About Our Club

When the Rockville Extreme Riders disbanded in late summer of 2002, some of us just couldn't bear it.  Katherine Harris and Lucy Farace held an "interest" meeting in October for a club to be set up as a chapter of the National Old People's Riding Club (NOPRC).  Seventeen people came to that first gathering.  Volunteers agreed to serve as officers and the first, official, board meeting was held in December of that year.

The NOPRC is a riding club for adults organized along the lines of the United States Pony Club, Inc. We studied the NOPRC website and corresponded with their officers.  We decided to embrace members of all riding disciplines and we sent out emails and distributed flyers and asked everyone to pass the word. On January 14, 2003, we held an organizational and membership meeting at The Place at Innsbrook. The attendance was much larger than we had even hoped for and, by the end of the evening, we were a club of 37 members. 

Our club has grown rapidly.  For several years we were the LARGEST OPRC chapter, reaching 100 members in late 2006.  We have educational speakers at most meetings including farriers, vets, a saddle fitter, a lawyer, a horse "communicator" and an expert in horse economics. We’ve had trainers introduce us to dressage, centered riding, long-lining, and even sidesaddle. We went to a horse movie and we tie dyed shirts and saddle pads. We've had potluck mid-summer feasts and wonderful Christmas parties.

Not all of our members own horses, but we all love horses. We have members who ride hunt seat, Western, saddle seat and dressage and a group who drive their horses.  We have trail rides, Spring Flings, Spookathons, and overnight horse adventure trips. We learn, we play and we try to give back to the equine community, as we did after Katrina and, more recently, by supporting the US Equine Rescue League.

For the past three years we've had a “Rally” – a member’s only fun show featuring classes for never-shown beginners thru advanced riders in events including jumping, barrel racing, dressage, pleasure, trail and games. We have a website which features club news, pictures from our events, classified ads, listings of club sponsored events and a calendar of OTHER local equine events for all disciplines. A monthly newsletter is sent to members that is filled with equine related educational items, reminders of upcoming events and occasionally some good jokes in addition to our club news.

Now we’re taking the next steps in this dynamic club’s evolution. It became clear that we no longer relied on the NOPRC for our strength or identity.  We voted to end our affiliation with the national organization so that we can spend the money which would have been paid as dues to the NOPRC in ways that either benefit our members or support our theme of “paying it forward” to worthy equine related charities, such as horse rescue, trail building, and therapeutic riding.  After a contest in our membership, we settled on our new club name, Rusty Stirrups Riding Club, but the spirit and general organization of our club, which has been such a success, will stay the same.

Word is out about this club--we're up to 140 members now.  Many folks join for the fun and education, which is guaranteed, but the new friends and great memories are the sweetest perks of membership. Thank you to Katherine and Lucy who ‘just couldn’t bear it’ in the Summer of 2002. And thanks also to all the members whose combined spirit and commitment make it a great club for all of us.