The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Former Wharton gridiron star named to All-Rookie Team

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Wharton graduate Vernon Hargreaves (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Vernon Hargreaves, a Wharton High graduate and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback, was selected to the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-Rookie Team. Hargreaves, who was drafted from the University of Florida with the No. 11 overall pick in last year’s draft, finished third among NFL rookies with 68 solo tackles. He also recorded nine passes defensed, an interception and a forced fumble. Hargreaves started all 16 games and was on the field for nearly every one of the team’s defensive snaps. He graduated from Wharton in 2013.

Sunlake student earns college degree

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Technically, Madison Riggle is still a high school student — but she’s a college graduate, too.

The 17-year-old received her Associates of Art degree from Pasco-Hernando State College on Dec. 13, while still enrolled at Sunlake High School.

The feat was made possible through the Collegiate High School program, a partnership between PHSC and Pasco County Schools.

Riggle has been accepted to several universities, and is still deciding where she wants to attend. She plans to become a pharmacist. (Courtesy of Aileen Gocek)

Riggle was one of the first students chosen for the dual-enrollment initiative, which began during the 2015-2016 school year.

A lottery process is now used each year to select students to fill up to 60 available seats.

To qualify, junior and senior-level students must meet several criteria, including traditional Dual Enrollment participation requirements — 3.0 GPA and College Ready PERT (Postsecondary Education Readiness Test) assessment scores in all areas.

For Riggle, the achievement was a long time coming.

In seventh grade, she drew up several long-term goals.

One was to earn an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree prior to graduating high school.

Mission accomplished.

In fact, Riggle accumulated enough credit hours  — at least 60 — to graduate a semester early, another notable achievement.

According to the school district’s website, the Collegiate High School program allows students to earn an AA/AS Degree or a Cape Certification while also earning their Standard High School Diploma. Students in the program attend class full-time at PHSC campuses, and don’t take any courses on the high school campus. However, they are still considered a student of their zoned school, and are able to participate in their zoned school athletics, student activities and graduation ceremonies.

For Riggle, it “was a great opportunity.”

“The great thing about this program,” she said, “is that…it pays for your college, it pays for your books, it pays for your lab fees, and everything else that comes with college.”

Riggle attended Sunlake High School for her freshman and sophomore years. In the summer leading up to her junior year, however, she exclusively took classes at PHSC.

She was just 15.

Elder PHSC classmates, unsurprisingly, were dumbfounded once they discovered Riggle was just a teenager.

“They were all amazed,” Riggle said, with a chuckle. “Most people actually thought I was a lot older than I was.”

Even so, she was ready for the challenges higher education entails.

At 17 years old, Melanie Riggle earned an Associate in Arts degree from Pasco-Hernando State College. It was made possible through the Collegiate High School program, a joint partnership between PHSC and the Pasco County school district.
(Courtesy of Melanie Riggle)

“You definitely have to be a lot more independent and more mature than in high school,” Riggle explained. “You have to designate your own study time, because you might not get all the information in class. You just had to work harder and study more for those classes than high school.”

That’s not the only key difference from high school, though.

“The thing that amazes me the most, was that you can just get up and leave out of class. You don’t have to ask to go to the bathroom or anything,” Riggle said.

She added there’s also less “busy work” than in typical high school classes.

“I like college a lot; I will say that.”

While she favors the college atmosphere, Riggle acknowledged she occasionally misses seeing friends roam the halls at Sunlake.

“I don’t really get to see them as much,” Riggle said, “because when they’re in school, I’m either working, or when they’re out of school, I’m working or in school.”

Nevertheless, the aspiring pharmacist said she couldn’t pass up the prospect of getting a jump on her postsecondary education.

Riggle, who’s still taking classes at PHSC, figures it’ll take somewhere between two to three years to earn her bachelor’s degree, prior to enrolling in pharmacy school.

“It definitely gave me a major head start, because I don’t have to take all basic classes that everyone else has to take,” Riggle said.

For her associate degree, Riggle took a combination of introductory classes — religion, humanities — alongside “upper level” math and science courses.

“I really liked anatomy,” she said. “I just found it really interesting how the human body works.

“I also really liked biology a lot.”

To Riggle, participating in the program was preferable to simply graduating from high school early.

