Annual equine event benefits Catholic school

Annual equine event benefits Catholic school

During the early years of the annual Horse Show sponsored by St. Clement's parish in Saratoga Springs, the equine stars of the event were quite accessible to their fans, Pat MacMasters recalls.

"It was in a field. The kids could come up and pet the horses," said Mrs. MacMasters, who has worked as a volunteer at the show for the past 20 years. "You can get pretty close to them now, but that was fun."

She is one of many dedicated volunteers affiliated with St. Clement's school and parish who lends a hand during the annual fund-raiser, which was held last week. It has become one of the premiere horse shows in the Northeast.

Making hay

Now in its 38th year, the St. Clement's Horse Show attracts some of the top horses, riders and trainers from the East Coast and Canada. Nearly 600 horses were entered for this year's event, the highest number ever, according to Maureen LaBelle, Horse Show president and a fourth-grade teacher at St. Clement's School.

The show has served as a fund-raiser for St. Clement's School for the past several years. Last year's event raised $42,000 for the school, and Principal R. Michael Dillon anticipates this year's event will raise almost $60,000.

This year, Quad/Graphics became a corporate sponsor of the show, and the prize money for the marquee event, the Saratoga Cup, was increased from $10,000 to $15,000, Mr. Dillon said.

Horse power

A committee of 25 to 30 people begins planning the show as early as September by coordinating entries, prize money and volunteers, who work in such areas as concessions, souvenirs and admissions. The horse show manager, meanwhile, secures the services of judges, timers, people to set up jumps, and secretarial staff.

"We try to make it a friendly, comfortable place for the horsepeople that come into town," Mr. Dillon said. "I've heard from them that they enjoy coming to St. Clement's because we treat them so well."

Recent improvements to the show include the creation of a third ring to enable more horses to compete simultaneously, and the spreading of new sand in each ring to improve the horses' footing.

Groundwork

One of the many volunteers who helped during this year's show was Dave Wood, grounds manager. He and his helpers began their days at 6 a.m. and worked as late as 11 p.m., making sure that the rings were in decent shape for each day's competition.

"Happy horses make more money for the school," Mr. Wood said in explaining his commitment. His daughters, Amanda and Katelyn, both graduated from St. Clement's, while his wife, Jane, is a Eucharistic minister in the parish and worked as a volunteer in concessions during this year's show.

Mr. Wood doesn't mind doing the "dirty" work for the show because it helps to ensure the event's success, which directly benefits the school.

"To keep the horse exhibitors happy, it means they like the show; they'll be back next year, and you keep that good following," he said.

Dishing it up

As Mrs. MacMasters served goulash, old-fashioned beef stew, macaroni and cheese, and clam chowder to hungry horse lovers during the show, she reminisced about the days when her mother would handwrite the invitations for the show and send them to prospective participants.

The horse show has become a family affair in the MacMasters clan, with her children and grandchildren volunteering at the event or simply enjoying the festivities over the years.

Although she misses the days when humans and horses would be noses apart, spectators still can get fairly close to the animals, and her affinity toward horses remains strong.

"I love horses because I'm a Saratogian. They're the life of Saratoga," she said.

In the irons

Richard Sanzen and his family have been regulars at the horse show for many years, as well. He helped to add such features as a VIP tent, videos and bottles of champagne to the event, while his wife, Jane, has shown horses during the event for the past 20 years.

Last week, Mr. Sanzen was videotaping his daughter, Julia, who rode in the local hunter division. A hunter is a horse of any breed that possesses jumping ability, manners, style, pace and quality.

The Sanzens have attended numerous horse shows together, but Mr. Sanzen considers the St. Clement's Show to be special because of the huge volunteer effort to raise funds for the school.

"When you go to these shows as a competitor or as a parent and you see the money that these events generate, it's a great opportunity," he said.

Hoofers

Between 100 and 150 volunteers helped out during this year's show, working four-hour shifts selling food, admission tickets or souvenirs, according to Cherie Grey, a show committee member. Volunteers also helped with the electrical and sound systems, and prepared the rings for competition.

While many volunteers have been participating in the event for years, some are new to the routine, such as fifth-grade students who were selling hot dogs on Saturday and Sunday, or kids who kept the place clean, Mrs. Grey added. One claim to fame of the St. Clement's Horse Show is its food, which is prepared by local restaurateurs with help from children attending St. Clement's School.

Even folks who aren't affiliated with St. Clement's parish or school lend their services each year, Mr. Dillon noted, and their assistance makes a great event even better.

"We have quite a few people in the community that come work the show, and they know that by doing it, they're helping out St. Clement's," he said.

(05-07-98) [[In-content Ad]]