The Barn Equestrian Centre

05/21/2025

Today was a very sad day at The Barn! We all learned to love (and respect!!) this beautiful little creature called ‘Fat Cat’ (that’s the name she came with). We renamed her Chatty Cat. Rest in peace! You’ll be so missed! The outpour of love from everyone at the Barn today was so appreciated and needed. You girls are just the best ever! I leave you with Cindy’s words - she truly nailed it! 😞❤️

In Loving Memory of Fat Cat
🐾 Our Beloved Barn Queen 🐾

Today we say goodbye to our barn cat, Fat Cat — a grumpy little legend who left paw prints on our hearts.

Fat Cat wasn’t the cuddly type when she first arrived. With narrowed eyes and a no-nonsense attitude, she made it clear that she ran the barn. Pets were allowed only on her terms (which usually meant not at all), and her sass was unmatched.
But as the years passed, something incredible happened. Us ladies at the barn slowly chipped away at that crusty exterior. They spoke to her gently, left little treats, and respected her space. And like all things that take time, the transformation was worth every second. Fat Cat blossomed into a sweet girl, meowing loudly for attention, seeking out laps, and making sure she got her fair share of love.

She was our grumpy girl turned lovebug, a symbol of patience, persistence, and how even the toughest hearts can soften when shown care.
The barn won’t be the same without her soft meows and watchful eyes.

Rest easy, Fat Cat. You earned your rest, sweet girl. The hay bales are a little emptier now, but our hearts are full of the love you left behind.

Forever our barn queen. 💛

05/05/2025

04/25/2025

Congratulations, Laura Ferguson, on the purchase of this adorable mare! Welcome to your new home, Evy! We are all in love already ❤️

04/24/2025

The Okanagan Dressage Cup is a new and exciting initiative that celebrates the many years of friendship, mutual support and shared passion for the sport between the Kelowna Riding Club and Vernon District Riding Club.
This prestigious award honours the dedication, perseverance, and achievements of riders who participate in both the Kelowna Riding Club and Vernon District Riding Gold and Bronze shows, and recognizes the positive impact that dressage has on our lives. Anyone who participates in both the VDRC or KRC Gold or Bronze Dressage Shows is eligible to sign up.
As a thank you for joining the Okanagan Dressage Cup, your name will be entered into a draw to win a 55-inch Smart TV, courtesy of Telus. To win this amazing prize, you will have to at least enter two tests at each show.
Prizes and recognition will be given out for each level and the overall winner will have her /his name engraved on the Okanagan Dressage Cup trophy!
To register, simply fill out the registration form (https://forms.gle/MXEemVfdjVRUbF5N6) and etransfer $10 to [email protected].
This is a pilot project, so please bear with us if there are any glitches, but we are hoping to grow this for the future and get you all excited about our sport of dressage not only in the Okanagan, but province and beyond province wide! Do you want to support this event?
We're offering a sponsorship package for just $50 per division. Contact Kathrin Maxwell at [email protected] to learn more and get involved.
This initiative was a teamwork adventure and I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Celine Hutchison Majerus, Sherri Paiement and Kim Warwick for all your support, as well as the Vernon District Riding Club and the Kelowna Riding Club! We are so excited for the 2025 Show season!!!

12/20/2024

Thank you, Tara, the hostess with the mostest, for having us Barn girls over for a fun Christmas get-together! You honestly should start a catering business - the food was so delicious and beautiful!! Such a fun night with some of my favorite people ❤️

11/05/2024

Save the date! Our Annual General Meeting is coming up on Nov 14th at the Clubhouse. Doors will open at 5:00 pm and the meeting will start promptly at 6:00pm. Voting members please come out to exercise your right to vote and to hear about all the exciting things we have planned for the Club in 2025. It will be an awesome evening and a great opportunity to catch up with your local equestrian community. Please bring a potluck item to share.

11/04/2024

Welcome back to The Barn, Phoenix and Christine! Looking forward to a fun winter!!

11/04/2024

First a three-pointer showed up at The Barn, but not long after a four-pointer came along (no idea if I’m using the right terminology 😑). It was so amazing to watch! Logan was cool as a cucumber (he made friends with them a while back), Belleza was not impressed with the intruders! Mama deer and her twins along with the two bucks went for a wild run-around. All right next to the horses and I’m so impressed how well our horses handled the craziness!! They just watched in awe and so did we!

10/26/2024

Our youngest Barn member Simone and her beautiful (and at times somewhat stubborn) Haflinger mare Petra have their very first show this weekend at the Kelowna Riding Club. So far, she absolutely rocked it and all of us at The Barn are so incredibly proud of you!!! 👏👏👏

10/10/2024

Stella and Yodi - the smallest members of our Barn family 💕

10/10/2024

Love this time of the year! Thank you Tara Bruschinsky and her company Close To Home for the beautiful fall decorations!