| Five Flags Arabian Horse Association |
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. The show ring tended to portray the Arabian as a high-
strung and untouchable spirited animal reserved for those with deep pockets. 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 clubs’ 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
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.
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
Forestry 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 for the full line-up!
what the public saw in the show ring. The show ring tended to portray the Arabian as a high-
strung and untouchable spirited animal reserved for those with deep pockets. 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 clubs’ 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
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.
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
Forestry 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 for the full line-up!
Club Focus Today
2008 Board:
President:
Wendy Allen, Pace, FL
Vice-President:
Keri Sims, Milton, FL
Secretary:
Christina Schiro, Pensacola, FL
Treasurer:
Alice Harris, Cantonment, FL
Director:
Medora Mullins, Pensacola, FL
Director:
Bev Carson, Cantonment, FL
Director:
Steve Andrews, Cantonment, FL
President:
Wendy Allen, Pace, FL
Vice-President:
Keri Sims, Milton, FL
Secretary:
Christina Schiro, Pensacola, FL
Treasurer:
Alice Harris, Cantonment, FL
Director:
Medora Mullins, Pensacola, FL
Director:
Bev Carson, Cantonment, FL
Director:
Steve Andrews, Cantonment, FL
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