Excerpts of Letters from Local
Residents
Lorna Drake, Retired
School Teacher:
 I am familiar with the value that a recreation and educational
facility like CEPEC can bring to Sonoma County and its young people. Most
children's priorities are: having fun, being with their friends, and
recreating. Having a facility where all these needs could be met at one
location with supervision would be a wonderful thing. CEPEC could additionally
allow access to horses and equine programs for all the children of the county,
not just those who have horses boarded at local stables. It could also provide
educational and intramural competition opportunities for children from multiple
schools at the same time, thus helping better integrate the many cultures that
exist in the county. Lastly, CEPEC would provide an opportunity to get children
out in the fresh air rather than being glued to the TV, video games, or the
computer. I am very please that a project like CEPEC has been created and look
forward to seeing our young people being able to take advantage of its many
offerings.
Cecelia Brown, Horse Ranch
Owner and CEPEC Board Member:
 CEPEC will result in much needed employment
opportunities and increased tax revenue for the county. CEPEC is slated to be
the finest equestrian complex in the state and possibly the nation. It's all
"green" facility and comprehensive services will make it the first of its kind
anywhere in the world. Through this endeavor Sonoma County will be able to
showcase and leverage its support for its equine industry. The building and
maintenance of CEPEC will provide a huge boost to our struggling construction
industry as well as provide many permanent jobs. This project truly represents
a win-win situation for the county, its residents, and the equestrian world in
general. It will be a tax revenue generator, a source of jobs, provide a safe
and monitored recreational environment for our children, preserve and maintain
open space, and house historical artifacts of the county's equine heritage in
the proposed museum. This is a great opportunity for Sonoma County to show its
support for an industry which is vital for the health of our local economy. I
believe that CEPEC will be the jewel of the west coast equine industry. Its
construction will put Sonoma County in the forefront of innovative integration
of ecologically sound practices with revenue generating, state of the art
facilities.
Shirley Johnson Folle,
Para Equestrian:
 I ride even though I am paralyzed and cannot walk. CEPEC will be a
great advantage for riders like me. We need to have a world-class equestrian
event center than can accommodate riders with disabilities. Mounting ramps, ADA
changing rooms, and being part of the planning process from the ground up,
could benefit many Para Equestrians.
Joel Bartlett, Retired TV Announcer
& Past President of Marin Horse Council:
 I do a lot of trail riding as well as
occasional arena riding in Sonoma County. This is also true of many Marin
equestrians. I feel confident that I can speak for all of us in saying that we
are excited about the prospects of an equestrian complex in Sonoma County. In
essence, it would actually be a "Bay Area" complex located in Sonoma County.
This is a win-win situation, a multi-disciplinary facility for the equestrian
community that would support economic vitality in Sonoma County.
Dr. Ted
Stashak, Professor Emeritus of Equine Surgery, Colorado State
University, School of Veterinary Medicine:
 It almost goes without saying that a state of the art
Equine Hospital would be required to support the mission described for CEPEC.
The estimated number and importantly the value of horses being used for
competition would require such a facility. Besides providing 24 hour emergency,
diagnostic, medical, and surgical services, the [equine] hospital would also
have an isolation unit to house horses that may develop a communicable disease.
To my knowledge, the only other facility with such capabilities that is close
is at [Davis] University of CA, School of Veterinary Medicine - which is
approximately 2 hours away. This is simply too far to send a horse exhibiting
signs of severe colic caused by a twisted intestine - the sooner this horse is
taken to surgery the better the prognosis. Additionally this hospital could
serve as a referral center for local practitioners. This would provide a great
service to the local equine industry.
Dr. Richard Perce, Equine Veterinarian:
I am very excited about the equestrian facility. Those of us
associated with the equine industry know the financial impact horses have on
our area. We have long needed a referral hospital facility in the immediate
area. In emergency situations, UC Davis is just too far away and repeated trips
for chronic cases are costly and time consuming. The price of equipment makes
it impossible for private practices to provide their patients with available
technology at reasonable prices.
Dr.
Grant Miller, Equine Veterinarian, and Founder of CHANGE Horse
Rescue:
 The development of a local equestrian complex would aid the county
and the local horse population by providing a facility for horses to be housed
during rehabilitation. Serving also as the emergency services and large animal
disaster veterinarian for Sonoma County, I feel that the purchase of land for
an equestrian complex is vital.
Jacqueline Sahud, Race Horse
Breeder:
Not only is [CEPEC] a much
needed competition facility, but would represent a service to those of us who
breed, train, and race thoroughbreds. Further, a facility could promote the
training, certification, and employment of horse handlers, groomers, and
trainers thereby enhancing the opportunities for the under employed and
unemployed ... To have a recognized facility that could be used in an emergency
such as fire or flood with concomitant veterinary staffing is needed.
Dr. Lucinda Romero, Surgeon and
Karen Young, Graphics Designer:
 We are specifically excited about the [CEPEC] opportunity for
3-Day Eventing. There are only a handful of horse parks in California able to
hold US Equestrian Federation sanctioned events. The addition of CEPEC could be
an opportunity for a strong draw of competitor and dollars to the area. We also
applaud the opportunity for increased safe and rider friendly equestrian trails
in Sonoma County. We utilize many of the county's parks with horse access, but
often must drive outside the County for trails with parking access because
horse trailer parking is often not available during weekends and holidays. We
would welcome trail access from parking lots designed with trailer parking in
mind. As residents near the proposed CEPEC site, we truly appreciate how CEPEC
could preserve the natural character of the surrounding
area.
Ann Gilbert, Dunham School
Board Member:
I/we are very excited to
watch the project take shape and be able to have the kids at Dunham be involved
as much as possible, taking advantage of the great gift of horses right in
their backyard!!!.
Keli Hendricks,
Horse Trainer:
 This area is a prime location to hold world class equine events,
which in turn would bring millions of dollars into our economy. Sonoma County
is in the unique position of having the land, infrastructure, climate, and
tourism opportunities that would not only support a complex such as [CEPEC],
but make it a huge financial success. Not only would this facility draw from
the large equestrian communities in adjacent counties, but it would attract top
horse show events from across the nation and even the world. Events such as
these would make [CEPEC] a tourist destination in its own right, while
preserving the land for public recreation and improving the quality of life for
all who live and visit here.
Barbara
Molland, Former President American Saddlebred Association and
Breeder of American Saddlebreds:
 A Sonoma equine complex would provide the corner stone for
official recognition of the past rich history of equestrian activity in Sonoma
County as well as guarantee its future, so that our own beautiful region may
become the western counterpart to activities of this kind. Without an
appropriate venue for such showcasing, we will miss our opportunity to become
the West Coast equestrian jewel. it is well within our grasp to become.
Melissa
Zanetti, Trainer and Representative to AQHA(American Quarter Horse
Association):
 There is a real need for a world class event center in Sonoma
County. Hosting AQHA sanctioned events in Northern California at a facility of
this caliber would breathe new life in to the Quarter Horse industry in this
area and draw competitors and their families from out of state to experience
all that Sonoma County has to offer.
Occidental
Equestriennes Club:
 With [CEPEC], we can not only preserve our equine heritage, but
bring in more business to Sonoma County through keeping events local, drawing
in more tourism, and increasing the opportunities to local horse owners &
businesses. [CEPEC] is a win-win for horse owners, businesses, public and the
environment. |
