Darice Whyte, President
I have been competing in endurance with my mare Tia since 2011. There was a steep learning curve especially with the longer distances but I have gained a lot of knowledge through our journey. In 2016 I achieved a childhood dream by completing the Tevis Cup ride in California with Tia. One day I hope to do it again
Carrie Schellenberg Wilson, Vice-President
Carrie picked up the horse habit in 2012 when the neighbour girl asked to borrow pasture for her horses. Since then, Carrie has come to own two happy Icelandics and enjoys riding as often as she can. After researching and talking to other Endurance riders, she successfully completed several rides in 2017. Carrie is very pleased to be part of the DRM board this year. She looks forward to many more miles down the trail with her new friends, four-legged and two-legged.
Christine Steendam, Secretary
Christine got bit by the horse bug when she was 11 years old–although, bit by a certain naughty grey pony is probably closer to reality. Since then, her life has revolved around horses, but it wasn’t until 2019 that her addiction to endurance riding began. When Christine isn’t riding her own horses, she’s probably riding someone else’s, and there’s no place she’d rather be than spending hours in the saddle. She is honoured to serve as a board member and looks forward to continuing her education and development in the sport of endurance.
Wendy Nagtegaal, Treasurer
Wendy’s love of horses began when she was about 8 years old. She, along with her best friend Rhea, begged the camp director to take the camp children to Falcon Lake riding stables. It helped that the director was Rhea’s uncle and so they all went. Wendy picked for herself a beautiful chestnut (yes chestnut) mare and proceeded to experience her first time on a horse. All the boys were asking to go faster and Wendy said “not yet! not yet!” but her quiet voice was not heard and they went faster. Well that 8 year old girl soon forgot her fears and was part of the group asking to go faster after that. From that moment on horses became her passion. Little did she know at that time that 23 years later she would own her own horses and approx 15 years after that riding endurance. There is still a part of that girl that still says “not yet “ but encouraged on by her daughter, Christine Steendam, Wendy is enjoying the training and sport of Endurance riding very much! Wendy semi-retired in spring of 2020 from bookkeeping and currently enjoys more time with her family, riding, gardening and taking on new projects on her acreage.
Shannon Lightfoot, Member-at-Large