Back Home Again - Fox Valley Saddle Association's New Home
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Back Home Again - Fox Valley Saddle Association's New Home
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Fox Valley Saddle Association has been fostering family fun with horses in the Midwest for over fifty years. This spring they cut the ribbon on a brand new facility, the third in their rich history. Once again, members stepped to the plate to keep the dream alive. ....by Sandy Kucharski Eighty-five year-old Bob Raywood stepped to the podium in front of the 100+ guests at the Fox Valley Saddle Association Christmas Party. The capacity crowd was on hand for the first official event at the new club grounds. Raywood, the undisputed patriarch of the club, cleared his throat to deliver his annual Christmas address, something that has become as much of a holiday tradition for the club as the reading of “The Night Before Christmas” is in some households. In his deep, expressive voice, Raywood retold the history of the club from memory. His first-hand accounts dated back to the club’s humble beginnings in the 1940’s. He talked with fondness about several of his old friends, the founding fathers of the club, and how things used to be. He expressed amazement at how far the club had come over the years and what changes it had been through. He recounted how he’d seen the club grounds in downtown Elgin developed, and the move and building of the facility on Bowes Road, outside of Elgin. He spoke with reverence when he talked about standing now in a new clubhouse on new grounds again?the third move in the club’s history. His voice faltered when he said he figured this would be the last move he’d be around to witness. This comment was received with warm smiles and the assurance that another move was out of the question. The club is home to stay! Fox Valley Saddle Association has been an institution in the horse industry in Northern Illinois for over 50 years now. The organization is best known to the general “horse public” for their first rate show facility. Each year, hundreds of exhibitors enjoy competing in various events held on the grounds of FVSA. Over the years, these events have included open horse shows, breed shows, speed shows, rodeos, mini events, hunter/jumper shows, and ropings. For the non-competitive, the facility has played host to numerous clinics and seminars, been home to summer camps, “sold the farm” with auctions, kicked back with dances, and offered a gathering place for hundreds of meetings of horse enthusiasts. Many of these events are sponsored by the club; FVSA puts on an average of 10-12 open events themselves each year. The balance of the year’s calendar is filled by renting the grounds to other groups and associations for their events. The facility boasts large indoor and outdoor arenas, covered stall barns, wash racks, club house with washroom facilities, a mini event course and acres of parking. The club grounds have been upgraded and designs improved with each move resulting in the shiny, new facility that is opening this year. In looking back, you can really see how far they came. It’s been a long road... In the mid 1940’s Americans saw an end to World War II. Gasoline averaged 18¢ a gallon and a you could expect to pay 25¢ for a pound of bacon. Elgin, Illinois was a growing community, anchored by a thriving downtown district and backed by productive factories. Although urbanization was on the horizon, the city then still had very rural roots. Residents were hard working and there was still a sense of community. People with similar interests looked for ways to get together in social settings and enjoy each other’s company. Horse sports were a popular leisure pastime for many of these “rural types,” and they were always looking for a common place to get together and have a show, trail ride or just socialize. A small informal group started getting together and in 1946 they chartered Fox River Valley Saddle & Harness Association, naming a full set off officers and nine directors. The group met at various locations including the YWCA, Lord’s Park Pavilion, the American Legion Hall, City Hall and in private homes. They published their meeting dates in the Courier news and held membership drives. Dues were $2.50 In April of 1947 the group hosted their first trail ride and horseshow at Helberg Farm (on Shoe Factory Rd.). Another show was held in August of that year at the Lathrops Farm. The show bill included the following classes: Children’s Class, Stock Horses, Parade, Juniors, Fine Harness, Palomino, 3&5 Gaited, Bridlepath, Roadster and Stake Race. A tradition had begun. Small horse shows, trail rides, and dances were the primary activities. Membership was growing and one club event proved to be a consistent money-maker. In September of 1949, FVSA held its first full horse show at Wing Park in Elgin. Entry fees were $2.00 per class. Admission tickets were sold by the Shriners and Boy Scouts, with seats costing 25¢ to 75¢. In those times, shows were as much for spectators as for the exhibitors. The show had 216 entries and after the event, the treasury showed a balance of $1259.00. Members began talking about starting a building fund. In 1952, the club purchased five acres on Rt. 58, about a mile east of the city limits in Elgin, for $2500. Early the next year the charter was amended with the new name to read, Fox Valley Saddle Association. Then the work really began. There were fences to build, an arena to grade, lights to install, bleachers to build...the list went on. In 1958 a clubhouse was erected, complete with well and furnace. Fortunately, many of the members were in the trades and most of the labor was donated. Life was a little slower paced, and people weren’t as overbooked as they seem to be today. Parents weren’t frantically shuttling their children between soccer, karate and dance classes every night of the week. Families joined FVSA and they all enjoyed the equine amenities and social benefits of the club, and they worked together to help build it. As the club grew and matured, so did the community around it. What was once five acres on the fringe of the city, became an island of open space, surrounded by offices, apartments, and strip malls. If they wanted to continue to exist in the manner they were used to, a move was necessary. Due to a favorable twist of fate, the urban sprawl that forced them out also saved the club. The five acres they owned had appreciated in value considerably. A land swap was arranged and in 1969 FVSA traded their five acres downtown, for 15 acres west of Elgin in a rural farming area. This time, the building plans were much more ambitious. A large outdoor arena was a must because in the ‘60’s the rodeos hosted by the club were the big money makers of the time. An outdoor arena, measuring 150’x275’ was built, big enough for most anything. Lighting and bleachers were added and members