Hello, all – I hope you have been enjoying summer! I can’t get enough of Colorado's long, sunny days, and hope you all are continuing to get out and spend time with your horses.

Please mark your calendars and join us for a Meet & Greet at the Cordillera Equestrian Center on Tuesday, August 18, at 3:00 PM. We will have a brief meeting with CMD General Manager Trevor Broersma and also welcome Courtney Higgins, our new supervisor, to the CEC. We will also have light refreshments and some time to catch up and socialize.

We are looking forward to having Courtney here in her new role as barn supervisor and as an extra connection between boarders, staff, and myself.

I also wanted to let you all know that I will be out on vacation August 28–September 9. During this time, I will be reachable for questions via text or email, but all immediate needs will go through Courtney while I am away. Thank you!

Happy riding,

Annie

Meet & Greet:

Tuesday, August 18, 3:00 PM

Let's Welcome Courtney Higgins!

Courtney Higgins will be joining the CMD team as the Cordillera Equestrian Center Supervisor beginning next week. She earned her degree in Equine Science from Colorado State University and has more than 12 years of experience teaching riders of all ages and experience levels.

Courtney’s background includes training and showing APHA and AQHA all-around horses, training reining horses, and competing in the hunter/jumper circuit. Throughout her career, she has worked at a variety of equestrian centers, from small lesson programs to large equestrian facilities, giving her experience with riders, horses, and programs of all sizes.

Courtney looks forward to sharing her passion for horses with riders in the Cordillera community and throughout Vail area.

2026 Summer Horse Camp Update

We had the best time during summer Horse Camp 2026. Our amazing staff offered a life-changing week with the horses to each camper. All camps were full, many had a waitlist, and we were able to open up three camps to extra campers. Now, we have a break but are already looking forward to 2027.

A BIG THANK YOU to all staff who worked the camp, as well as to everyone in the barn for making this special experience happen. Many additional thanks to all boarders who drove safely and made space for summer Horse Camp to thrive!

Laughs were had, friendships made, and our campers experienced the summer camp of their dreams. We also walked away with new skills and many life lessons learned.

Get to Know Whoopie: 5 Cool Facts

Whoopie has done almost every sport, from cow work to English to roping. She has even shown All-Around Paint.
Sara Ostrand has had Whoopie for 12 years, and she is 19 years old.
Whoopie loves having her ears rubbed and scratched.
Whoopie is very smart.
Whoopie is not a "clothes horse"… she prefers not to wear blankets (they make her itchy).

Showing Off Our Skills

Summer is the best time to train and then join with others for shows to test our skills. WAY TO GO to all horse show competitors for getting out there this summer, and good luck to those who are still working hard while finishing up the 2026 show season.

Parting Shot: Summer at the CEC

CORDILLERA METRO DISTRICT

408 Carterville Road, Cordillera

CordilleraLiving.com | (970) 926-1923