Yet, she cautioned the program “isn’t for everyone.”

“I completely recommend it, if you are ready to be a bit more independent while still being in high school,” she said. “If you like the high school environment, enjoy the four years of high school, by all means. But, for me, I was just ready to expand myself…and be more independent.”

Though she no longer attends Sunlake, Riggle still makes it a point to partake in school-related activities, like prom and Homecoming Week.

She’ll also walk across the graduation stage, come May.

“I did powder puff and skit, and all that fun stuff,” Riggle said, “so I definitely try to stay involved in high school — I just don’t have any classes on campus.”

Meantime, Riggle is considering several universities — the University of South Florida, Palm Beach Atlantic University and Florida Gulf Coast University.

She admits she still has “no clue” where she’ll wind up.

“I’m still trying to figure out how my cards will play out over the next couple of months,” Riggle said.

Published January 18, 2017

 

New digs for Pigz in Z’Hills this year

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Buoyed by new festival grounds, the seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest is aiming to become its most successful.

The shindig, now a well-attended staple in Zephyrhills, is set for Jan. 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave.

Admission is free, but parking is $10.

Presented by The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Pigz in Z’Hills features both professional and amateur barbecue competitions, all sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association. This year, about 50 teams are expected to compete.

The barbecue contest has a total cash purse of $8,000. Winners will be declared in four standard categories: chicken, pork, brisket and ribs.

Don Carlon, of Dan’s Dogs in New Port Richey, mixed barbecue sauce, veggies and sausages on a grill at last year’s Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival. Approximately 50 teams are slated to participate in the event on Jan. 21. (File)

The contest also serves as a qualifier for four prestigious barbecue championship contests: The Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee; the American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri; the Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown Invitational in Sanford; and, the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Besides the sweet smell of barbecue wafting through the air, festival-goers can also enjoy a wide lineup of musical acts.

This year’s slate of performers includes: The Betty Fox Band, JP Soars & The Red Hots, The Chuck Riley Band, and Mama’s Batch. Live music is scheduled from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Those with other interests can enjoy children’s activities, a car show, an aviation showcase, access to a military history museum and a business expo.

A key moment at the event is expected at 12:15 p.m. That’s when the National Anthem will be rendered while local skydiver David Strobel jumps in bearing the American flag.

Unlike the prior barbecue festivals, this year’s edition is set in a roomier venue with permanent staging.

Since 2013, the tract of land the chamber had been using at the airport was about 2.5 acres. The new venue spans 14 acres.

Amenities include a 20-by-40 stage, and 50 spaces equipped with water and electric.

The expanded area, too, comfortably accommodates up to 15,000 guests at a time, and will provide easy access and parking along South Avenue.

All of the venue space will be used, officials say.

“It’s going to be huge compared to what we’ve had in the past, and it’s going to be more family friendly,” said Melonie Monson, executive director for The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Ultimately, the new venue is expected to help the one-day fest run smoother by creating an improved layout for musicians, vendors and attendees.

Additionally, the new venue helps reduce expenses, including the annual costs to rent a stage and generators, which organizers say have totaled nearly $10,000 in the past.

“Having a permanent venue will allow our event to grow as we see fit, along with helping make planning and set up much easier on the barbecue committee and staff,” Monson said.

Since its inception in 2010, Pigz in Z’Hills has proven to be a financial boon for the community.

Chamber officials say the event has created an economic impact of more than $1.5 million for Zephyrhills.

Of the nearly 30,000 total attendees the past six years, officials estimate that more than half have come from outside the region and state.

Last year’s event, though, saw a sizable decrease in turnout from the prior year.

There were about 7,000 showgoers in 2016, down from nearly 10,000 in 2015.

Still, the chamber reached its revenue goals, and was able to donate $15,000 back to the Zephyrhills community; several local youth and education programs were beneficiaries.

Going forward, the chamber director expects the event to run even more efficiently once organizers determine the most ideal layout for the new festival grounds.

“Obviously, this year, everything’s new. You never know what you’re going to get and you see that something might need to be changed…because of this new venue and the layout,” Monson explained.

“After this year, it’s going to be a lot easier,” she said.

Organizers suggest bringing lawn chairs because of limited seating. No coolers or pets are allowed.

