CURRENT HAPPENINGS
the ways YOU can stay connected!
We reserve the word EPIC for only the most impressive tack sales, and this is one of them. We didn’t think it was possible to have another sale like 2020 & 2021 but the local community came through once again donating everything under the sun horse-related. As usual, the crowds were lined up neatly waiting to get in well before the 8am start time and a total of just over $8,000 was raised in just one day. Thank you!
What better way to celebrate a glorious Indian Summer Day than at our action-packed Horse Show with riders, family, friends, volunteers, staff, and our amazing horses? The Annual Horse Show, a highlight and the most heartwarming event of the year, was made extra special by the amazing weather and Family Fun Day activities!
The parking lot started filling up bright and early on October 1st and didn’t empty out until almost 5pm. A bountiful volunteer breakfast spread sponsored by The Davenport Family ensured that the volunteers started the day on the right foot, fueling their energy for the long day that lay ahead.
This year our teen volunteers rallied together to form the first-ever Family Fun Day Committee. Led by the industrious Tess Coffey, these young individuals held virtual meetings to curate an array of activities and games that would make the Family Fun Day a special experience for everyone.
Sticking with the Family Fun Day theme, this year’s horse show felt like a family affair and a bit like the old days, with lunch grilled up by Jen’s Dad, Tom Dermody, and Mike Murphy (Volunteer, Janie Murphy’s husband) with Jen’s niece, Juliet, helping with the concessions.
As the day progressed, anticipation filled the air for the Volunteer Class. Six volunteers, each with varying riding abilities, were granted the extraordinary opportunity to ride one of our special horses. Did every volunteer get to ride their personal favorite? The curiosity lingers, awaiting the knowledge and feedback from each volunteer. We encourage all volunteers to participate next year.
Once the dust had settled, the final tallies were calculated, revealing an amazing total of $12,600 raised. This remarkable achievement was made possible by the joint efforts of 41 riders, 6 dedicated volunteers, and the support of 16 generous sponsors. The riders bringing in the largest amounts for Mane Stream were Mary Glaser - Adult, Gemma Lawse - Youth, Michael Roberts - Campers, and Tess Coffey - Volunteer.
Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award (high-point independent rider) – David Santos
Gracie Memorial (High Point Youth Rider) - Myla Schultz
Champion AM Adult – Patrice Keiling
Reserve Champion AM Adult – Josh Ciccione
Champion AM Junior – Madeline Brenner
Reserve Champion AM Junior – Reagan Read
Champion PM Adult – David Santos
Reserve Champion PM Adult – Daisy Desimone
Champion PM Junior – Myla Schultz
Reserve Champion PM Junior – Joseph O’Leary
We extend a special thanks to Judge Jan Hamilton! Her unwavering commitment was evident as she spent the entire day with utmost diligence on the hill, attentively evaluating every rider, scrutinizing body positions, ring awareness, two-points, and diagonals. Without her expertise and dedication, the Horse Show would not have been the same.
Additional thanks go out to our announcer Justin Hendrickson and all our photographers: Katie Maddalena, who captured the day’s competitive events, and Jane Dominik and Mike (Wolfe) Nicolaides, and Zeynep Seyhan, who captured all the smiles and hugs throughout the day. Finally, the Horseflight Photo Booth was set up by Jeanne and Roger Rogalin so that participants, their horses, and families had an opportunity to have pictures taken together. (tons more pictures still to come)
As we bask in the afterglow of this successful event, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made it possible, reiterating the importance of the community and its unwavering support for Mane Stream.
Our sincere thanks to everyone who made the day such a success!
Horse Show Sponsor
Pine Woods Farm
Awards Sponsor
Horseflight
Ribbon Sponsor
A Jersey Angel
Volunteer Breakfast Sponsor
The Davenport Family
Décor Sponsor
Mary & Alan Dickey
Champion/Reserve Adult (AM) Sponsor
Michael & Melissa Renfer
Champion/Reserve Child (AM) Sponsor
Jeanne Rogalin
Midtown Direct Properties | Keller Williams
Champion/Reserve Child (PM) Sponsor
Karen & Steve Kaufhold
Division Sponsors
Maggie Conroy, Kelly Gordon, The Lawse Family,
Liz McFadden, Tierney Sullivan,
Fred & Meredith Whaley
Class Sponsors
Lilly Timko, Chloe Timko
Horse Show Volunteers
Charli Auerbach, Bella Barata, Tess Coffey, Debi Delorenzo, Nancy Grossweiler, Karen Kaufhold, Elaine Milano, Sabrina Moccio, Janie Murphy, Mike (Wolfy) Nicholaides, Nancy Poandl, Zeynep Seyhan, McLaren van Rooyen, Mary Ellen Yen
Family Fun Day Committee
Charli Auerbach, Kathryn Blount, Tess Coffey, Madison Flanagan, Kass Guerard, Ashley Hartman, Bessie Huggins, Tara Lolacono, Zahara Sanchez, Anna Squindo
Food
Tom Dermody & Mike Murphy
Costco, Stop&Shop, Wegmans
There’s nothing that makes us happier here at Mane Stream than giving our participants a place to shine where everyone can feel included. Our summer camp program epitomizes this because not only is our camp offered to our riders with special needs, but we also include typically developing riders as well. The Bentley Family has taken full advantage of our programs since enrolling their son, Elliott, in our adaptive riding program in 2021. This year, not only has Elliott been taking riding lessons, but he and his siblings also participated in our summer camp. Elliott has also had his hand in special events like the Mane Stream Horse Show and our Party in the Paddock Fundraiser. He really stole the show at the fundraiser showing up in a dapper seersucker suit for his demonstration ride!
