"A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence." -Pam Brown

If you were a youngster growing up in the 40‘s and 50’s your world was a world of courageous men on horseback: Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Bobby Benson, the Lone Ranger and Tonto. At a tender age these were my heroes.  They taught me what it was to be a man of action, courage, strength and character.  They taught me what is was to be an American.

Listening to the radio, imagining these heroes riding a galloping horse was a thrilling experience.

I remember as if it were yesterday, the day Bobby Benson and his magical B-Bar-B Riders came to Wilkes-Barre.  It was a day like no other. The streets were jammed with people who wanted to see the radio celebrity.  It was quite a sight.

Fast forward two generations.  It is an overcast day in June.  Kitch and I are up at the crack of dawn, and we are on our way to the Luzerne County Fair Grounds to document the A.M. Pugh Benefit Horse Show.  All proceeds of the event will benefit Community Cares for Kids, an organization founded by Dr. and Mrs. Francis Collini. Their purpose is simple: to make kids as beutiful on the outside as they are on the inside.

Susan Collini, a community minded and good hearted woman, made us aware of the event. She and her husband were not at the horse show. They were on a mission in Ecuador to perform surgery on children with birth defects. Brenda Pugh, a woman dedicated to community service, gave us permission to document the horse show.

In preparation for this day, we spent about an hour one evening getting the right shot of an electronic billboard that Lamar Advertising donated to the project.  Taking night shots like this on the Cross Valley Expressway can be challenging and sometimes dangerous. On this excursion we ended up in the parking lot of a pool hall about 50 feet below the sign.  While we were taking pictures in the black of night, two people emerged from the closed pool hall to see what we were doing.  They watched us but never approached our car.

Kitch breathed a deep sigh of relief as we drove out of the parking lot. The only thing that went through my mind was a simple thought: “We got the shot.”  That’s the universal standard in my world.

Someone once said that making a movie is like going to war, you never know what you will encounter. On this night we experienced none of the problems that usually complicate our work.

On the day of the benefit, we were worried about the weather.  Rain is never a friend of documentary film- makers, and this was a day when rain was inevitable.

As we made our way up the steep hill to the entrance of the fairgrounds, we weren’t sure what to expect, but we were determined to do what we had to do to record something for Windsor Park Stories.

Once we established ourselves amid the majesty of the horses, their riders and a small army of people who comprise the infield during the event, we went into production mode looking for people and scenes that would lend themselves to a story about horses, Community Cares for Kids and the wonderful work the Pugh family does for our community.

Yes, you read it correctly. We were a crew of two trying to record three separate pieces. That’s the way it is with independent filmmakers. You must capitalize on the moment.  There are no budgets to support an adequate location crew.  You depend upon the good will of the people you meet, the energy and the dynamics of the event, and everything you learned in hundreds of shoots over the years.

In less than four hours we conducted 22 brief interviews with organizers, riders, parents, vendors, and visitors. Kitch snapped 255 digital pictures that captured the spirit of the day. We met a number of interesting, thoughtful, kind people who helped us document the story of this wonderful event.

One of the most helpful people we met was Kristina Anderson, a very pleasant and knowledgeable woman who drove from New York to be the judge of the horse show.

Kirstina is a sophisticated woman who helped us understand the role of the judge and much more. She has a lifetime of experience with horses as an owner and rider. She loves the sport and it shows. She likes people and it shows. More important, she knows horses and it shows. According to Kristina, horses are very special, wonderful creatures. They are kind, loving, stubborn and patient.

Just like humans, I thought to myself.

Riding taught her three children respect for life.

When she is judging, Kristina looks at how the horse is responding to the rider, how the horse is moving and acting, how the horse is groomed.

Everything is about the horses and how they connect with their riders.

Caitlin Ingram, one of the riders, gave us another perspective on riding: "When I ride my horse, I just forget about everything. I zone everything out. It's very relaxing. It's just a great experience."

For Samantha Zimmerman, the first rider we talked with, the day was about raising money for Community Cares for Kids and having some fun.

Samantha started riding when she was four and she loves the challenge because, in her words, "You never know what the horse is going to do."

Samantha didn't have to say very much. The smile on her face and the bounce in her step said it all. This young woman was happy to be at the Luzerne County Fair Grounds. She was happy to be a participant and a contestant in the benefit horse show.

Samantha welcomed the opportunity to tell her story, and we were fortunate to meet her.

Horse shows are very much a family affair. The A.M. Pugh event was no exception. Brenda Pugh, a lovely woman with the skills of an executive and the heart of a nurse, is a happy woman with an infectious smile and a welcoming way. She organized the event. With help from her daughters and her husband, she was the backbone of the event.

