Lethbridge & District Exhibition Lotteries Program Announces Partnership with Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association

By Lethbridge Herald on July 6, 2022.

Lethbridge & District Exhibition has officially partnered with Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association for its lotteries program.

Rooted in Lethbridge, Lethbridge & District Exhibition and Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association are proud to make an impact across the region, and give back to the communities and people who have supported us over the years, said the Exhibition in a press release.

“The Lethbridge & District Lotteries program is Southern Alberta’s premier lottery pot that celebrates both organizations’ rich history in the community. Our partnership with Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association celebrates our core values of inclusivity, integrity and growth. Proceeds from the 50/50 lottery will benefit Lethbridge & District Exhibition and Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association to support the delivery of vibrant opportunities to community members.

“Our collaboration with Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association is an important milestone–aligning with an organization that has a shared vision on giving back to the community was exceptionally important,” says Mike Warkentin, Chief Executive Officer, Lethbridge & District Exhibition, in the release. 

“We wouldn’t be around for 125 years if it weren’t for the support from this community, and we’ll try to give back to it in any way we can. Our lottery program is foundational in changing lives and creating experiences and memories that that last a lifetime for its beneficiaries–we look forward to continuing to grow our connection, together.”

Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association offers individuals with a range of complicated diagnoses, hands-on instruction in riding and horse care to exercise the body and spirit within. Formerly called Rainbow Riding Centre, the Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association began in 1976 when a few individuals offered instruction in riding and horse care for vulnerable Albertans. Today, the program has grown to include significant mental health and addiction equine therapies in collaboration with Alberta Health Services, aiding more than 350 individuals each year.

As a registered charitable organization, the Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association operates through a handful of staff members and many hands-on volunteers, all under the direction of a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors.

“The empowering work of the Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association is rooted in connection and relationship, specifically the joy and healing that comes from work with horses, connection to the land, and to each other, taking the very best of the romance of the West to uplift the soul,” says Jason Shriner, Executive Director, Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association in the Exhibition release.

“We see the Lethbridge & District Exhibition playing a vital role in our community in facilitating the rural-urban connection that is the hallmark of Southern Alberta’s success–a role LTRA also seeks to undertake in its work. The synergy between the organizations is a natural fit.”