The Early Days
In the early 80's, the Arabian breed was climbing in popularity and value, but it was based on what the public saw in the show ring. A small group of Arabian horse owners in the Pensacola area decided they wanted to enjoy their Arabians in a more natural setting and promote it as a horse the whole family could enjoy. The club's original founding members Ray Acord, Steve Carson, Bev Carson, Medora Mullins, Debbie Lyons, Jackie Hamilton, Sharon and John Potter, Dorothy and Carl Huprich, Steve Richbourg, Pam Meissner, and Marsha Ayre began meeting in 1985. They sanctioned the club with IAHA (now AHA) in January 1986 and later incorporated in 1991 with the State of Florida as a non-profit organization. As Pensacola is known as the "City of Five Flags," the club's founders chose to include "Five Flags" in the name. Jackie Hamilton designed the Five Flags Arabian Horse Association (FFAHA) logo incorporating the club's name in a horseshoe with a trotting Arabian surrounded by the Spanish, British, French, Confederate, and US flags. Meetings were held in members' homes for a while. FFAHA was small at first, but it was an active group. FFAHA began having organized fun rides at the Coldwater Recreation Area and inviting other local horse riders to attend. That was back in the days when a group could reserve the entire area, including all the trails, just for their group, no matter how small. There was a small fee, about $15 no matter how many people used it, to rent the kitchen. Very few people used the area, except for the Field Trials. The club would have a work day the weekend before to repair and clean the stalls before the weekend ride. That was before the Dept of Forestry started using prisoners to work there. Sometimes moonlight rides were held on the weekend before a full moon. Scavenger hunts, Poker Runs, Pick Your Pace, and Hunter Paces were favorite trail games for the organized rides. Annual Open Horse shows were held for several years at the Brosnaham area in Pensacola. In addition, the club had a booth at the Pensacola Interstate Fair, where we had horses on display every day the fair was open.
Club Focus Today
FFAHA is one of the most active horse groups in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County. While we do have a few members that show, race, or drive their horses, the majority of our members spend most of their time pleasure and trail riding. FFAHA works very closely with the Dept ofForestry to maintain the Coldwater Horse Trail system, including repainting trees and assisting with rerouting trails when training, and treatment of all equines with our annual horse health fair every summer. Check out our Calendar of Events.
Come join us if you like to have fun with your horse! Fill out a New Member Application (.pdf)
Or attend one of our monthly meetings, third Monday of each month, 7:00p.m. at Founaris Brothers Greek Restaurant in Pensacola (eating starts at 6:00!).
For more information email the Board
2010 Board:
President:
Keri Sims
Vice-President:
Wendy Allen
Secretary:
Diane Hawthorne
Treasurer
Richard Jernigan
Board of Directors
Bev Carson
Medora Mullins
Cindy Sheldon