The Spirit of the Arabian Horse Society was formalized as a Region 10 member club in 2001, although it evolved from the old Oneida Riders Association, which was founded in 1994 in Oneida, Wisconsin. Most of our members come from Wisconsin and Michigan, although location is not important since we conduct some internet meetings.
Originally, the club was founded by a group of folks with horses in the area who joined together for the opportunity to share ideas, knowledge, and fun with their horses. One of their purposes was to encourage Native American youth to become involved with horses through demonstrations, cookouts, parades, campouts, trail rides, hands-on experiences, and friendships.
Spirit’s purpose is to promote the Arabian and Half Arabian through good horsemanship, artistic expression related to equine activities, and charitable endeavors. The club also seeks to give animation to the sportsman’s charter and to promote a holistic approach to health and sports medicine for equines and humans.
Some of the programs we’re working on are an annual holistic health clinic and an annual Native American artistic or cultural seminar.
We also participate as a group in parades, clinics, and seminars. We parade with horses and on foot in Native American regalia, pendletons, ribbon shirts, and pull a travois. We have won in local parade competitions.
Currently we have an open show held back-to-back with the WDHA Open Show in August in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and we are researching the possibility of a rated show.
Spirit has a limited membership of twenty with an increase of one new member permitted on odd numbered years. Since we are so small, participation is mandatory. If interested in our club, a Letter of Intent Worksheet must be completed which contains areas the prospective member would be interested in chairing and/or participating in. Please contact our Membership Chair for information.
2003 News: Jackie Johnson received Spirit’s first President’s Award, and Samantha House received the Volunteer of the Year award.
Spirit joined the Northeast Wisconsin Pleasure Horse Association (NEWPHA) as an affiliate member. There are 6 local (within 75 miles) pleasure horse clubs that each have a show with identical 39 classes (extras can be of your choice) and combine points for year end high point awards and
banquet. Several of us attended this year and were greeted with open arms – the NEWPHA group was excited to have an Arab breed organization among them. Spirit members felt this was an excellent way to promote (good) Arabs on the grassroots circuit.
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