The Inland Empire Quarter Horse
Association
Then & Now...
In 1958 the Inland Empire Quarter Horse Association
was formed by a group of interested Quarter Horse breeders to
promote the Quarter Horse through breeding, sales, import &
export as well as through horse shows, fairs, rodeos & horse
racing.
IEQHA put on its first show in 1959. In 1960 the Association joined
with the Diamond Spur Rodeo to have a joint Rodeo/Quarter Horse
Show which was held at the Joe Albi Memorial Stadium. Barns were
needed but financing wasn't available so members lent the "New Club"
from $40 to $1,000 to build the barns with the faith that the show
would make money & their loans would be repaid with interest.
The show was a great success! Unfortunately, a few years later,
the barns burned which ended the Show/Rodeos at the stadium. The
Show was then held at various public & private arenas for a
number of years. Between the years of 1975 & 1979 members of
IEQHA were instrumental in working with the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds
Association to obtain an indoor arena. The Club also donated all
the latches for the horse barns, in use until 2000, as well as the
arena speaker system & the window in the show office that looks
out into the arena, which are all still in use today. The format
& size of the shows have varied throughout the years, but our
club today, several of whom are charter members, remains dedicated
& enthusiastic about providing a quality AQHA Show for all Quarter
Horse owners to earn AQHA points. In years past, proceeds from The
Show were donated to The Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children;
the current beneficiaries are Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery and C.O.L.T.
(Changing our Lives Together), a program for teens.
Since 1985 IEQHA has sponsored an annual Spring Schooling Show
for all breeds and then combined that with an Instructional Clinic
especially for youth which for a number of years has been given
by Sherrie McGowan. Our Club was the one that started cow penning
in this area, a sport that is now enjoyed by riders of all ages.
In years past, IEQHA donated to and members helped with Horsepower-a
local program at the time for disabled children. Riders also helped
in ranch roundups and until recently, we had a mounted rescue unit.
As a club, we also take time to enjoy our horses on trail rides.
Some short enough for the younger family riders, and some overnighters
for the more experienced. As of 2001, IEQHA sponsors a local, all
breed AQHA Trail Ride with food, prizes and "poker" if you wish.
We enjoy potluck meetings periodically, and this year plan to
have a Family Playday. Year end awards in many categories of horse
and member participation are given at the annual Christmas Awards
Banquet which begins with a silent auction and ends with a fun filled
gift exchange. An enjoyable evening to close a year with Good Friends
New & Old.
For information about IEQHA, call:
Judy Malby (509) 447-4663
Anne Van Soest (509) 922-1712
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