As of Monday morning, the final figure had not yet been tallied, but one thing was clear – the annual Saddle Up for St. Jude Fun Show held at WF Stables in Jonesborough last Saturday was an unbridled success. With some matching donations still outstanding, over $26,000 had been raised for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Each October, the riders who take lessons and compete in fun shows at WF Stables throughout the year raise money for St. Jude. The fundraiser culminates in a daylong celebration that includes a horse and rider costume contest, some good food, fellowship and a lot of friendly competition.
In addition to the costume contest, riders climbed on their horses and competed in a variety of fun and frantic competitions that allowed them to show off their skills. Relay races, a cowboy challenge, pole bending and barrel races were among the highlights.
Every year, WF Stables instructors Paige Tillison and Jennifer Smith break their students up into two teams – Team Paige and Team Jen – and compete to see which group can raise the most money. This year the friendly competition is a photo finish, but the real winners will be the patients, families, doctors and nurses at St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The goal going into the competition was to raise $10,000.
More photos from the Saddle Up for St. Jude event can be found here.
