Solidarity! Standing together! Speaking with one voice! “ENOUGH!” Today, March 24, 2018, hundreds of thousands of people , all across the United States stood together, marched together and said:” ENOUGH!” They joined , in unity with students, for the ‘March for Our Lives’ to say that “never again” would young people and children be killed in schools by gunfire. In Wellington Florida the equestrian community came together to Ride for Our lives. Olympian Meredith Michaels Beerbaum and Katherine Bellissimo, managing partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners that own and operate the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, joined together to organize a special ceremony that began at 6:00 pm. This was not just a faceless group. There were riders ranging in age from the youngest
to some well known veterans. ( if you recognize this rider , on the left, leave a comment below!!)
Some of the riders had made signs to give voice to what they felt.
Before 6 pm the riders began to assemble in the Rost arena at the PBIEC.
The march was to be led by two small equines owned by Katherine Bellissimo and wearing Ride For Our Lives T shirts.
Just after 6 pm the march began and ponies with the youngest riders and horses ridden by well known show jumpers went into the International Ring. They went past the VIP seating.
They circled past the Jumbo-tron and the stands.
There were marchers on foot as well as on horses.
The Chronicle of the Horse had asked for photos , with equestrians holding up the Ride For Our lives sign, to be submitted to be shown on the Jumbo-tron. One of the first up was of Nikki, at Standing Oak Farm in Palm City, where I am riding this winter. It is hard to see the Jumbo-tron image in the sunlight so I’ve included my original photo of Nikki and the Shire mare Clementine.
After I took Nikki’s photo yesterday she said: “I’m proud to be able to be part of this.”
I am proud too. Not only of Nikki but of the young people, the survivors of the shooting in Parkland, who are leading the USA in a new movement that, I hope, will bring an end to the killing of school children. Enough!
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