Listen to Mix 96 radio interview about First Ride™ Waterloo:
McKeever's First Ride™
McKeever's First Ride ™ Home Page
www.mckeeversfirstride.com
Ed Dabney, Deenie McKeever and Pierandrea Rebella, amputee demonstration rider at the 113th Verona Horse Fair in Verona, Italy.
"Come horse around with us! Get a taste of therapeutic riding, ride a mechanical horse, enjoy arts and crafts, see a horse show and socialize outdoors at a facility adapted for your safety and comfort."
OPAF is excited to announce the development of our newest adaptive sports clinic, McKeever's First Ride™! This equine (horse) assisted activities clinic will be held on the opening day of the Amputee Coalition of America's national conference in Atlanta, on June 18th at Chastain Horse Park, a premier facility.
Sponsored by Deenie McKeever, to commemorate her father, Dan McKeever, a beloved pioneer in the O&P field for over 60 years, McKeever's First Ride will celebrate his legacy of enriching the quality of life for children and adults who utilize orthotics and prosthetics. His career began with "making house calls, using wood and rawhide, and getting glue in his hair" and lives on through the research and vision of students awarded scholarships in his name.
McKeever's First Ride will feature demonstrations of adaptive riding by amputees, and will introduce participants to ground work and grooming opportunities with horses, simulated horseback riding, and pony rides for children.
Chastain Horse Park, a nationally recognized barn, will host McKeever's First Ride. Their staff of therapists, trainers, and volunteers will supervise activities that showcase the physical and psychological benefits of working with horses. This clinic will be limited in focus and attendance, in order to accommodate 50 ACA members. However, we look forward to sharing news and highlights of the event with you in Seattle, on Tuesday evening, September 22, at the AOPA National Assembly meeting. Please save this date!
Join us as we celebrate the stories and success of the inaugural McKeever's First Ride. We will commemorate the life and legacy of Dan McKeever, and highlight the success of all of the First Clinics around the country, including First Volley™, First Swim™, First Dive™, and First Swing.
We are grateful to Deenie McKeever and all of the trainers, therapists, volunteers and donors who make First Clinics possible.
This June event is presented by Chastain Horse Park in cooperation with OPAF, ACA and GA Tech.
Our next McKeever's First Ride will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at Brookwood Equestrian Center. The event is presented by Boots 'N Breeches Therapeutic Horsemanship in Tacoma, Washington.
More First Rides are coming!
"Thank you so much for all you are doing. My son really had a great time.... His name is Cruz Shoemaker and he is 3 years old. He had an aka at the age of 3 months due to a blood clot developing during lifesaving measures. He just learned to walk alone in November 2009. Seeing Molly was amazing. He does not know any children with amputations. We brought him to McKeever's First Ride hoping he would meet some. Instead, he met that wonderful pony and made lots of connections."
- McKeever's First Ride in Atlanta
- McKeever's First Ride part of Verona Horse Fair
- See Mckeevers First Ride Atlanta on 11 Alive
- See Photos from Mckeevers First Ride Atlanta
- McKeever's First Ride Sponsors
- Children's Orthotics & Prosthetics Program Hosts McKeever's First Ride Atlanta
- McKeever's First Ride NY 2010
- McKeever's First Ride Atlanta Press Release
- McKeever's First Ride Atlanta Invitation
- McKeever's First Ride in Waterloo, Iowa, sponsored by Clark & Associates
- First Ride™ Atlanta 2010 (PDF)
- First Ride™ Waterloo (PDF)
- First Ride™ Seattle (PDF)
- First Ride™ Winslow (PDF)
- About First Ride™ (PDF)
- First Ride™ Pamphlet (PDF)