For more information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org, or call (813) 782-1913.

Seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues
When: Jan. 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., Zephyrhills
How much: Admission is free; parking is $10
What: Barbecue teams compete for prizes, blues bands perform, and event-goers can purchase barbecued foods, and check out monster trucks, aircraft displays, other attractions and activities.

Published January 18, 2017

Facility upgrades highlight Leaguerettes 2017 season

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Coming off a calendar year of fast-pitch softball, the Lutz Leaguerettes have taken another step forward.

The girls recreational softball league recently announced the completion of several new capital improvement projects at both Oscar Cooler and Nye parks.

Some of the highlights:

  • Field refurbishments, including new clay and magnetic break-free bases on all five fields
  • Outdoor batting turfs and mats for hitting cages
  • New remote-operated scoreboards
  • Updated concession area with a sound system
  • Remodeled board room with new carpet and paint job
  • Park security cameras

Hillsborough County owns both parks, but the Leaguerettes have a field-usage agreement, and work closely with county’s parks and recreation department.

New clay surfaces are one of the many facility upgrades for the Lutz Leaguerettes 2017 spring fast-pitch season. The girls recreational fast-pitch organization plays its games at both Oscar Cooler Park and Nye Park. (Courtesy of Mike Cook)

Mike Cook, president of the Lutz Leaguerettes, said the additions were made gradually during the past 18 months to two years.

He estimates more than $40,000 in upgrades were made via a combination of donations, league funds and various sponsorships.

“We try not to skimp on equipment, because it gets used every day,” Cook said.

Affiliations with local professional sports teams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, USF Bulls) and other businesses (Disney World, Great Clips, Publix) also helped make the upgrades possible, he said.

“We work with a lot of different organizations,” Cook said. “We work with whoever we can.”

Though he’s unsure of a timeline, the league president said he’d eventually like to install CCTV video cameras for each field; the cameras would allow players’ families and friends to live stream Leaguerettes games through a computer.

The announced upgrades, meanwhile, follow what was an eventful 2016 for the organization.

Last January, the Leaguerettes announced they were offering a recreational fast-pitch league for the first time in its 37-year history.

Just six months later, the Leaguerettes discontinued their slow-pitch leagues altogether, citing dwindling registration figures and an overwhelming preference for fast-pitch.

(Other softball programs — the Brandon Leaguerettes, North Tampa Leaguerettes, Tampa Bay Velocity and FishHawk Miss Tampa Bay Softball — all transitioned exclusively to fast-pitch over the past few seasons.)

For the Leaguerettes, the exclusive move to fast pitch has been a success thus far.

The 2016 fall fast-pitch season reportedly had about 160 players.

That figure, Cook said, was about three times as many as previous slow-pitch fall leagues, which typically drew “40 or 50 players.”

“We were pleasantly surprised to get as many registered players as we did,” Cook said of the fall season. “I think a lot of that has to do with the upgrades to the field…and the word spreading of moving over to fast pitch.

“I’m really happy with the turnout.”

Meantime, the 2017 Leaguerettes spring season is just around the corner.

Registration is open through Jan. 21, with the season slated to kick off in February.

The spring league is limited to the first 300 players that sign up, due to available field space and resources; about 130 players were registered, as of Jan. 11.

Cook said six divisions will likely be offered, for girls ages 4 to 18.

They include: t-ball (ages 4-5), 8U (ages 6-8), 10U (ages 8-10), 12U (10-12), 14U (ages 12-14), 16U (ages 14 to 16) and 18U (ages 16 to 18).

Despite “some growing pains” in the initial transition to fast pitch, the second full season should be smoother, Cook acknowledged.

“We’ve had a lot to learn—a lot of meetings and a lot of different ideas,” Cook said. “We had to learn the rules of fast pitch compared to slow pitch.”

In fact, the organization brought in a few fast-pitch experts, training Leaguerettes coaches and players via skill clinics. League board members, too, spoke at length with high school coaches and athletic directors, learning the nuances of the game.

In general, the offensive strategy differs between fast pitch and slow pitch.

In fast pitch, the general offensive approach is to play ‘small ball,’ where bunting, slapping and hitting singles are heavily relied upon to generate runs. Conversely, offensive players in slow-pitch softball are often taught to hit the ball as far as possible, due to the relative ease at making contact.

