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Covey Creek Ranch hosts Oklahoma National Guard kids for Horseback Heroes event

Table of Contents

  1. The Horseback Heroes Event
  2. Activities: From Roping to Horseshoeing
  3. Community Organizers and Volunteers
  4. The Mission Behind the Event

Story by Airman 1st Class Brigette Waltermire, Oklahoma Air National Guard Public Affairs

On a chilly fall morning with many red noses and gloved hands, military children milled about at the start of the second annual Horseback Heroes event at Covey Creek Ranch in Oklahoma City. This activity gives military families and their children a chance to spend the day together and enjoy horse-related activities, including horseback riding, buggy rides, calf roping, horseshoeing, and horse grooming and tack.

The Horseback Heroes Event

The children spent the sunny day outside enjoying the crisp air and interacting with other military children. At the start of the day, they were separated into five age groups ranging from 5 to 17 years old, each with a different colored bandana. As the groups prepared to depart, the youngest group — wearing red bandanas — started off the day with a rousing chant of “Red! Reeeed!”

The children were at each station for half an hour, a horn signaling when to switch. Excited voices rang out across the corral as each activity brought new excitement and adventure.

Activities: From Roping to Horseshoeing

The farrier station was where children learned the art of horseshoeing from Eric Toben, a native of Oklahoma City. He gave the kids a rundown of his work and spoke of gaining the horse’s trust. “My job is to shoe the horses to promote a healthy foot and a healthy horse,” said Toben. “However, I never bully them when trying to shoe them. I ask their permission. Horses are fast and gentle creatures. They’re also temperamental and fragile. Treat them with respect.”

At the calf-roping station, the kids were taught how to hold, throw, and pull the rope to loop one of the stationary targets spaced throughout a corral. Timber Moore, a national rodeo qualifier for calf roping, was one of the roping instructors. When Cayden Wonn became frustrated trying unsuccessfully to throw the rope, Moore explained the wrist movements needed for the proper throw until Cayden was successful.

Karsen Wonn, a native of Oklahoma City, had many successful throws — considering it was her first time roping. “It’s kind of easy, but the rope part is awkward,” she said.

Time at the grooming and tack station was spent showing the kids how to clean hooves, brush coats, faces, as well as the mane and tail. “We try to teach the kids parts of the horse’s body, though I’m not sure how successfully,” laughed Hanna Triplett, a volunteer from Blanchard Future Farmers of America. “But if they have any questions, we try to have the answers.”

The horseback riding station was one of the most popular, with many clamoring to be on the horse named ‘Loki’. Many of the young participants could be heard excitedly proclaiming, “Mom! I got to ride Loki!”

Community Organizers and Volunteers

Safety around the horses was key. At the morning briefing, Gerry Shepherd — president and CEO of Oklahoma Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc., owner of Covey Creek Cattle Co., and one of the key organizers of Horseback Heroes — opened the event by warning the young participants: “This is our first really cold day and the horses are feeling really, really good. We haven’t had a horse kick — yet — so let the horse know you’re there and ask a volunteer before approaching one.”

Shepherd explained the careful preparation that went into horse selection: “It’s really hard to find a horse like that. We started meetings three months ago to ensure we had the animals, tack, food donated, EMTs, and places for the volunteers from out of town to stay so they didn’t have hotel bills. If the military members here can go do what they do, we can certainly do this.”

Amanda Eggleston, owner of Take Off Farms and coach of the University of Oklahoma Equestrian team, hosted the first Horseback Heroes event and provided horses and tack for both years. A professional English riding teacher since 2005, her father is a former military member and both her parents work at Tinker AFB.

The Mission Behind the Event

Shepherd, a former military member himself, got involved with Horseback Heroes after being approached by Maj. Gen. Myles Deering, adjutant general for Oklahoma, who originally came up with the concept. “We started this last year,” Deering said, explaining how the partnership grew to include other horse enthusiasts and community donors.

The Horseback Heroes program reflects a broader commitment by Oklahoma’s military community to support the families of Guard members — recognizing that service members can’t do their jobs without the support networks that sustain their families at home. Events like this one provide military children with positive experiences, connections with peers who understand their circumstances, and a day of pure fun that can become a cherished memory.

As the event wound down and children reluctantly said goodbye to their new four-legged friends, the smiles on their faces spoke volumes about the value of the day. For many of these children, it was a rare opportunity to simply be kids — carefree, outdoors, and surrounded by community support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Horseback Heroes event?

Horseback Heroes is an annual event organized for children of Oklahoma National Guard military families. It gives these children — many of whom have parents who are frequently deployed — a chance to spend a day together enjoying horse-related activities in a fun, safe, and community-oriented environment.

The event was originally conceived by Maj. Gen. Myles Deering, the adjutant general for Oklahoma, who partnered with local ranchers, horse enthusiasts, and community leaders to bring it to life. The second annual event was held at Covey Creek Ranch in Oklahoma City.

What activities were available at the Horseback Heroes event?

Children were divided into five age groups ranging from 5 to 17 years old, each group identified by a different colored bandana. They rotated through stations that included horseback riding, buggy rides, calf roping, horseshoeing, and horse grooming and tack.

Each station was staffed by experienced instructors and volunteers. The children spent approximately 30 minutes at each station before a horn signaled the rotation. The variety of activities ensured that even first-time visitors to a ranch could find something exciting and accessible.

Who organized the Horseback Heroes event?

The primary organizer was Gerry Shepherd, CEO and president of Oklahoma Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc., and owner of Covey Creek Cattle Co. Shepherd became involved after being approached by Adjutant General Myles Deering, who had conceived the Horseback Heroes concept.

A key volunteer was Amanda Eggleston, owner of Take Off Farms and coach of the University of Oklahoma Equestrian team, who hosted the first Horseback Heroes event and provided horses and tack for both years. Volunteers from Blanchard Future Farmers of America (FFA) also assisted with activities.

Why is an event like Horseback Heroes important for military families?

Military children face unique challenges. Frequent moves, extended parental deployments, and the constant stress of having a family member in harm's way can take a significant psychological toll on young children and teenagers. Events like Horseback Heroes provide structured outdoor recreation and the opportunity to connect with peers who share similar experiences.

Organizer Gerry Shepherd explained the motivation simply: 'If the military members here can go do what they do, we can certainly do this.' The event represents a direct way for the civilian community to express support for military families in a tangible, meaningful way.

How were the horses selected for the event?

Horse selection was a careful process. Organizer Gerry Shepherd explained that the horses had to meet specific criteria: they needed to be safe around children and comfortable with excitement, noise, and unpredictable movement — qualities that can be rare in working ranch horses.

Shepherd noted that finding horses with the right temperament required planning starting three months before the event. One particularly popular horse named 'Loki' drew a crowd at the riding station, with many children excitedly telling their parents they had gotten to ride him by name.

What was the safety approach at the Horseback Heroes event?

Safety was a top priority throughout the event. At the morning briefing, Gerry Shepherd warned the young participants about horse behavior on cold mornings, noting that the horses were 'feeling really good' and instructing children to let horses know they were approaching and to always ask a volunteer before getting close to an animal.

Experienced volunteers supervised each station, providing instruction on proper technique while maintaining a safe environment. The event had no reported injuries, and the combination of trained horses, experienced instructors, and attentive volunteers kept the day running smoothly despite the energetic crowd of young participants.