Barb Warkentine is President of the Prince George Therapeutic Riding Association (PGTRA). A life-long resident of Prince George, Barb was raised in Hixon and graduated from Prince George Secondary School in 1977.
She and her husband, Kevin, have raised a son with special needs. Brett, now 23, was the inspiration for the PGTRA. Back in 1992 when Brett was six years old, Barb got together with other local parents of special needs children to start a therapeutic horse-riding program.
Now in its 17th year of success, the Prince George Therapeutic Riding Association has grown over the years to thirty-five clients with a wait list and plans to expand even further. The riders hail from all over the region, including Fraser Lake, Quesnel, Mackenzie and the Greater Prince George area. The riding takes place each year from April to October, culminating with a horse show at the end of the season. The purpose of PGTRA is to focus positively on the abilities of people with special needs. Their goal is to provide recreational riding and strive for the highest standard of safety and instruction. Located at the Agriplex, the organization is an active member of the Prince George Horse Society. To participate in the program, members can start as young as four years old and no one is too old to join in the fun.
The PGTRA needs people who can help with the riding, general volunteering, and fundraising. Anyone can get involved by phoning Barb Warkentine at 250-962-5082 or Kate at 250 963 7795.
In the past year, the organization has taken a huge leap and moved to the exhibition grounds, which has facilitated increased participation and volunteer activity. Previously the group was limited to using a volunteer instructor, but now instructors are being paid in order to increase program offerings. Funds are also now required to pay for the horses, barn rental, and staff to feed the horses. At the present time, they own two horses and need at least two additional horses to meet demands and to run the program more efficiently. Within two years, PGTRA is hoping to offer a year-round riding program in order to meet the service requests of clients. Currently, all the riding takes place indoors. While the group is permitted to do outdoor riding, it is quite limited in its use of the grounds as work is needed to make accessibility and safety improvements. As an ongoing project, PGTRA is working with the Prince George Horse Society to build a new barn with hopes of completion within five years. The new facility will be more user-friendly with essential amenities required by riders with disabilities.
The group is also hoping to increase its profile in the community with plans for a website, but needs volunteers with the necessary skills to help build an online presence. In order to showcase the accomplishments of its riders, the PGTRA will host its annual horse show in early September open to the general public. Look for more details on this year’s show in the coming weeks.
