Dorothy Dick of Lake Worth, Florida; 65 years young at the time of our club's founding in the summer of 1979, to this day remembers well the beginning of the Gold Coast Arabian Horse Club of Florida (GCAHC). She wanted so much for Arabian horses to stand alongside all the other breeds which were already represented in Palm Beach County. She attended events and meetings of an International Arabian Horse Association (IAHA) affilitiate club in Miami, FL in order to quench her thirst for involvement in the breed's promotion. After a time though, the long drive proved too taxing and Dorothy decided to put her efforts into forming "her Own" IAHA affiliate club that would be located a little closer to home.
Dorothy rounded up a small group of Arabian horse enthusiasts who helped make the necessary preparations and applications. Her efforts were successful and the GCAHC became official. Dorothy's friend Pam Sheedy-Knisley, our club's treasurer at one time, offered her family home for the club's first meetings.
Our club has seen and done a lot since then. We have performed every year (but one) at the South Florida Fair and local Christmas parades. The club held it's 20th annual Halloween Fun Show in 2005 and we love to bring the Arabian horse to the general public, with our very successful 'Arabian Horse Celebration'. In fact, the outstanding success of this event in 1999 was a major reason for GCAHC winning first place in the International Arabian Horse Association's Club Excellence Awards in the category of Breed Promotion and Community Involvement. The AHA has since used OUR Arabian Celebration as a model for a promotional tool for all other Arabian Clubs to use. We are very proud of that.
We also hold various social events such as beach rides, moonlight trail rides, camping trips and holiday socials, and dining events.
AND, we still have a few goals to reach... we want to eventually hold an A Rated show, open to only Arabians and 1/2 Arabians.
Dorothy Dick, founding member, is the one to thank for her vision, dedication and perseverance.
We are a not for-profit organization and have donated funds from our proceeds to the Treasure Coast Wildlife Hospital of Palm City, FL. (TCWH.org), Hopes,Dreams and Horses (a theraputic riding program) in Jupiter Farms, ., and the Equine Rescue and Adoption Foundation (ERAF) in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.. These are not government agencies; funding for their efforts comes from grants and from concerned people throughout the community, just like you. We continue to strive to help wherever we can. Please visit our sponsors page and support them.