More protective gear, such as facemasks, is also required in fast pitch.

“We’re at the point where we’re pretty sufficient in our knowledge of the game; a lot of people are happy about fast pitch,” Cook said. “We’re continuously evolving,”

The league president also noted there aren’t too many requests for slow pitch anymore.

“I think we’re at the point where everybody realizes we’re completely fast pitch, and now we’re just in the process of growing the league.”

Even so, the league’s “ultimate objective” remains the same — create a family based atmosphere in a community setting.

And, let the youngsters have fun. The Leaguerettes are a PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) Softball affiliate. For more information, visit LutzSoftball.com.

Published January 18, 2017

Pitcher commits to St. Johns River College

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Academy at the Lakes’ Darin Kilfoyl
(File)

Darin Kilfoyl, a junior right-hander for Academy at the Lakes, has committed to play baseball at St. Johns River State College in Palatka. Last season, the 6-foot-8 Kilfoyl recorded a 0.91 ERA and struck out 97 batters, in 46 innings. At the plate, Kilfoyl batted .348 with two home runs and 16 RBIs. Over the summer, Kilfoyl played for the Atlanta Blue Jays, an elite travel club for 15 to 18 year olds. Kilfoyl is noted for having a four-pitch arsenal, which includes a fastball, curveball, changeup and cutter.

Other Local Commits

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Erika Peitersen, a senior midfielder for Steinbrenner High, has verbally committed to play soccer at Saint Leo University. In 2016, Peitersen was a second-team All-Western Conference selection, scoring six goals and notching nine assists.

 

  • Cayley Gottschall

    Cayley Gottschall, a senior outfielder for Sunlake High, has verbally committed to play softball at Broward College. In 2016, Gottschall batted .364, with 21 runs and 11 RBI. Gottschall is the third Sunlake softball player to announce a commitment this year. The others are second baseman Haley Kirinsky (Flagler College) and catcher Shelby Lansing (Southeastern University).

PHSC volleyball adds middle blocker

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Crystal River’s Abby Epstein signs with PHSC volleyball. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

The Pasco-Hernando State College volleyball program has added one of the region’s top middle blockers to its 2017 roster. The state college also announced the signing of Abby Epstein, a two-sport athlete from Crystal River High School in Citrus County. Epstein, a three-year starter, was the 6A-7 district leader in kills (362), blocks (144) and aces (49) in 2016. She was also named the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) Region 8 District 6A Player of the Year and was selected to play on the FACA All-Star Team. “Abby is an exceptional athlete with an outstanding work ethic. We look forward to her joining our volleyball program at PHSC,” head coach Kim Whitney said, in a statement. Epstein also led her high school team with a .356 hitting percentage. PHSC’s volleyball season begins in August.

Pro tennis tournament coming to Saddlebrook

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Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel is hosting a $25,000 United States Tennis Association Women’s Tennis event from Jan. 22 to Jan. 29. Matches will be played daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sixty-four professional tennis players are expected, including rising stars Cici Bellis, 17, and 24-year-old Shelby Rodgers. Players will compete in singles and doubles draw, with four rounds per day. Besides the purse, the tournament allows pros to generate ranking points for larger events, such as grand slams. There is no spectator charge, but Saddlebrook Resort requires valet parking of $25 per day. For more information, visit Saddlebrook.com.

New event venue site completed in Zephyrhills

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Less than five months after breaking ground, the new community venue site at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is complete.

The unnamed venue, at 5200 Airport Road, will officially be unveiled at the seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest on Jan. 21.

Less than five months after breaking ground in August, the new community venue site at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is complete. Among its key features are a 20-by-40 permanent staging area, and 50 vendor spaces equipped with water and electricity. 
(Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

The 14-acre site is situated north of the Zephyrhills’ City Yard, stretching to Airport Road, and backing up the southern boundary of the Lincoln Heights subdivision.

Among the venue’s key features are a 20-by-40 permanent staging area, and 50 vendor spaces that are equipped with water and electricity.

Additionally, the location is able to accommodate up to 15,000 guests at a time, and provide easier access and parking along South Avenue.