ELLIOTT:
Elliott enjoyed his second year at summer camp, and this year his family joined in on the fun. His younger sister, Annabelle, came as a camper and his older brother, Alfie, came on as a volunteer. The other volunteers and staff members all agreed that it was very heartwarming to see the siblings all enjoying camp together. Elliott said that riding was his favorite part of camp, but more specifically getting to trot on Judge and Buzz.
ANNABELLE:
Annabelle also said that her favorite activity was, of course, riding the horses, but her funniest memory from camp was getting to paint the horses. She also fully embraced Glitter Day and all the crafting activities.
ALFIE:
It was also clear that volunteering at camp made a big impact on big brother, Alfie. He impressed our barn manager, Alex, one day when she needed to adjust tack for a camper. When she asked if he had ridden before, he replied, “No not really. I just learned a lot here. At the beginning of the week, I didn’t know what a forelock was and now I can adjust stirrups and tack up a horse by myself.” However, Alfie wanted us to know that his favorite memory was when the camper he was helping gave him a big hug as he was dismounting. It’s moments like these that we love seeing and hearing about at Mane Stream!
The progress that Elliott has made in our programs over the years has been wonderful to watch for both the Mane Stream staff and the Bentley Family. Elliott’s primary instructor for the current adaptive riding session is Kayla Thau, who also taught him during camp. She commented, “Elliott has a huge personality that really came through during camp and is seen now in lessons during the session.” He is constantly making volunteers and staff members smile and laugh. Kayla also was happy to say, “Elliott really is a pleasure to work with and to see his growth in progress.” His parents have noticed physical progress too, noting that his “balance, posture, and strength have all improved.” Elliott’s mother, Katherine, first learned about Mane Stream from working at Children’s Specialized Hospital. She loves watching him, “continue to love riding, make connections with others and feel good about his accomplishments.” It’s been lovely for the family to see Elliott shine in the Mane Stream Horse Show and our Party in the Paddock Fundraiser Demonstration. However, the real kicker for the family was the week spent at summer camp together. Katherine commented, “Their week of camp was so incredible. It is amazing to find an activity that they all can participate in together.”
And that truly sums up what Mane Stream is all about, bringing everyone together to be included and share a love and passion for horses.
Written by: Alex Willard, Barn Manager & Riding Instructor
PLATINUM - $10,000
Emily & Kirk Kellogg
Red Tail Farm
Liz & Jon Sobel/Sudler Family
GOLD - $5,000
Andrew Allen & Ali Thebault
Maureen & Steve Bezer
The Brucker Family
Friends & Family of Crewe Hill
Edmiston & Thebault Families
The Gore Family
The Greifeld Family
Kathy & Hal Kamine
Karen & Steve Kaufhold
The Saladino Family
SILVER - $2,500
Jeanne & Roger Rogalin
Betsy & Kevin Sullivan
BRONZE - $1,000
Melissa & Mike Renfer
Thank you to everyone who attended and made the gala at Hamilton Farm Golf Club on Saturday, October 28th a HUGE success! The wonderfully warm weather and the full moon added to the magical atmosphere of the evening. It was incredible to see how attendees fully embraced the Masquerade theme by wearing a variety of masks, adding an extra touch of mystery to the night.
A special thank you goes out to the committee chairs, Tanya Sameth and Ali Thebault, and the rest of the EQUUS committee who worked tirelessly to organize the event and ensure its success. Additionally, we want to express our gratitude to all the sponsors whose support made this event possible.
The band, Mean Machine, smashed it all night long, while small groups of attendees were wowed by the incredible multi-award-winning mentalist Jesse Dameron. Those who had the opportunity to interact with him were left amazed by his mind-blowing skills in combining intuition, comedy, personality analysis, audience participation, misdirection, and verbal influence. If you witnessed Jesse's act, we would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Stay tuned as we continue to tally up all the results from the evening and look forward to sharing them, along with all the pictures, next month.
All work is done on the ground with Dr. Lori Rockmore, an equine specialist, and our horse partners. Sessions can be conducted with individuals, families, and/or groups through experiential activities with horses. Counseling services are for those who want to learn about themselves and others through experiential activities with the horses to process feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Very limited spots available for this winter.
Contact: trish@manestreamnj.org
We have spots in our therapy program with our Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists starting in January!
