Requiem for a Horse Show

It is official. I read it in the Snooze. The Hood River Classic Horse Show, after 17 years, has been put to bed.

I should be happy. I should be dancing in the streets. (I live on Highway 35. It snowed today. Call me a coward.) For almost two decades I spent Fathers Day slinging hash like it was going out of style. Apparently, it has now gone out of style. Dad died in 2005. Too little, too late.

The article in the Snooze was written by Davinne. Cut, pasted, massacred, but written by Davinne. It was a good article, but an important part – no, the most important part - of what Davinne wrote was left out. And that I am less than happy about. The members of the board were cut. Unceremoniously.

First, I want to state my quote in an unedited version:

“After 17 years, ending the Hood River Classic was a difficult decision for the board to make. Personally, being employed in the hospitality industry, I know how the show not only generated funds for the hospital foundation, but also gave the hotels and restaurants a jump start on the tourist season. However, I think more to the point for me is that I will miss working with a great group of people. Lynn Everroad’s leadership and dedication has inspired me all these years. And working with the rest of the board has just been plain fun – with a little hard labor thrown in.”

Somehow, the last half of my quote got quashed. Davinne wrote about all of us: her press release mentioned everyone by name. And it also got quashed.

So, I want to personally thank each and every one of you. Linné, Mike, Carol, Paige, Fran, Lynn, Davinne. I will miss working (if you can call fun “working”) with you.

Join me on Father’s Day for mimosas at Jensen Mills Meadow!