Equestrians From All Over Rally the Troops to Save Rohr Park Horse Arena
- Susan Heavilin
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The horse community is strong and well-connected in San Diego County.
Bonita Valley Horsemen (BVH), Lakeside Frontier Riders (LFR) and Tijuana River Valley Equestrian Association (TRVEA) are just a few of the local riding clubs. We are a tight group that have attended each others' Trail Trials, Poker Rides, campouts, trail rides and other activities for years. We have each other's back and will alway come to the aid of a horseman in need.
Next you have all the riding and boarding facilities: Sweetwater Farms, Sunnyside Stables, Mt. Miguel Equestrian Center and The Ranch (formerly known as Beckett's). These four facilities are all located in Bonita, California and accommodate a multitude of horses.
Then there's Serenity Bonita, a numeroso group of local caballeros and a massive group of riders that board in backyard boarding facilities. I can think of six facilities off the top of my head located on San Miguel Road, east of Proctor Valley Road. Add on top of that the abundance of equestrians with horses on their own properties.
And finally, there's the San Diego Mountain Biking Association (SDMBA). They don't typically use the Rohr Park Horse Arena but they do share our trails, work often with BVH and will support the equestrians' cause.
Here's the call-out from TRVEA:
Hello,
You’re getting this email because you’re an equestrian and/or TRVEA member who lives in Chula Vista or Bonita or who cares about the future of horses in South Bay.
Do you know the City of Chula Vista is planning to destroy the historic and much needed public riding arena in Rohr Park. “Sunnyside arena" This Rohr Park property is now controlled by City of Chula Vista, not Bonita. CV Parks Dept has made a master plan to remove the horse arena and replace it with girls softball fields and soccer fields. Yes, girls need those venues, BUT EQUESTRIAN girls and boys and adults NEED AN ARENA in SOUTH BAY and there are other places to put soccer fields and softball fields but no other place for a horse arena.
This is the only large public arena for horses in South Bay. It can be used for shows, events, educational clinics, evacuation staging area, charro exhibitions, pony kissing fund-raisers and for training horses owned by local backyard horse owners who don’t have their own arenas. It is a valuable public asset.
Bonita and north Chula Vista historically are semi-rural, natural areas where the horses blend with the dog walkers, the golfers, the stroller-pushers, the joggers and bikers, etc. making the area incredibly NICE for both horse owners and those who just love to see these beautiful animals around.
DON”T LET THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA TAKE IT AWAY.
PLEASE COME THURSDAY 6:30 P.M.
Sign up to speak up when you get there. Or (MAYBE YOU CAN) cede your 3 minutes of speaking time to someone else who will speak longer IF they allow that. Bring family and friends. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY HEAR FROM THE HORSE COMMUNITY.
Bring horse-loving kids. PLEASE SHOW UP!
SEE ITEMS 5.3 and 5.4 ON THE AGENDA BELOW.
Personally, It appears to me that Frank Carson and Parks staff has tried hard to exclude the horse community from knowing what is happening to their arena and he is saying EQUESTRIANS DON’T CARE. Equestrians didn’t know the arena was removed from the master plan because the website wasn’t updated to show that.
Now we know what they are trying to do.
WE HAVE TO SHOW UP.
SHARE THIS.
BRING OTHERS.
Thanks,
Mary Powell
President, TRVEA
P.S. Scroll to bottom to see agenda. It is 5.3 and 5.4 by Frank Carson that we care about.
Click on images to enlarge
Can't attend the meeting? Send in your comment opposing the removal of the Rohr Park Horse Arena.
So City of Chula Vista . . . you really want to wrestle with the Bonita-Sunnyside and greater San Diego County horse community? I don't believe that you did your research on who you were messing with.
