of June 9th…Pam Coulter
Week of June 16th… Pam Berry
Week of June 23rs… Kristina McConnell

Sequins and Saddles 2025

Horses with Heart is excited to announce that Sequins and Saddles planning is underway. This wonderful gala will be held at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on November 8th, 2025. If you are interested in joining the planning committee, please contact the HwH office at 928-533-9178.

Keep an eye out for more details about this event!