The first step is to submit your paperwork, which includes a form to be signed by a physician, and then we will contact you to do a free screening. Sessions Monday-Thursday afternoons.
Or for more info contact:
Jen Dermody
908-439-9636
jen@manestreamnj.org
CLICK HERE to contact Jessica Sanders and get your session scheduled!
Jessica Sanders is so excited to present the 3rd annual holiday fundraiser for Mane Stream! Please see below for all of the details and email Jessica at jessica@jessicasandersphotography.com to get your barn on the calendar!
There is a minimum requirement of 3 horses/participants per barn.
$375 per horse (or dog!) includes:
a $50 donation directly to Mane Stream NJ
3 digital images for sharing and printing up to 4×6
your choice of black background or natural portrait (one or the other per horse – no combinations)
selection of holiday garlands
Jessica has donated over $2,000 so far!! Thank you!
This fundraiser ends December 15th, 2023, and images will be delivered via a private password-protected online gallery within 3 weeks of session date. Check Jessica’s website out for more glorious shots!
Order now for delivery before Thanksgiving. Remember, spirit wear isn't just for volunteering at the barn. Show your spirit at the gym, school, and in everyday living. Take a peek and get shopping in support of Mane Stream.
Online Store Closes on 10/23 at Midnight so start your holiday shopping now!
Emily fell in love with horses at the age of 7 when her mother signed her up for a horse camp, and has been finding ways to "go out to the barn" ever since. In middle school, high school, and early college, Emily competed in amateur eventing and the local jumpers circuit in Pennsylvania with her horse, Auburn, and worked her way up the ranks in United States Pony Club, competing at the regional level and making lifelong friends.
When we asked Emily how she found out about therapeutic riding and PATH Inc. she said, “As part of my final year of high school (many moons ago!) we had to do a volunteer project. I grew up as a ‘horse person’ but hadn’t considered the field of therapeutic riding until I needed to find a place to do these volunteer hours! After week one, I was exhausted, muddy, and….I loved the work! All the instructors at this particular large center were PATH certified, so about 6 years after my first day as a volunteer, I went through my PATH training.”
While in college Emily realized that she wanted to become an Occupational Therapist and went on to receive a master’s degree from Thomas Jefferson University Center City Campus in Philadelphia, PA. She is now a licensed occupational therapist in New Jersey as well as a PATH Intl. Certified Registered Instructor. For the past 7 years Emily has worked in various settings including schools, medical daycares, outpatient pediatrics, mental health centers, and adult home health. Emily has specialty training in Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (an evidence-based intervention for managing Tourette Syndrome), and advanced training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia. Currently, Emily works as an OT in early intervention, building relationships with families of children ages birth to three, and walking alongside them as they work together to meet their goals.
As a horse-crazy kid….and now a horse-crazy adult who is raising a horse-crazy kid, Emily thinks the farm environment allows for so much growth and discovery that isn’t possible in the traditional clinic setting. This month Emily will complete the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. Hippotherapy Treatment Principles – Part 1b.
We are excited to have Emily join our therapy team and she’s also excited to get to know the herd, volunteers, staff, and other therapists! Emily also smiled and said, “I’m looking forward to walking alongside my clients as they reach their full potential and gain new skills in a unique and dynamic environment!”
What does Emily do in her free time? Emily enjoys any opportunity to dust off her boots and get back in the saddle. She also enjoys hiking, running, camping, and spending time with her young daughter, husband, and rescue dog, Journey.
Thank you! Thank you! To all the incredible attendees and fierce competitors of the Musical Freestyle event at Red Tail Farm on September 8, we want to extend a BIG thank you! The evening was a blast, and we're so grateful for your support. This SUPER FUN & TOTALLY CASUAL benefit for Mane Stream managed to raise almost $13,000 from 91 donors!
Thanks to event organizers, Linda Dietz and Erika Olijslager the evening was filled with magical moments from 13 performances that gracefully "danced" in-between raindrops. Heather Mason had her work cut out for her judging because the creativity was off the charts, as participants (and their horses) wore costumes or outfits that perfectly coordinated with their music choices. But that wasn't all! Mother Nature sprinkled a little extra enchantment over the event. Behind the performers, a stunning double rainbow emerged, serving as a gorgeous backdrop to a pas de deux with MANE STREAM written on their shirts and horses' rumps!
Once again, we want to express our immense gratitude to everyone who attended and competed. Without your support, none of this would have been possible. You've made a meaningful difference in the lives of our Mane Stream community, and we couldn't be more thankful!
COMPETITORS:
Bridget Hay, Tea Uzman, Rachel Gardner, Madison Rezaei, Jessica Dionne, Erika and Mary, Ernie and Katie, Alessia and Hassini, Gillian Crockford, Jenn Chin, Laura Aber, Meredith, Laura, Mariano, and the rest of the Wizard of Oz team, Eveyln Dietz, and the impressive Quadrille team of Jennifer Miranda, Madison Rezaei, Mariano Granados, and Tea Uzman.
