An invitation-only farm tour, exploring the impact of agriculture on the local economy, shone a spotlight on the unofficial horse capital of B.C. – namely Langley.
The annual farm tour took place on June 20, starting at the Aldergrove Athletic Park field house with a meet-and-greet hour where participants could share their thoughts and concerns on agricultural in the Township of Langley.
Residents of Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack with backgrounds ranging from farming to city development attended the tour, making up a group of about 20 people.
Mayor Eric Woodward and Langley MLA Megan Dykeman were also in attendance.
The first farm visited was Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association, a non-profit charity that offers medically-approved therapeutic horseback riding to children and adults.
Guests visiting the 256th Street centre (located just south of Fraser Highway) had the opportunity to learn about the association, walk along one of the trails, and pet therapy horse Cooper.
Next up, the bus transported tour attendees just up the road to Windsor Stables.
This facility was founded in 1989 by Sarah Davies, owner and operator of the stable.
Students ranging from age six to mid-50s gave a demonstration of new tricks and techniques they are teaching their respective horses.
Alexa Jelinek, 22, shared her story of growing up in the foster-care system and how her passion for horse riding helped her find a place in the world.
“I never felt accepted until I joined the horse world, I found my family and can be who I am,” she told the visiting crowd.
Jelinek rescued her previously feral horse, Moon, last year from being sent to a meat factory for dog food.
“We both have that story where she wasn’t accepted for who she was,” Jelinek shared.
Owning a horse is expensive, she explained. Moon costs her about $1,200/month to keep and look after, but while its hard to make ends meet, Jelinek said it’s worth every penny and all the effort.
At Windsor, she now trains wild or feral horses and coaches new riders.
Lisa Schultz, equine Canada licensed competition coach at Windsor, played a large role in Jelinek’s horse riding passion.
Schultz explored her own passion through pony club and eventually competed internationally before coaching at Windsor.
“I love seeing these kids come up through the levels and then choosing their passion… I like supporting that,” she added.
She rents half the stable at Windsor and runs her company Dream Chaser Equestrian, which offers a variety of options to help people who are interested in horse riding get started.
“It’s amazing we have so much opportunity here, whether for grassroots kids learning how to take care of their horse or the elite level of riding. They can really find their niche,” Schultz said.
The final stop of the tour was at Thunderbird Show Park (tbird), where attendees also had lunch from Taste of Heaven food truck.
Chris Pack, president and operations director at tbird, gave a tour of the park and explained what its done differently this year.
Tbird added a new kids zone, which includes a bouncy castle, pony rides, facepainting, and a timed course for kids.
“For spectators, we want families to discover tbird and want to keep coming back,” he said.
Tbird, located at 24550 72nd Ave., will host its next big event – the Grand Prix – on Tuesday, July 4.
The farm tour concluded with the bus bringing guests back to the athletic park.
Amanda Smith, agriculture programs coordinator at Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS), helped organize the annual farm tour with the Township and said the tour went well.
“I think it was very informative for the people on the tour to learn about equine industry and how involved it is,” she said.
“If anything, I think we are going to get more of an appreciation for the equine industry because it does so much for Langley.”
The annual agricultural farm tours are hosted by the agricultural advisory and economic enhancement committee, with different locations chosen each year.
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