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Orono Weekiy Thnes, Wednesday, October 18,1995-3 Photo-by Kate Lang wheelchair, ewsstili the sarne old Bàrb, having a good tirne at whatevershe was dolng. After a Couple of weeks, Barb was riglit backý in the ring teaching again. She would get wheeied out to the barn and take a seat in the paddock. This past Sunday, at her final competition for the season, I was amazed to see her walking around witb just the slight use of a cane. "Brandon and 1 have been so gra-tefiil to ail of our friends and family that came to our aid while I was laid u p. There is a lot to do when you have ten horses to look after and full Urne jobs on top of that. I think it has been the hardest on Mny three dogs and 1 cat. They couldflot figure out wýhere I had disappeared to." Barb is now iooking for- ward to the arrivai of ber first niece or nepbew. "My brother -Paul, -and sister-In- law Oddette, ive right across the road with my dad, so 1 can sec hlm or ber ail the trne." It won't be long before we wiil be seeing Barb roarnn around town or the Co-op again. It takes a lot to slow this lady down. 1 arn proud to cail Barb King rny friend. This comrnunity should be proud to caliliher your neigb- bour. by Kate Lang "My dad thougbt it was a phase 1 was going tbrougb, tbat 1 would outgrow," recails Barb King, owner and operator of Homnestead Hilîs Stables. If you bave attended any horse events in the Orono area, tben there is no doubt that you've seen Barb. If sbe is not tbere witb ber stu- dents and horses, then she is there as- an enthusiastic spectator. From the Urne Barb was bomn, she would make trips from lier home in Scarbourgh, to the farnily's hobby farm on Jewell Rd. In 1975, the farnily made a permanent move to Orono because, as Barb tells it, "1My younger brother Paul and I loved it out bere 50 rnuch that we were going to move, witb or without our par- e nts." After tbe cow and cbick- ens, Barb's- dad, Ted bad bougbht to raise died of oid age, it becarne obvious that tbey would bave to get into livestock tbat they could actually raise as pets. About 1978, Barb received bier first borse, Cbarrn, frorn Gerald "Robbie" Robertson. Tbat "Phase" soon turned into a hobby and then into a col- lection. A couple of years later she started teacbing at a YMCA daycarnp. The parents were 50 irnpressed wtb lier abîli- ty that she was approached t o continue teacbîng pri- vately once the camnp was over. It was a summer t-job that turned into a career. In 1980, the farnily was struck by tragedy witthei death of' Barb's m nother, Rebecca. -l really would have loved for bier to see, the way we restored flc old farmi bouse that wc grew up in. 1 know it would mean a lot to ber."- In hclping 1<) deal with the Ioss of her mnoiher, l3arb got more involvedl wilb compet- ing. She slarited Iotwith the Western style but soon h)ud llt ilglisli was imore to ]icri-iking. For about 8 yvars. conipcling took up a great deai of ber Urne, but a bad rigbt knee started to steer lier towards teaching. "Fortunateiy for me, 1 really loved workingwith others; helping them to fine tune their skills." Once a month, in the summer time, Barb and Brandon put together a competition at their ranch for ail of the students. She takes a lot of these same students to see otber shows like the Royal Winter Fair and the CNE, and compete at Fox Hunter Shows, and Orono and, surrounding fairs. "It's a lot of work, but it is also fun too." The wînter montbs are, slower, but that doesn't mean that Barb slows dlown. You rnay have seen ber working down at the Village Bake Shop. She also served On'-the Orono Fair Board for about il years and this year is the 2nd Vice President. There are even plans to buiid an arena 50 that she can teach ail year round. This article on Barb was finisbed and was just wait- îng to be printed, but 1 bad to add to it wben Barb was hospitalized for a serious injury. Abouit 1 month ago, wbile training a friend's horse, sbe was tbrown, cracking 5 vertebras in ber back. "It cornes with the ter- ritory. Wben you work arouind horses, you are going to get thrownm sooner or later. Sornetimes you-ijust get up an-d dust your-self off, buit unfortunately there are going to be tirnes wben you don't get off that lucky." If Barb bhad not been wearing bier lmiet, she wouild have received a serious head i nj ury. "emesare requîred at ny ranch. No one gets on a horse without one." As far as ber accident goes, -this bas just siowed me down for a littie bit." A littie bit is rigbt. Wbule Iying in her hospital bed, she sent me 'out to pick up Rodeo Dance tickets for ber.. 1i arn going t that dance- cone ell or hg ac. And slue wasîi't kidding. Altbiotîgli she cdidn'tt do nmncb dancing in lier itas easy as d2,3 2. ,,- Add composogr. x I I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I I I For more information on Compo-sting or Grosscycling eall thle, Region of Durham Works Department- (905) 668-7 721 I Ontario 'DURHAM; Funded in part by the Mnislty of Env¶onment ad Energy I --- --- ------------- g\M