Something of a miracle happened one midsummer's evening recently at Arrowpoint Farm in Madison County; members of four Virginia hunt clubs gathered to help a friend in need.

According to event organizer, Lindy Sanford, $20,127 was raised to help respected horseman, Mike Bowman obtain a new four-wheel drive wheel chair. Bowman, who was paralyzed in a horseback riding accident in April of 2004, hopes this chair will be his ticket towards teaching riding and horsemanship again.

More than 200 people from Bull Run, Farmington, Keswick and Rappahannock Hunts paid $40 each for a trail ride followed by cock tails, live music, and a dinner of beef tenderloin. Many paid more and still others, who could not attend, sent in money or bid on the silent auction, which, thanks to Judy Allen, raised $3500. The biggest single donor was the Northern District Four H Council, writing a check for $1000.00.

Every penny went to Mike because everything was donated:

• The tent was provided by Gibson Tent rentals.
• Tables and chairs were provided by the Bull Run and Keswick Hunt Clubs.
• Prince Michel provided wine at cost.
• Jerri Pitz, with the help of Diane Boehme and Sally Lamb prepared the donated tenderloin and Mediterranean potato and mixed green salads.
  
• Darlene Murphy made the cheesecakes.
  
• Adrianna Waddy donated and arranged the flowers.
  
• Janet O'Keefe and Jane Fogelman organized the drinks and most of the appetizers.
  
• The traditional Irish music trio, Cocklebur played for free.
  
• After Cameron Toms cleaned it out, Donna Martin of Blue Ridge Trailers refurbished Mike Bowman's four-horse trailer from the ground up in preparation for re-sale.
  
• Even the porta-potties were provided gratis by Allied Concrete, and the trash was hauled away courtesy of Country Carting.
  
• Lindy Sanford, who hosted the event at her farm, reports that VDOT even made a special trip to treat the gravel road for dust.

Sanford, who led one of the three trail rides totaling more than 120 riders, said "What I think was so neat is that everybody worked together so well." She added that Mike Bowman has ordered the new state-of-the-art wheel chair; he'll be able to try it out July 17th. It will allow him "to go on the same trail ride that we did the other day," says Lindy, with the possible exception of fording the Rapidan River. It will certainly make the barn, paddock and sand ring fully accessible to the quadriplegic horseman.

Plans are already afoot to make the Mike Bowman Benefit fund raiser an annual event. Next on the list…a new handicap van!

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