This Saturday, Quesnel’s horse community will come together to raise money for a local farrier and his family.
A fundraiser barrel race for the Luttmer family is taking place Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Alex Fraser Park indoor arena.
Jodi Staves and Ashley Zappone are organizing this fundraiser for the Luttmers.
“D’Arcy and his wife are our local farriers,” Staves said in an email. “They are the ones who keep our horses’ feet in good condition for us to race. They are a staple in the horse world and our community.”
D’Arcy suffered eight broken ribs, three fractures in his pelvis, a hole in his lungs and a crushed collar bone after his horse flipped and rolled over him last Friday morning (Sept. 20), according to a Facebook post from the Bouchie Lake Gymkhana Club.
D’Arcy is a farrier by trade, and he is expected to be in a wheelchair or using a walker for six weeks. He won’t be shoeing horses for quite a while, and that is his main source of income. According to the Gymkhana Club, D’Arcy’s wife, Colleen — who is also a farrier — will be trying to cover his clients in the meantime — along with taking care of D’Arcy and their son Emmett, as well as taking care of their farm and getting ready for winter.
This race is cash and prize payout, and the time-only runs start at 10 a.m. and are $5 (pay at the gate). The race starts at noon. Entries fees are $40 for open, $30 for youth and $20 for peewee.
Staves says they have about 20 racers registered so far, but they are expecting more. Anyone can come and race — just show up on Saturday and pay the entry fee, she explained.
During the event, there will be a silent auction to help raise money, and they are hoping to sell pizza by the slice as well.
Anyone who is interested in donating silent auction items can donate items up until Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Luttmer family to help cover the loss of income, explained Staves.
If people would like to offer cash donations, they can send an e-transfer to Staves at jodistaves@shaw.ca or call her at 250-983-9592 to arrange for pickup.
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A GoFundMe page has also been started for the Luttmer family. The online fundraiser, organized by Lani Brathwaite, has raised $3,705 as of Wednesday night.
To donate, visit https://au.gofundme.com/f/cvdgv-lend-a-helping-hand.
READ MORE: Natasha Milliken wins beginners barrel race and 2D pole bending at Quesnel Fall Fair
editor@quesnelobserver.com
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