By KRISTI MAYFIELD
As bright sunshine filled the spring sky this past weekend, kids from all over Northern California came together to spend the day roping, barrel racing and riding horses at the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo Grounds on East F Street. For these special needs youngsters and their families, this was a unique opportunity to experience the joy and excitement of the rodeo.
Bella Hermann, CHSRA (California High School Rodeo Association) District 5 Rodeo Queen, said that she was looking forward to returning to Oakdale to host the Special Rodeo as her sister Angelina got to participate in the event in Livermore and Hermann wanted to bring that experience to other kids with special needs. This was the second year the Special Rodeo has been staged in Oakdale.
“This event is so wonderful for these kids. Our daughter Angelina has special needs and we wanted to include her in everything and these high school athletes are doing that for these kids,” said Bella’s mom, Gina Hermann.
Gina, with her husband Paul, daughter Bella and son Nick, continue to work to make more programs accessible for all children and have been doing so for many years. Hermann also coached in the Little League Challenger Division, an adaptive baseball program that allows children with intellectual or physical challenges to play baseball.
The Hermann family works with other organizations that share the same vision of inclusivity for all.
Savannah Chance and her team at the Rodeo Ready Academy were on hand to provide horses and an unforgettable experience for participants.
“I love working with the kids, I train them at the Rodeo Ready Academy and getting to do things like this is really special for us,” said Chance. The Rodeo Ready Academy, located at the RD Ranch in Turlock, trains young cowboys and cowgirls how to ride horses, barrel race, work on pole bending and so much more. Chance, a lifelong cowgirl herself, has dedicated herself to sharing her love of horses and all things cowboy with children of various ages and looks forward to attending these Special Rodeos in the future.
Along with the Rodeo Ready Academy, rodeo contestants were treated to visits with many furry friends from Happy Hooves including alpacas, miniature horses, goats and a little lamb that kept running around the arena, much to the delight of the kids. Marin McElhany, founder of Happy Hooves, grew up riding horses and working on ranches and wanted to inspire future generations of children through teaching them about farming, animal care and sustainability. McElhany founded Happy Hooves a little more than two years ago and is already working with nine schools in the Bay Area to bring the fun of farming to children, many of whom have never seen farm animals or been to a farm.
“This is a dream of mine, to be able to share my passion for farming and animals with children and now we get to reach even more children through events like this,” said McElhany when noting how glad she was to return to Oakdale for the Special Rodeo.
Like the Rodeo Ready Academy, Happy Hooves hosts summer camps that allow children to experience the thrill of being a cowboy or cowgirl while also learning how to care for animals and work hard to ensure that the ranching way of life continues on.
For parents like Kayla Castro and her family from Turlock, events like this are very special indeed. Her son Everett, who attended the rodeo last year, has a neurological and developmental disorder, so the Special Rodeo gives him an opportunity to be a cowboy and do the things that he loves including riding horses. Everett spent the day barrel racing, meeting the farm animals and sitting atop a horse as he took his ride around the arena while the crowd cheered him on.
Other participants such as Sarah Chang and her family came from the Bay Area because Sarah has never had an opportunity to interact with farm animals or experience a rodeo. For many children like Sarah, this Special Rodeo gives them an opportunity to experience things that have been adapted to suit their needs while also allowing them to share the fun and excitement of being in the rodeo events.
“With all of the smiles and joy that the Special Rodeo brings to the participants, it makes it all worth it,” said Gina Hermann as she worked with various cowboys and cowgirls to man the various stations to ensure that each child had an amazing experience. “These teens show their hard work and get to practice inclusivity with these kids and it’s a good reminder that even though we are all different, everyone should get to experience these things.”
For more information on the Special Rodeo in Oakdale, email: bellaherm2007@gmail.com
For additional information on the Rodeo Ready Academy, visit: https://mysite.vagaro.com/rdranchproductions
For more information on Happy Hooves, follow Marin McElhany via Instagram: HHC@happy_hoovesca