enjoyed riding under the lights on warm summer nights. But the northern Illinois winters put a halt to most equine activities after October. Club members wanted to have a place to ride their horses all winter. In the early ‘70’s, building projects on the new grounds also included a good sized indoor arena, 72’x198’ as well as a club house with modern washrooms, a full kitchen, and a large meeting area. Just as with the first club grounds, members donated countless hours of labor to get the new facility ready to use. In September, 1971, the club held its first approved AQHA show at the new grounds. This tradition started back in the ‘50’s and FVSA continues to host its Annual Fox Valley Saddle Association Quarter Horse show each year, now on Mother’s Day weekend. The show holds the distinction of being the oldest continuous running Quarter Horse shows in the state of Illinois. This has always been a two-day show, with exhibitors commonly coming in the day before the show started to get settled in. Arrangements were made for horses to overnight at nearby stables. Members saw the income potential of having stalls available on the grounds, not to mention the convenience for exhibitors. Several years of discussion and planning saw the addition of a 60-stall barn in 1985. In 1996, the present club members at the time and special friends and past members got together at a local restaurant to celebrate FVSA’s 50th anniversary. There was a lot of reminiscing that night during dinner and dancing and talk of many more years to come. Successful shows and events continued through the years. New members were added to the family and old ones showed them the ropes. Families came together with their horses in the days after September 11, appreciating what they had a little more, and perhaps setting a little more time aside for the things that meant the most to them. Development in Kane County continued, and the 15 acres that was the club’s rural refuge, had once again fallen within the grips of the the sprawling city of Elgin. A proposed 900-home development was in the works on land adjacent to the saddle club. In order to run city utilities to the new development, a portion of FVSA land would need to be annexed to the city. If the club didn’t agree to this, forced annexation was the next step. Once again, they were threatened with the end of life as they knew it. City zoning could put restrictions on the P.A. system, dust, manure, etc. to the point that a Sunday morning horse show or Wednesday night playnight would be out of the question. Long-time board members saw an all-too-familiar scenario playing out again. Three intense years went into finding a new site, negotiating a deal for the sale of the Bowes Road property, planning the design of a new facility, seeing the building project to completion, and moving. The result is the new Fox Valley Saddle Association, built on 40 acres, located west of Rt. 47 on Rohrsen Road in Hampshire, IL?about five miles northwest of the former grounds. It’s been said that enduring the process of building a new home is one of the most difficult strains that can be put on a marriage. In the process of getting this new grounds built, the club has “endured” its share of stress. However, good cheer and camaraderie prevailed at the annual Christmas party, the first official event at the new facility. The enthusiasm is growing for the upcoming season, and?just as in the past?it appears that members will once again step up and pull everything together. The benefits of membership In order to keep this “home” and “family” functioning, however, each member bears the responsibility required of a typical family member. A predetermined number of hours must be contributed back to the club, spent on maintenance, helping run events, planning, fundraising, and whatever else is needed. One of the great things about club membership has always been the diverse interests of its members. They share a common love of horses, but vary widely on what they like to do with their horses. There have been rodeo riders, harness enthusiasts, gamers, ropers, gaited horse lovers, western pleasure pros, dressage devotees, eventers, and hunter/jumpers, among others. The grounds are there for all the members to enjoy. Events are planned according to members’ interests. Although there has always been a steady flow of interest in the Quarter Horse and open shows, at times, members have taken on ropings, speed shows, fun shows, clinics, team tournaments and most recently hunter/jumper schooling shows. In 1998, a couple of members who were familiar with 3-day eventing approached the board about putting on a mini event. The project was approved, and a committee went to work building a cross country course on the permitter of the Bowes Road grounds. Mini events have become a regular event ever since, and an expanded course is in the works for the new facility. Another long-standing FVSA tradition is Playnight. Held weekly, from May through September, Playnight is a an informal, mini horseshow for members. Each night includes a judged horsemanship and pleasure class, two speed classes such as barrels, poles or flags, and a fun class (i.e., egg & spoon, water race, boot race). Classes are split into three age divisions and riders accumulate points toward year-end awards. Countless children have gotten their start in riding (and an introduction to friendly competition) at Playnights - and most of them continue the tradition, growing up and bringing their children too. It has also seen many adults introduced to the sport of riding for the first time. Although points are awarded for top individuals, family fun and socializing are the best awards garnered at each playnight. The income from successful horse shows and events help pay the bills that include utilities, maintenance and property taxes, but the other primary source of income has been renting the facility to other clubs, breed groups and horse organizations for horse shows and clinics. Rental customers have included: Land of Lincoln Quarter Horse Association, Mid-States Morgan Horse Association, Blackhawk Appaloosa Association, Wis-IL Buckskin, Dun & Grulla Promoters, Pony Club, 4-H, John Lyon’s Symposium, and Parelli Natural Horsemanship. These associations have enjoyed successful shows and clinics, due to the top-notch grounds, and the excellent location in this densely “horse-populated” area of Northern Illinois. Check it out This club has enjoyed a long, colorful history in the midwest for over fifty years. With the help of dedicated members and horsemen, they look to continue to create, stimulate and maintain an interest in the equine industry for many years to come. For more information about FVSA, check their website at
www.FVSA.org or contact 847/683-2372. |
Fox Valley Saddle Association Grand Opening Gala FVSA 2004 Event Schedule: Consignment Auction: March 21 |
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