Initially spearheaded by Melonie Monson, executive director for The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, the community venue was a collaborative effort among the City of Zephyrhills, the chamber, and several other businesses and organizations.

The Zephyrhills City Council approved the project in March. Construction began in mid-August.

Monson said area citizens will be “shocked” by the new venue’s digs and amenities.

“I really feel excited about it,” the chamber director said. “I am more than thrilled with how this has come together. I just can’t imagine how you would do this is if you didn’t have the community rallying behind you.”

Monson added she was “overwhelmed” by the assistance of various local businesses, which provided funding, fixtures and labor.

Those donations were aplenty.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills gave $30,000 to build the permanent, covered staging area.

Melonie Monson

Others businesses — Martin Electric, Sunstate Aluminum, and Bahr’s Propane and Gas — contributed electrical, plumbing and technical guidance on the site.

Supplies and other offerings were also provided by Sonny’s BBQ, E-Z Clean Car Wash, Ferguson Water Works and All Florida Home Manufactured Services.

“We’ve just had a number of people that have stepped up in the community that just said, ‘Sure, we’ll help you,’” Monson explained. “All of these people did this out of the kindness of their heart, and because they love our community.”

Though the chamber inspired the idea for the permanent venue, the site is owned and operated by the City of Zephyrhills, which invested more than $42,000 into the project.

Shane LcBlanc, the city’s public works director, played an instrumental role in completion of the venue’s site work.

Along with a handful of public works staff, LeBlanc built a fencing enclosure. He also installed roads to facilitate event parking, and filled in dirt holes throughout the 14-acre site.

LeBlanc said the undertaking was “a bit of a time crunch,” mainly since the site work coincided with the conclusion of the city’s 2016 fiscal year on Sept. 30.

“We had to work in the budget money to get the fence put in,” LeBlanc said. “It was a little tight timeline, but we’ve got it ready, and I think it’ll be all set for Jan. 21.”

Meanwhile, the Zephyrhills chamber is making some last-minute preparations in advance of Pigz in Z’Hills.

Monson said her staff is currently putting together event signage, and ensuring each of the nearly 50 registered barbecue cook teams are confirmed for the festival.

“We’re working nonstop on this,” Monson said of Pigz in Z’Hills. “We are working with all of our volunteers and all of our different team leaders to make sure everything’s put together the way it needs to be.”

Bob Hartwig, a former Zephyrhills Fire Chief, is now in charge of logistics for the popular barbecue festival. That role previously was handled by Daryl Pennington.

Monson calls Hartwig her “right-hand man.”

She added: “I can’t tell you how much he’s done already. There’s no way we could do this without somebody like him.”

Hartwig’s lengthy experience in public safety, she said, is an added bonus for managing the one-day shindig.

“There’s so much that no one even understands that needs to go into something like this,” Monson explained. “With his experience as a former fire chief, he knows that. He can look at a layout and say, ‘This is good, or this isn’t, and we can work together and figure out the best way.”

Besides Pigz in Z’Hills, the new venue likely will house a variety of events and fundraisers, organized by nonprofits.

Several organizations have expressed interest in using the event site, including the Rotary Club of Zephyrhills, Thomas Promise Foundation, Ride for Hospice and Paulie Palooza.

It’s believed that nonprofits will pay the city a fee to cover the cost of maintenance, performed by the city. Moreover, events may be limited to daytime festivals in order to prevent stage noise from disrupting nearby residential areas.
Steve Spina, Zephyrhills’ city manager, said the new venue is a “positive thing.”

But, Spina noted that managing the site will be a “learning experience.”

“We have to determine how to utilize it,” Spina said, “because every festival is going to take a lot of maintenance.”

The maintenance, in large part, will fall on the shoulders of the public works department.

LeBlanc said maintaining the site is not dissimilar to keeping up the city’s parks.

“We’ll be providing all the maintenance as far as mowing, trimming, herbiciding–that type of stuff,” LeBlanc explained. “We’ll monitor the electric and water, too.”

Published January 11, 2017

 

Equestrian center brings vision to life

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Last year, Jim and Heather Fitzpatrick had the vision of creating an equestrian center for the East Pasco community.

Blazing Saddles Ranch, at 10219 Wirt Road in Dade City, has made that vision a reality.

