Congratulations to Dread-Knot Equine Training Center

What a wonderful barbecue last Saturday night. Thank you Tom and Marty Deputy who invited the community to dinner at the Dread-Knot Equine Training Center off Sunrise Pass in the Johnson Lane area to celebrate their first year in business and the raising of their new 80-foot by 120-foot covered arena. Tom played the keyboard while his band "Blues Network" entertained us with blues, jazz and a little bit of country music. They are a pretty popular band and just recently finished playing at the Coyote Bar in Gardnerville. The food was wonderful. There was quite a selection of salads, hamburgers, hot dogs and elk burgers with all the trimmings. Did I mention desserts? Wow, what a good time.

Samantha, Tom and Marty's daughter, was what all the talk was about at the barbecue. Everyone I interviewed sang her praises. Gene and Mary Nelson drive clear from Reno to have Sam work with them and their beautiful horses. Mary said, "Sam is the best trainer in the Carson Valley." Feather Black of Stagecoach has been working with trainers here in Northern Nevada for many years. Each year she takes on five new clients, four trainers and one amateur. Sam was lucky enough to be one of her students a few years ago and credits Feather with her ability to work with the horses and their owners. Sam said her mom bought her a Shetland pony when she was a little girl, and the rest was history.

Cherie Hong has been taking lessons from Sam for two and a half years on her Peruvian paso horse named Cori. She said she likes to board Cori at Dread-Knot because "I know Sam feeds her the best food and I know if there was a health problem, Sam would recognize it and be able to take care of it promptly."

Wendy Nelson boards her horse, Waleska, there also. Waleska is a German warmblood and is 17-hands tall. Wendy ate an Elk burger and said "it was really good, not fatty and not gamey, with a robust flavor."

Thank you Tom and Marty, it was a wonderful get-together. I enjoyed meeting new people and horsing around.

n School is well under way now at Piñon Hills Elementary School. How about volunteering in your child's or grandchild's classroom? The teachers in all grades appreciate any help you can offer because they always have so much going on. You can volunteer to take things home with you to do, like cutting out shapes, or fabrics for craft projects. You can help out in the classroom, or make copies in the staff lounge for the teachers. Or how about volunteering to do some of the testing of the children, I found this to be particularly interesting. The teachers always need help with class parties and they are fun for us adults to participate in also.

n Lisa Welch is a Johnson Lane resident and can be reached at 267-9350.