The Rumsey Ride for STARS brought in 102 riders from all over Alberta this year to TL Bar Ranch, raising over $40,000 in donations toward STARS – the most the fundraisier has seen donated in 27 years.
“We are just ecstatic. It is phenomenal, actually. We didn’t know what to expect because last year we did just under $40,000 and had more riders. And with the economy and everything we were expecting to get hit back a bit. So to have this turn out with less riders is just phenomenal,” says organizer Rob Richmond.
Over 27 years, the Rumsey Ride for STARS has provided an opportunity for horse enthusiasts to trail ride together for a great cause. The event also features a pancake breakfast, a BBQ lunch, and a beef BBQ supper as well as games and awards.
This years award categories were Most Raised by a Senior Rider (Lynn Tanner, $9,330), Most Raised by a Junior Rider (Raylee Jones, $2,200), and Oldest (Marvin Donaghy, age 88) / Youngest rider (Chesney Anderson, age 4).
Surprisingly, this year catered to a younger crowd of riders.
“We had more of the younger riders in the ride this year. There is a lot of older folks that do ride, but it is neat to see that we have a new generation participating,” says Richmond.
