View the rest of the photos from the day’s event here.

This year, the award went to a husband and wife team, Jim and Kelly Pire.  Jim Pire created our amazing website.  He continues to keep us up to date with the technological side of things, answering questions, fixing problems, and providing translations in the foreign language of computer jargon.  He has served a bigger, priceless role at the center, by capturing the essence of Xenophon in still shots.  The smiles that move us to tears, the view to the very souls of our horses through eyes captured on film are all the work of his creative hands.  He has created a beautiful historical chronicle of the center while somehow even making mucking a stall look glamorous!   Kelly started out as a sidewalker.  She helps out on extra days when needed, mucks stalls, and exercises the horses.  In the years she has been at the center she has matured as a horsewoman and has become one of our top horse handlers.  But just like her husband, she has contributed hours of work behind the scenes.  As a team, each and every year they create the amazing programs for this gala, a job deserving recognition in and of itself, requiring long hours and down to the wire deadlines.  Congratulations Jim and Kelly and thank you for all you do for
Xenophon.

Girl Scout Troop #32761 from Walnut Creek is a special group of young ladies. After a busy season selling cookies, they decided to donate a portion of their profits to a charitable organization. Xenophon was fortunate to be chosen. On Monday, May 13, 2013 the troop came to visit the center, watch lessons and present Xenophon with a check for $220.00.  Thank you, Girls, for your thoughtfulness and hard work. We are truly grateful.

On April 23, 2013, Xenophon was pleased to host our neighbors, The Lost Valley Homeowners Association, for an evening BBQ.  Neighbors came to meet one another, share some good food, and learn about our center.  Our therapeutic riding student Matthew Trueblood, gave a wonderful demonstration, in which he showed off his independent riding skills, rising trot and impressive dismount.   Lucas Giusti helped to increase the understanding amongst our guests of the ins and outs of hippotherapy.  Orinda mayor, Amy Worth, joined us for the evening.

BEFORE
AFTER WILL COME SOON

As many know, the land on which our center sits belongs to PG&E.  We have had a wonderful relationship with this company over the past 17 years, which has included the ability to hold a long-term lease so that we could build our covered arena on our present site.   In addition, the company has been a Platinum Pony sponsor for our gala.  This year, they have granted us use of the pasture across the street, on the corner of Valley View and Don Gabriel for the purpose of grazing and turning out our horses.  While the horses will mainly be housed on our present site, the pasture will offer them the space to kick up their heals and just “be horses”.  New fencing will be installed in the coming weeks.  Thank you, PG&E.

On March 27, 2013 Xenophon was fortunate to have a group of 15 high school students from Sprintstone School in Lafayette, come out to visit the center.  As part of their pre-vocational training blocks, the students came out to learn about what a therapeutic riding center is all about and what it takes to keep one running efficiently.  That experience included getting down and dirty with jobs like weeding planter beds, shoveling and spreading bark, emptying compost bins, and cleaning tack.  But it was not all work and no play.  The students learned about our special horses and were able to interact with them through grooming and tacking.  They were a delightful bunch and we are thankful for their hard work.  We hope they will visit us again in the near future.

View many more pictures here.

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