IS IT JUST US, OR DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK WE'RE STUCK IN A SNOW GLOBE?
Hang in there, guys, Spring is on the way! It will be here in less than a month, arriving on March 20th this year. And, even better, Daylight Savings Time will be here on March 8th, so we'll be picking up that extra hour of daylight in the evening.
Meanwhile, if you're looking for something "horsey" to do, please join us for NEECA's General Meeting, held on Wed., March 18th at 6:30 pm, at 100 Main Street in Athol. We'll be previewing our upcoming events for 2026 (and we have a LOT of them), along with discussing upcoming projects. Hope you can join us, and please bring a friend!
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Don't Miss The Feature On NEECA In This Spring's Community Horse Magazine!
First off, if you haven't renewed your NEECA membership yet for 2026, do so today in order to continue receiving complimentary online issues of Community Horse Magazine! The deadline for submitting our membership list is March 1st.
Go to https://www.neeca.org/membership to join/renew today.
We're also VERY excited to announce that, in celebration of NEECA's 25th Anniversary, Community Horse Magazine has done a wonderful profile feature on the park itself, including its history, and all the work that has gone into NEECA's growth and development over the years.
Be sure to look for the article when your issue arrives!
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We start at 9 a.m. and usually finish between Noon to 1 p.m. Then we enjoy a Pizza Party lunch for our hardworking volunteers! | |
NEECA Work Day - Sat., April 11th
It’s that time again! At the start of every season, we roll up our sleeves for NEECA Work Day to get everything spruced up and ready for all the exciting events ahead.
We’ll be walking the trails to make sure they’re clear and safe, opening up the Confidence Course, tidying and organizing our registration, food, and storage booths, and maybe even adding a fresh coat of paint or stain so everything looks its best. There’s a little something for everyone!
But here’s the thing… we can’t do it without our amazing volunteers. As the saying goes, “many hands make light work,” and when we all pitch in, the day flies by (and it’s actually a lot of fun!). Whether you can stay the whole time or just spare a couple of hours, we’d love to have you join us.
NEECA is an all-volunteer organization, and we truly rely on the involvement of our members and supporters to keep the park safe, welcoming, and looking great for everyone who visits. Hope you can join us, if only for a few hours, and bring a friend!! ;)
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SOME EXCITING NEW EVENTS COMING TO NEECA THIS YEAR!!
One of the unique things about NEECA is the sheer variety of events we are able to offer. Unlike many barns, we don't specialize in any one discipline of riding. So whether it be western, versatility, dressage, jumping, heck- we even held a side saddle clinic a few years back... we're interested in making it available to our membership. We're always on the lookout for some new events to bring to NEECA, and as you will see below, this year is no different!! Please note that not all events on our calendar are sponsored by NEECA *. The park is available to rent by other organizations looking for a great venue to host their events.
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Stephanies Hayes will be doing a one day Working Equitation Clinic at NEECA on May 16th.
NEW THIS YEAR!.
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Sunrise Ranch Horse Show Series* will be hosting 3 shows, happening on 6/21, 8/15, 10/4
NEW THIS YEAR!.
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Franklin County 4H Show* will be coming to NEECA for the very first time on June 27th.
NEW THIS YEAR!.
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Meet NEECA's newest Board Member: Charlie Chase! | | |
Marjorie Chase, known to most as Charlie, was born and raised in Athol. When she was 8 or 9, her next door neighbor, Nola Shepardson, got a horse. Together they
shared care and love for him. Elwin Bacon was their farrier. Little did Charlie know how some 50 years later these early experiences would play such an important role in her Life.
Charlie went off to school keeping horseback riding a priority. Years later, she wound up back in New England, found a farmhouse in Royalston and knew it was time to get horses. Elwin, again her farrier, shared his dream of NEECA.
In support of this dream, Charlie began purchasing a NEECA membership annually. Charlie began to
recognize the effort required to make and maintain this dream of Elwin. She has since become more active with NEECA. Still a “backyard pony” girl and avid trail rider,Charlie continues to care for and love horses of her own. Now she hopes to expose them to the possibilities available at NEECA. The NEECA Board of Directors is absolutely thrilled that Charlie has joined us!
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NEECA's Calendar of Events for 2026 Is Available Now!
We've already added some more events to our 2026 Calendar over the past month, plus there's been a few date changes. Be sure to check out the updated calendar at: https://www.neeca.org/calendar
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Thanks to the Membership Special we ran in the month of December, NEECA already has nearly 150 members, MANY of them new to NEECA, signed up for 2026. To say that we are hitting the ground running would be an understatement. If you haven't renewed your membership for 2026, all you have to do is go to https://www.neeca.org/membership to join/renew today.
Today is the last day to take advantage of the 2026 Membership Special. Join/renew by midnight tonight and get a FREE membership for a friend. Click here for that special offer form.
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New to NEECA? Follow link below for answers to some commonly asked questions about your NEECA membership, and use of the park.
https://www.neeca.org/faqs
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HOW CAN YOU HELP NEECA GROW?
In 2025 NEECA has been the grateful recipient of nearly $6000 in donations from supporters. All of this money is used to help NEECA grow and improve. These recent donations made the purchase of the jumps mentioned above possible this year.
If you would like to show your support of NEECA, we have added a donation button to the home page of our website, www.neeca.org, where you can make a one-time or recurring donation to NEECA in the amount of your choosing. As always, we are so very appreciative of all the support shown to NEECA from our very generous supporters!
NEECA is a 501(c)3 so your donations may be tax deductible.
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About NEECA Membership Benefits.......
The following businesses and professionals support NEECA by offering special discounts to our members (current NEECA membership card most be shown to receive discounts):
C & J's Custom Creations (10% off first order, and/or waive $35 set-up fee for sweatshirts)
Community Horse Magazine (FREE spring/summer and fall/winter online issues)
Hardwick Farmers Co-op (3% Off All Purchases)
Horseback & Body Massage ($10 off, 413-320-7690 )
Family Pet Vet Service ($15 off annual exam, 978-249-4626)
Mending Fences Animal Wellness (Discount off Massage + MagnaWave Treatment for your horse. $180 value, only $155 for NEECA members, 508-864-9840 )
White Pickets Studio (10% off, Petersham, MA)
Plus NEECA members receive special rates on certain NEECA sponsored events.
| | "The mission of NEECA is to preserve and protect land for equine interests while promoting good horsemanship and educating equestrians for the betterment of the horse now, and for the generations to follow." | | | | | |
