The Grier School will host a ‘Tack Swap,’ a flea market for horse enthusiasts, on Saturday, October 19 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at their Indoor Ring in the village of Birmingham.
This event, to benefit Grier’s riding program’s educational fund, is open to the public with free admission. Vendors will be selling new and used riding apparel, saddles and other tack and crafts. Anyone desiring to reserve a spot to set up a table and display their items should contact organizer Sharon Miner, the Riding Director at Grier School.
“This Tack Swap is an ideal way to sell a child’s overgrown riding clothes and find larger sizes,” explained Miner. “It’s also perfect for a rider new to horseback riding and competing in horse shows. They can buy proper attire inexpensively to try the sport before moving on to purchasing new clothes.”
The cost to reserve a spot is $10, and is free to all youth groups including members in the Pony Clubs and 4-H Clubs. Vendors must bring their own tables and chairs and handle all transactions.
A raffle to benefit the youth program of the Pennsylvania Equine Council will be held with donations from Red Carpet Sales, Inc. Refreshments and pony rides will also be available.
The Grier School, a non-profit boarding school, serves girls from around the world in grades seven through twelfth. Grier’s 300 acre campus offers students a rich variety of educational experiences in a very secure setting.
Founded in 1853, Grier has continuously operated with the mission of helping young women develop their intellectual, athletic and artistic talents.
The riding program is part of Grier’s athletic department and it helps to foster friendships between international students and the American girls due to their common bond – the love of horses. Teenage girls from 20 countries are learning the language and culture of their host country as well as developing riding skills aboard Jetta, Busy Bee, DT and other experienced mounts (horses) at the Grier School.
The riding program has always been an important tradition, offering lessons for beginner through advanced students in English Equitation. Vaulting, trail riding and competing in horse shows are other opportunities for the foreign students to learn new skills.
“To fulfill their physical education requirement, the girls sign up for four sport classes per week,” explains Stephanie Johnson-Smith, the school’s Athletic Director. “They’ll have the opportunity to ride full time, or part time with another activity.”
The facility consists of two instructors, Miner and Connie Brown, four outdoor rings and an indoor arena. The four barns can accommodate up to 50 horses including school horses and private ones owned by the students.
Admissions Director, Andrew Wilson, stated, “Our school’s equestrian program provides students with a secure and enjoyable refuge from the demands of the academic day program. Spending some time with horses helps the girls to feel as if they can communicate even if their English language skills are not perfect.
“The goal of the program is to help international students develop good basic foundations as riders while integrating them into the life of the school community,” added Wilson.
The school’s varsity riding team competes in the Tri-State Equitation League throughout the year. Varsity riders may also choose to participate in local shows scheduled on weekends in the fall and spring semester. Members of the varsity team are selected by their dedication to the sport rather than by their level of ability.
The Grier School is located on Route 453 just south of Tyrone. For more information or to reserve a spot at the Tack Swap, contact Sharon Miner at 814-684-3000 Ext: 174. Visit the Grier School web site at www.grier.org.
Come Saturday, October 19, to the Grier School and offer your support for the school’s riding program educational fund.
