Trainer Bowl II kicked off on December 21st with 64 trainers all vying for the title of Trainer Bowl Champion. Through a series of rounds which saw in excess of 500,000 votes, we are now down to the final two trainers. From the All-Around Division is Reid Thomas of Corpus Christi, Texas. Our other Finalist is Lainie DeBoer of Forest Lake, Minnesota from the English Division.
Congratulations and thank you to Reid and Lainie! These two trainers fought long and hard through five grueling rounds of voting to make their way into the finals. Now the voting is over and the Trainer Bowl Champion will rely not on popularity to win – now everything rests on how much money each trainer can raise in the name of charity!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE MONEY TO EITHER 501(c) 3 CHARITY ON BEHALF OF ONE OF THE TRAINERS IN TRAINER BOWL II.
DUE TO THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY ON MONDAY, YOU NOW HAVE UNTIL TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH AT 10:00 PM CENTRAL TO DONATE.
The winner of Trainer Bowl II will receive a $2,000 gift certificate to Kendall’s Western Hats.
Meet the final two trainers:
Reid Thomas – All-Around Division
Reid Thomas is an all-around trainer from Corpus Christi, Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Business Administration and a minor in International Law. His philosophy revolves around providing the highest level of customer service for his clients and attention to every detail.
Thomas has accumulated a strong, loyal list of clients and a barn full of very talented horses. His approach to training is a breath of fresh air to our industry. And this fresh approach is getting results; in 2009 his camp was awarded 7 Congress Championships, 1 res championship, 2 Youth High Point Congress Championships, one AQHA World Championship, one AQHA Bronze, and 6 PHBA world championships and youth golden horse.
Reid’s charity is the Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center in his home town of Corpus Christi, Texas. Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center is an accredited organization which provides equine-assisted
therapy and rehabilitation for children and adults with physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities. Reid’s mother, Charlene Thomas, runs Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center and Reid has dedicated much of his time and energy to helping this cause.
Donations will be made to Equine Sharing Program, Inc. which is a charitable organization exempt from income tax under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. This program was organized to fulfill a growing need for equine assisted therapy for handicapped individuals who do not have the financial means to pay for this program on their own.
The money Reid raises through the Trainer Bowl will assist eligible individuals to experience the many benefits of horseback riding which will improve their quality of life both physically and mentally through their interaction with the horse. Recipients will be granted scholarships to be used exclusively for therapeutic horseback riding from a qualified instructor at the Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center which is certified by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The Equine Sharing Program scholarship committee will select eligible scholarship recipients based upon available funds.
Lainie DeBoer – English Division
Lainie DeBoer owns and operates her farm Dream Field in Forest Lake, MN. She specializes in hunters and jumpers. Throughout the past couple of years, Lainie has won 4 AQHA World Championships, 6 reserve titles, and 7 Congress Championships. She has also been fortunate to coach some of the top Youth and Amateurs to multiple World, Congress, and Year End Championships in Hunt Seat Equitation, Working Hunter, Equitation Over Fences, and Hunter Hack.
This year at the AQHA World show, Lainie trained Jessica Johnson and Royality In Blue to the Amateur All-Around title. Currently, Lainie is a Purina Ambassador, Team Wrangler member for her fourth year, is on the Professional Horsemen’s committee, and is an AQHA judge specialized in over-fences.
Lainie’s biggest accomplishment is not in the ring but out of the ring, being a mother of two daughters, Gracie 10 and Emma 8. They are her pride and joy.
“The name of my charity is We Can Ride,” says DeBoer. “They offer therapeutic horseback riding and carriage driving program to adults and children living with disabilities. They work out of several barns in MN around the Twin City area. I picked We Can Ride because it makes a difference in so many peoples lives. The look on their faces when they interact with the horses is truly priceless. I think it is so easy to get caught up in the training and horse shows and lose sight of our grassroots. Watching the horses take care of disabled people reaffirms my beliefs that they are a gift. Programs like this need support, especially during tough economic times. A program like this changes so many people’s lives.”
The money that is raised in Trainer Bowl will go towards replenishing
the scholarship fund, upkeep for the horses, and help expand a program
and help give many individuals on the waiting list a chance to ride.
We Can Ride, is a 501(c)(3) non profit and Premier Accredited member of North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). We Can Ride follows strict, operating standards to provide reputable, safe, and enjoyable therapeutic riding. More information can be seen on their web site www.wecanride.org.
On behalf of both Reid Thomas and Lainie DeBoer, we encourage you to pledge a sum of money no matter how large or small on behalf of either of these two deserving charities.
Click here to donate to either Reid Thomas’ charity, the Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center or Lainie DeBoer’s charity, We Can Ride.
We thank you in advance!
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding making a donation to either of these 501(c)3 eligible charities. You may email us or call us 816-914-8602.
