Before the turn of the Century...

Spotlight on Members who joined the Santa Barbara chapter before the turn of the Century

You picked this horse for dressage?

Vali, Barbara's beloved dressage horse, was originally a Cutting Horse Champion!

That's exactly what Barbara Cleveland did! But the journey started long before, in Poulsbo, WA, when 9 year old Barbara got her first horse Dusty (Star Dust of Kent), a palomino related to  Roy Roger’s Trigger. There were no riding lessons, but Barbara read a lot of books and joined a 4H horse club.  After deciding to breed Dusty to a local stallion, Barbara rode the 6 miles to the stallion barn, left Dusty there a few days, and then rode her home again. Misty was born 11 months later, an adorable and healthy sorrel mare. Barbara raised and trained Misty and the two enjoyed Gymkhana, Trail, and Western Equitation. Barbara especially enjoyed “Scurry by pairs” – look it up! It’s quite a game!

Meanwhile Barbara rode other people’s horses to get them in condition for weeklong pack trips in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. The reward was being included on the trip! Many life lessons can be learned on a week long pack trail, including gratitude for the horses that carry you and all that gear.

In high school Barbara rode a ¾ Arab ¼ Morgan mare called Raleyn. Of her many wins during that time, Barbara was especially proud of a third place ribbon in a jumper show. This mare was not bred for jumping, but she had a great attitude and got the job done.

At age 16, as soon as she had her driver’s license, Barbara got her first horse trailer. One of Barbara's mentors, Steve Adams, had a special buckskin quarter horse named Miss Q out of Music Mount. Barbara took this horse to the Junior Championship Show and got 5 first places. She saw firsthand the magic of riding into the ring on the best horse at the show. 

At WSU Barbara showed up at the horse barn with her resume and trained their Arab Stallion for two years. Her first year she majored in journalism….one of her “beats” was The WSU school of veterinary medicine, but later switched to Interior Design. It was less pressure and more fun! 

Ever the adventurer, Barbara travelled to Hawaii and got in to sailing. She was active at the Hawaii Yacht Club, becoming editor of their News Letter. There she met her future husband, Dick Cleveland, from Santa Barbara. Dick was photographing the TransPac Yacht Race. Following their courtship and marriage, which included running an outdoor furniture store in Honolulu, they moved to the Big Island. Barbara and a new riding friend Barbara Jelks found adult riding lessons in Waimea, at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy. The dressage bug grabbed on to Barbara like a thistle. She loved the precision and the gymnastic benefit to the horse.

As the couple spent quite a bit of time at Dick's Montecito home, Barbara was a regular rider at El Capitan, and there she met the Santa Barbara dressage community. Inspired to continue in this sport, Barbara went horse shopping back in Hawaii for a dressage horse. She fell for an appendix QH just around the corner, called Vali, technically "Valentales", born on Valentines day in 1982. While not a classic dressage prospect Vali was out of a great line of Parker Ranch Thoroughbreds and sired by a racing AQHA stallion named Tell n' Tales. Barbara hosted a popular Vali Valentines birthday celebration every year. 

Still in Hawaii, Barbara joined SBC-CDS in 1988, anticipating a move back to Santa Barbara. In 1992 Vali was flown to northern California on a plane with 6 other horses and tons of Parker Ranch cattle. Hilda Gurney was one of Barbara’s trainers as well as Leslie Webb and Susan Der Drake. Barbara and Vali were awarded the USDF Bronze Medal in 1999. In 2011, Vali and Barbara completed their Century Ride. Of all coincidences, Hilda Gurney was the judge that day. A happy reunion it was and many of the old guard were on hand to witness.

Barbara riding Vali, with Judge Hilda Gurney(far right) and next to Hilda are Maria Norris and Kip Goldreyer.

Vali lived to a ripe old age of 37. Barbara has since found a mare once again, a Rocky Mountain Horse named Lucy. She’s a chocolate brown beauty; steady, reliable, and plenty of pep in her step. 

SBC-CDS members treasure all of the input Barbara has poured into our Chapter, especially during its early years. She was Chapter Chair, Vice-Chair, Social Chair and Newsletter editor, scribed at many shows, and took reams of photos that have peppered our website, Facebook site and newsletters for decades. Many of us in the Chapter celebrated her 80^th birthday a few years ago. And yet, we know she still has many a mile to ride. Happy Trails Barbara!