Triple S Equine Farm will be hosting an Open Horse Fun Show Saturday, Oct. 24, and all proceeds will be donated to two organizations — the Foster J. Boyd Regional Cancer Center and CureSearch for Children’s Cancer.
The Foster J. Boyd Regional Cancer Center is where Shannon Sheppard, owner/trainer of Triple S Equine Farm, fought her valiant battle with breast/bone/liver cancer for two years. Shannon couldn’t say enough wonderful things about the cancer center here in Wilmington. They treated her like she was their only patient, doing everything they could do to make her battle as comfortable and pain-free as possible.
Triple S Equine Farm at 1264 Ireland Road, specializing in boarding and riding lessons, hasn’t hosted a fun show for three years since right before Shannon passed away. She loved the shows, thrived watching the youngsters doing silly things with horses, and felt like a kid herself. It’s time to bring fun back to her farm, her dream. She was always so full of life, and these fun shows were very rewarding for her. Shannon’s fiance’, Jeff Owens, her daughters, Kendel and Kandyce, and many friends and family members lost Shannon in May 2013.
In a perfect world, our children would never fall victims to a terminal illness. Most people have no idea how many children fight for their lives every second because of cancer. Jerry and Rebecca Hardwick VanPelt, who take their daughter every Saturday for riding lessons at Triple S Equine Farm, lost their 9-year-old son, Caleb, to cancer in November 2009.
“Caleb was a precious boy who loved horses, Cub Scouts, soccer and the AWANA program at church,” Jerry said. “Last year it was announced that through CureSearch’s research, a new treatment was developed for Ewing’s sarcoma, the same cancer that took Caleb’s life. We long for a day when no child will suffer like he did, and no parents suffer like us. He was very brave through it all. I wish I had a fraction of the courage that he showed. He is my hero.”
Some of the Fun Show classes will be Apple under the Chin, Egg in Spoon, Musical Bases, Barrels, Poles and Simon Says. Two of the highlight classes are the obstacle course and the much loved costume contest. All classes are divided into separate age groups so no matter your age, there’s a class here for you.
DoriAnn Allen, instructor at Triple S Equines and employee of Trupointe Cooperative, said, “Even if you don’t have a horse, please still come out and support our community and what we’re doing. We still need a lot more sponsors. It’s $50 to sponsor a class and we’ll hang your company’s banner on our sponsor wall during the show. We’re also in need of baked goods to sell and raffle items. Crafts, quilts, pink and gold cancer ribbons, gift baskets, horse items, grain, vaccinations and gift cards are just some suggestions. We’d like to have a complete list of class sponsors by Tuesday, October 20th, so we have time to purchase awards and ribbons for the riders.”
Triple S Equine Farm will open at 8 a.m. Saturday the day of the show for donations. Class registration begins at 9 a.m. and the first class will begin at 10 a.m. To sponsor a class, donate items, or volunteer at the show, please call/text DoriAnn at 937-302-9195.