Nothing was too big or too small for a members of the Pugh family to tackle. Adrianne opened the gate and yelled the number of the rider to her father, Allan, who announced the event with dignity and class. Brenda appeared to be everywhere at the same time. Her daughter, Rachael, was always at her mother's side.

Adrianne wanted the world to know that the riders in this event were anything but snobs. They take care of their horses 365 days a year. They groom their horses. They bathe their horses, and they clean their tack.

These riders do it because they love the horses and the sport. They enjoy riding in benefits because they know they will be helping other people. If you ask any one of the riders, they will tell you they do it because it's a good time.

The success of the day rested on the shoulders of the Pughs and watching them work flawlessly together, there was no question about the outcome. They worked as a team.

The had a game plan and when something happened they transitioned flawlessly. Like the riders in the competition, there was perfect harmony between each member of the family. Watching them work in the viewfinder of my camera, I thought of the saying. "Whether the job be big or small, do it well or not at all."

Those 14 words aptly describe the family Pugh.

The Adams family was another family team that worked in harmony. Kelsey Adams is a teenager who likes horse shows. She believes the secret to success is understanding your horse. Her mother is an advocate of riding. It teaches young people teamwork. It teaches young people that life is not just about them. It teaches them to be responsible and alert.

As a mother, she worries about her daughter's safety, and she is quick to point out that many problems can result from rider issues not horse issues.

Early in the day we talked with a very impressive young rider, Vlee Molitoris. He came to the event to do well. He came to the event to help raise money for Community Cares for Kids because in his words, "You always want to help other people."

Vlee has been riding for four years, and he loves the sport. When I asked him what the sport taught him, he answered without hesitation: "Riding teaches you self-discipline and the value of the dollar."

As I looked into the eyes of this young man, I thought to myself what a gift he is to our community and our country.

Sarah Hess is a rider who won my heart from the first hello. She is 11 years old, and this was her first competition. You could see the excitement in her eyes, but there was also a childlike innocence and goodness about her as she hugged her horse, Dreamer.

While we talked I thought about my granddaughter, Julia, who loves horses.

When I asked Sarah what she was thinking and feeling, she answerered with the honesty of a child; "I'm excited, It's gonna be fun."

Brooke Evans is a youngster with a good deal of experience. She has been riding since she was seven years old. She, like Sarah, loves the sport.

When asked why, her answerer was simple and direct: "It's just fun."

While we talked, her horse turned his head toward Brooke as if to protect her from any harm. Maybe it was circumstantial, or perhaps not. Whatever the case, it was one of the many magic moments, Kitch captured of this beautiful event.

The last rider I spoke with had a direct connection to Windsor Park and Windsor Park Stories. Alyson Baber's aunt is Linda Loughlin. Linda and her husband became friends of ours during a summer of location shoots in Cape May, New Jersey. Together with her husband, Skip, Linda told her story at the Summer Cottage Inn. It was one of the most memorable moments of our series.

On this day, atop a beautiful but restless horse named Chance, Alyson was saying goodbye to horse shows as she knew them. She was off to college the next day courtesy of a Biology scholarship. With a smile of satisfaction on her face she told us: "It's been a lot of work, but it paid off."

Becoming reflective, Alyson shared what she learned from her experiences: "I learned to be a good sport, to be patient and to work hard."

Before we left the Luzerne County Fair Grounds we talked with Brad & Diane Kreller, owners of Spur of the Moment Tack and Stable Supply, and Dave Weheer of the Back Mountain Police Force.

The Krellers like the business and horse shows, because they provide great family entertainment. Riding is a good learning experience for kids, it's a good atmosphere to grow up in, Brad told us.

"Horse people are a special breed."

Dave Weheer agreed.

Dave is a soft spoken, thoughtful man. He was volunteering his Sunday to add a special attraction that would help the horse show and benefit Community Cares for kids.

Sitting behind a computer designed to enable him to fingerprint and photograph youngsters for their parents, he looked out at the horses, thought for a few seconds and said: " This is a great family oriented horse show."

As kitch and I were leaving the fairgrounds, I thought to myself what a wonderful experience this was for riders, parents, organizers and guests. Horse people are a special breed.

On this day, this special breed raised over $6,000.00 for Community Cares for Kids.

Sharon Ralls Lemon was right: "The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with rare elements of grace, spirit, beauty and fire."

Holden Caulfield was right: "I'd rather have a ...horse. A horse at least is human, for God's sake."

Thank you Susan Collini.

Thank you Kristina Andersen.

Thank you Brenda Pugh.

Thank you Kitch.

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