News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 326 - 350 of 371
Riders hit the trail at Crooked Horseshoe Stables near Sisters. The stable offers boarding and a series of clinics with renowned trainer Clint Surplus. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Crooked Horseshoe Stables offers a casual, laid back host of activities. Owned and operated by Laura Shepard, the stable caters to trail and pleasure riders. "We really want to emphasize that this is a small, friendly barn with big barn amenities," Shepard said. These include a 60-by-120-foot covered arena, a round pen, six barn stalls with runs, six... Full story
Chaya Johnston does ground work with a horse. By Kathryn Godsiff Claudia Lamphere, foun-der of EquusEmbrace, knows the spark that can ignite between girls and horses. A lifelong horsewoman, she has finally found her passion and calling in the unique program which brings teenage girls in contact with kind and gentle horses. The purpose of EquusEmbrace is to enable adolescent girls to "develop a sense of intuition and confidence, increase in self-esteem and foster a positive body image," all while forming a bond with a horse.... Full story
Holm and Susan Neumann. Photo provided Holm Neumann collects pieces of history like some folks collect spoons. Except Neumann gets to have more fun with his collection than most. He has gathered costumes from time periods long gone and wears them when he and his wife Susan ride their horses in local parades. The walls of the Neumann home are adorned with the accessories that go with the costumes. Many of the outfits date from medieval times, so there is an array of helmets and swords on display. Neumann's interest in costumin... Full story
Anita Rand of Ukiah, California, is the proud new owner of "Prince," a Percheron. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff The annual Small Farmer's Journal auction and swap meet left both vendors and buyers happy for another year. Held at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds last weekend, the event was a time of reunion for some and new adventure for others. The rodeo grounds became like a scene from an old-time horse market. Long rows of horse-drawn equipment were laid out for careful inspection by purchasers before they passed through the auction... Full story
L-R: Blitz (horse), Shawny Mackey, Shana Courtney, Lisa Gardner, Kelsey Schad, Shayla Courtney, Friel (pony), with dogs Nikko and Rosie. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Shana Courtney is working hard to create a "Bit of Heaven" at her facility of the same name on Bass Road, just outside Sisters. Courtney is establishing a riding school which emphasizes all-around horse care as well as riding skills. Most of Courtney's students are kids, though she does have some adult clients. Nearly all the students start their lessons on one of... Full story
(Left-right): Chris Boyle, Crystal Leis, Sam Pyke, Conner Burck, Mark Keel, Joe Taft, Brian Henry and Harry Womack. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Sisters High School mountain bike club started its competitive season on a winning note. At the Mudslinger race in Blodgett on April 6, the cyclists finished 40 points ahead of closest rival, Summit. The mountain bike club consists of 17 members, up from around eight last season. Rider/ coach Mark Keel is pleased with the response and is quick to note that the club isn't just for those... Full story
Holm and Susan Neumann on Ima and Inajara in Brazil. Photo provided The Sisters horse scene is gaining some exotic influence. Holm and Susan Neumann have begun the process of importing six of Brazil's national horses, the Mangalarga Marchador, to join the two they already have. The horses are gaited, range in size between 14 and 16 hands and appear in a variety of colors. The two unique gaits which the horses display have the colorful names Marcha Picada and Marcha Batida (pronounced Bachita). Picada is a four-beat lateral ga... Full story
Richard Shrake. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Richard Shrake, one of America's most highly regarded horsemen, lives right here in Central Oregon. Last week saw him at Cisco Stables in Sisters where he held one of his Resistance Free Training clinics. Drawing 14 participants from around the country and locally, Shrake shared his philosophy and techniques of a kinder, gentler way of training horses. Some of the participants were there with their horses, to become more adept horsepeople. Some, like Sherry Gregory of Middletown,... Full story
Sisters High School senior Mareta Lindley will be winging her way to Washington, D.C. in June to attend the Presidential Classroom "National Security in a Democracy" program. While the Presidential Classroom has been around for 35 years, this is the first year the National Security program has been offered. Over the years, the Presidential Classroom program has allowed more than 100,000 top high school students from the U.S. and abroad access to the federal government and the people who shape public policy. Lindley is the... Full story
(L-R): Cindy Shonka, Tracie Orr, Meri Bender, Karen O'Neal. Mounted: Martha Billings on "Cinnamon Swirl." Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Catalyst Farms Equestrian Center on Cloverdale Road is Sisters' latest facility for those interested in training for themselves and their horses. During an open day on Sunday, March 2, visitors were welcomed to the landmark big, white barn which houses the family owned and operated business. The barn contains stalls which are available to boarders, and a large indoor arena. The center is the... Full story
Cisco Stables held the first of its Fat-n-Fuzzy Buckle Series horse shows on Saturday, February 8. The turnout surprised everyone, with between 30 and 50 entries in many of the classes. "Everybody seemed to show up at the same time, and most didn't pre-register, so we had a big jam-up at the registration table," said stable manager Amber Rogers. "We'll do that a bit differently next time, plus we'll make sure we have more restrooms available." Judge Sharon Takagi from Bend did a sterling job sorting through the competition... Full story
Travelers planning to explore exotic locales this spring and summer need to visit their doctor well in advance. Dr. May Fan of Bend Memorial Clinic in Sisters suggests an appointment at least six to eight weeks before departure. "This allows enough time for boosters in some cases, plus some vaccines are more effective after a few weeks," said Dr. Fan. Bringing a copy of the travel itinerary is helpful, too. There are required vaccinations for many countries and travel in rural areas is generally more risky than sticking with... Full story