J.R. Reeher of Logan, New Mexico has been on the professional bull-riding circuit and now brings his professional rodeo experience to the Blazing Saddles Ranch on Wirt Road.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The Fitzpatricks purchased the 25-acre property in May and, by August, they had transformed the property from a farm to a full-service horse ranch.

“We’re on the cusp of booming Wesley Chapel,” Jim Fitzpatrick said, “so this is more or less a stall for my wife, and the rest is for everybody else.”

Catered toward adults and children, the facility is an ideal setting for residents scattered across Dade City, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

While many venues are geared toward one equestrian discipline, Blazing Saddles offers multiple specialties.

Riders can learn English dressage and western dressage. Or, they can try western-style and hunter-jumper.

Full board and pasture is also available.

Blazing Saddles, though, is more than just a ranch with a large riding arena. In addition to a 10-stall horse barn, a gazebo and patio will soon be available to accommodate weddings, corporate retreats and even pony parties.

Eight-year-old Amina wears a pink fly-mask in support of breast cancer awareness.

Plans are also in store to build an open field cross-country course on the property.

Essentially, Blazing Saddles offers “everything from soup to nuts,” said barn manager Karen Rezabek.

“There is not one need we can’t meet,” Rezabek said. “If we have to go get your horse for you, we can do that, too.”

The ranch, interestingly, is an ode to the classic 1974 Mel Brooks-directed Western satire film bearing the same name.

Enter the facility, and you’ll witness an aura heavy on family, hospitality and equestrian expertise.

It all starts with the facility’s tight-knit group of staff and trainers.

Each has their own skillsets, and various specialties.

Among the most captivating is J.R. Reeher, a former rodeo cowboy who once toured on the Professional Bull Riders circuit.

The New Mexico native with Dade City ties is described as a “horse whisperer” of sorts.

Karen Miller, a San Antonio winter resident from Massachusetts, kicks up some dust as she and 16-year-old Rue work on the horse’s ‘loping’ proficiency.

He breaks in young horses and retrains “troubled” ones.

Put more simply, he can “work a horse.”

“You’ve always got to have one cowboy tucked away in a barn,” Reeher said, with a smirk.

More importantly, he fills a giant void, said Rezabek.

“We were fortunate that we found him,” the barn manager said. “He puts all the training rides on, he’s bridling the horses for restarting. He does a lot of colt-starting.

“He’s a jack-of-all-trades.”

There’s also Krystina Hemphill, who specializes in hunter-jumper equitation. Likewise, she prepares young riders for local competitions and showcases.

Meanwhile, the other staff includes Amy Epperson, who teaches dressage, and Karen Miller, who handles speed pattern racing, known as gymkhana.

Nine-year-old Jayden Lincoln, of Bradenton, rides 17-year-old Dolly, as the young rider practices putting the horse into a trot in one of the corrals at Blazing Saddles on Wirt Road. Jayden is learning basic horsemanship, along with care and grooming of the animal. The riding complex features English Hunter/Jumper and Western Dressage.

“We all kind of work together and feed off each other,” Hemphill said. “We’ve got a good thing going here.”

At Blazing Saddles, it all comes down to instructing proper horsemanship.

Heather Fitzpatrick, who sells real estate by trade, said the purpose of the ranch is to help aspiring riders correctly learn the fundamentals.

“I think our philosophy is that we want to build a good foundation, and then go from there.” she said. “Lay the foundation — make sure it’s right — and then let them do the discipline they want.”

“Everybody needs the basics,” Rezabek added. “The good thing is that we have a very solid basic foundation.  We also wanted to be well-rounded, so it’s a one-stop shop.”

Ultimately, Blazing Saddles Ranch wants to be a place “for people to feel comfortable” via an open, welcoming environment.

“It’s a really good atmosphere,” Hemphill said. “Everybody’s very laid back, everybody’s very helpful. They’re not afraid to step in and help when needed. There’s a good camaraderie around here.”

Meantime, the facility will be hosting Gene Cox Horsemanship clinics throughout January, February and March.

There, participants will learn to communicate with a horse, and fine-tune riding techniques.

One-day jumping clinics and other camps are also on the horizon, Rezabek said.

For more information about Blazing Saddles Ranch, call Karen Rezabek at (813)793-7696.

Published January 11, 2017