The Caravan
well as ‘Equis Film of the Year 2016’.
Synopsys
Hired to see the country as the scout for The Caravan, was a fast and furious learning curve. Invited only one week before the launch, being responsible for the route, entertainment and lodging for 30 people, two (53’ long 13’6” tall) semi-trucks, 23 horses and 15 RV’s with horse trailers proved to be an exciting challenge.
Hill length and grade, footing (paved, sand, rocks), tree and obstacle height, road and gate width, forecasted temperature and weather, traffic flow and speed, bridge weight restrictions and the scenic aspects were just a few of the elements that were factored into the route.
The accommodations were to have water, pens for horses, electricity, flushing toilets, showers, ambience, be beautiful, have trailer parking and be at the end of each day’s 8-20 mile carriage drive.
Three different routes with alternatives to carriage driving or riding if the route was too intense for the novice drivers was expected. To coordinate a good route I contacted road crews, chambers, mayors, city, state and county police. Asking land owners to unlock gates and recruiting local ranchers and hunters to show me their trails with their ATVs became invaluable to success.
Using Google Earth, MapMyRide, DeLorme Maps and Panascout by Panavision to research and create the routes was necessary.
I scouted scenic locations and entertaining characters for the documentary film crew who accompanied us. Gathering information about the regions we were traveling through regarding history, sights and entertainment was appreciated. Tours were scheduled for everything from sugar beet plants to feed lots (this was an agricultural group). We were the hit of the Veterans Day parade in Yuma and made history with a scheduled showdown in Tombstone.
Being part of the team, we woke at 4:30, brushed and harnessed horses, cleaned the campsite, packed the trucks and moved the vehicles ahead. At our daily meeting I provided a typed, detailed description of what tomorrow would entail and answered questions or comforted concerns.
Note: I was working to help 2 non-profits so everything from entertainment to lodging was gained free or at an extreme discount, as was expected.
CanDrive
Synopsys
Scheduled group trainings, wrote detailed itineraries, created plush accommodations, arranged ceremonial arrivals and departures, organized daily lunch and dinner entertainment /speakers, insured above average audio visual equipment, coordinated daily sundown display of talent or skill, prepared guests for evening high level carriage drive, coordinated transportation to hot springs, prepared and served meals, scheduled appropriate level and accommodated requests for private lessons, assisted with horses, prepared new drivers, washed horses and laundry, created media releases, photographed and documented, utilized social media, insured safety, trained and shared knowledge, wrote article and published in two National carriage driving magazines.
IDEAL HARNESS
Traveled to driving shows with 53’ semi-trailer, displayed harness through use of chariot races, displayed harness in competition, captured photos and videos, utilized facebook, responded to inquiries promptly, attended nightly galas, socialize, spoke at events, shared in seminars, drove other people’s horses, fit harness, assisted with catering, assisted with set-up and break down, managed lighting, managed VIP passes, set-up displays, prepared music, operated sound systems, managed crowd, gathered refreshments.
Access Adventure-
Created activities timeline, filed back taxes, created new website, wrote marketing plan, wrote and disseminated media releases, put corporation in good standing, wrote safety standards, scheduled safety certification, documented procedures, mended fences, made fundraising plan, wrote ask letters, created multi-dimensional budget, recruited and trained volunteers.
Dallas Surrey
Synopsys
Safely navigated the streets of Dallas with guests on a horse drawn carriage.
Provided the history of the area, shared great restaurants and highlights of the city, entertained the riders, cleaned the carriage, cared for the horses, trained, met hotel managers to share leads, arrived early to events, brought brides to their weddings, waited for prom guests, gave Christmas lights tours.
Politely entertained.
Because our barn was located on the Trinity River, we had a vested interest in supporting the developers in Dallas to create trails in the river that would allow for horses and carriages. I attended meetings, volunteered for clean-up and provided feed-back to the planners regarding the state of the city and the tenants.