Joanne Shook puts a llama through its paces. Photo provided A llama amongst a flock of sheep is a guardian, protecting his charges from predators. Some llamas have a natural aversion to strange four-legged creatures entering their space, and will aggressively protect that area. Some horse owners keep a llama to make the llama an everyday sight so their horse won't bolt if they meet one on the trail. Many llamas in a field are likely breeding stock, supplying the shrinking but still enthusiastic market. Still others are show... Full story
Dr. Steven Greer. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is not generally a topic of discussion around the dinner table. A sexually transmitted disease which can cause genital warts, it is also one of the main causes of abnormal Pap smears. As such, it becomes one of the main precursors of cervical cancer in women. Apart from abstinence, there has previously been no means of prevention for this disease, and methods of treatment are not always effective. Dr. Steven Greer is working with a team of other... Full story
Amber Rogers at Cisco Stables. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Sisters horse people who are looking for a place to hold or participate in an event will soon be able to make their way to the big gray and blue arena that can be seen from Highway 20. Cisco Stables on Cloverdale Road is available for horse shows, clinics, and casual rental by groups or individuals. Boarding is also offered, either in stalls or pasture, with boarders able to make full use of the facility. Owned by David Abbajay, who also owns the Feed Barn in Redmond, th... Full story
(From left): Tiffany Martin, Shannon Pollard, Jeff Josten, Cortney Gibson, Lady Reynolds. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff Sisters' newest eatery, Allstars, is not your run-of-the-mill sports bar. In fact, owner Don Pollard and manager Jeff Josten are quick to point out that Allstars is a non-smoking, family-friendly place to come watch sports and eat some homemade food. "All our food is prepared from scratch, just like at home," said Pollard. So there may be a little wait but that's where the 65-inch TV screen, two dartboards, and... Full story
Soccer star Geovanni Ortega, a seventh grader at Sisters Middle School, has been chosen to play on the Oregon State Select Team, an Olympic development squad. Ortega is a forward on the F.C. Bend U13 team. Encouraged by his coach, Bob McCool, to try out for the Select Team, Ortega was successful at the December 9 tryouts. The Oregon State Select Team will play a game next weekend in Portland, but the big event the players are preparing for is a tournament in Las Vegas on January 24. Several more games will be played... Full story
When Ellen Bettker, who works for a Sisters dentist, and local resident Vickie Hornbeck, headed to Spain in mid-September to volunteer at the World Equestrian Games endurance competition, they were expecting drought conditions. After all, it hadn't rained for five months in Jerez de la Frontera, in southern Andalusia, where the games were held. The World Equestrian Games occur every four years, with the first event held in 1990 in Stockholm, Sweden. Seven equestrian disciplines comprise the games: eventing, showjumping,... Full story
Troy and Kim Meeder bring children together with rescued horses. Photo provided The recent publicity concerning the rescue of more than 100 horses at a Brothers ranch conjures up the image of horse rescuers as angels of mercy, swooping down en masse to save the innocent victims. In reality, most rescues are more covert, taking time, good communication skills and money. Troy Meeder, who with his wife, Kim, runs Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch at Tumalo, knows firsthand about the long process. While actively involved in the dramatic... Full story
Tracy Leonhardy and a pal. Photo provided Sisters resident Tracy Leonhardy put her veterinary technician skills to good use recently in Mexico. Leonhardy was part of a group called Remote Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) which traveled to Isle de Mujeres, an island northeast of Cancun. The group of veterinarians, vet students and technicians volunteered their time to do spay and neuter clinics of dogs and cats on the island. About half of the animals they saw were owned by island residents the rest were feral. "The idea is to... Full story
Kathy and Steve Simpson with one of their domesticated elk. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff A recent ban on importation of live domestic elk into Oregon has local elk ranchers concerned about the future. The purpose of the the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife ban is to prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from entering the state. CWD is a progressive, degenerative and fatal disease of the brain which affects elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer. It is unknown how the disease is transmitted and there have been no recorded... Full story
People who are facing life-altering situations, such as a cancer diagnosis, will be able to find help through a new nonprofit group called Life by Heart. Life by Heart provides workshops that will enhance the quality of life for people in these situations. The first workshop, which will be for those who have had a cancer diagnosis, will be held on Saturday, November 23. Five women, three of whom currently live in the Sisters area, have had the vision of Life by Heart for some years. All have been touched in some way by... Full story
"Canadian Versatiles" at the Lazy Z. Photo by Vickie Herring The Lazy Z and Robinson Road Ranch, east of Sisters, has had a recent influx of arrivals from Canada. The 240 weanling colts and fillies are the entire 2002 foal crop from the Griffin Valley Ranch in Alberta. Dubbed "Canadian Versatiles" by Vickie Herring, who manages the horses for owner David Herman, the weanlings are for sale from $300. "These horses will go from ranch to recreation," said Herring. "If a person knows what type of horse they want, we'll probably... Full story
Keeping a horse well watered during cold spells can be one of the more challenging aspects of winter horsekeeping. Dr. Susan Bertram, Technical Services Veterinarian for Horse Guard Inc., a maker of vitamin-mineral supplements, says, "Wintertime poses a potential danger to your horse: the risk of impaction colic." Colic is a general term associated with digestive problems in horses. It can take many forms and is a serious threat to a horse's health. Impaction colic occurs when a horse is dehydrated and feed becomes dry and... Full story
Sisters High School's Interdisciplinary Exploratory Education (IEE) class pulled off its third annual fall expedition last week from October 17 to 21. The class, comprised of 57 students and four teachers, is unique. In an outdoor setting, students are taught language arts by Samara Spear; physical science is taught by Glen Herron; geography and social studies pertaining to the environment are covered by Rob Phelps, with Rand Runco taking care of physical education. "This is the toughest thing in teaching I've ever done, but... Full story
