Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day Supports Westernaires
Join Us for Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day | September 3rd – 17th, 2025
Helping Kids Get Into the Arena, Since 1949
Thanks to generous sponsors, all online donations made between September 3rd through 17th will be matched — up to $150,000! That means your gift goes twice as far to help kids gain the confidence, friendships, and life skills that come from participating in an organization like Westernaires.
Match funds are limited — make your gift ONLINE via the Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day website, beginning at 6PM MST on September 3rd, to maximize your impact!
Join Us for Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day
We're proud to join Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, a powerful statewide movement to create more possibilities for the kids of Colorado.
This isn't just a fundraiser. It's a rally cry for opportunity, self-esteem, and joy. And you can be part of it.
Why Support Westernaires? Why Now?
The research is clear. Our programs help cultivate:
Higher self-esteem
Stronger mental & physical health
Better academic performance
Increased leadership and teamwork skills
Greater resilience and “Grit”
Yet Westernaires is under pressure to reduce our programs due to inflation and other outside pressures.
You can change that.
Your Gift in Action
Here's what your donation makes possible:
$5 → Pay for a Westernaires horse’s dietary supplements for one week
$25 → Cover the annual membership fee for a low income rider
$100 → Cover a Westernaire horse’s living expenses for a day
$175 → Contribute toward one farrier visit for the Westernaires herd
$250 → Sponsor a low income Varsity Red Team rider performing at the National Western Stock Show
$750 → Buys one tire for the semis, trucks, vans, or bus
$5,000 → Secures fuel for one of our Summer months
Every gift brings more opportunities to make Westernaires programs available for kids — and the impacts can last a lifetime.
Helping Kids Get Into the Arena, Since 1949
Westernaires Board Member and Tenderfoot Riding Instructor Matt Thompson learned about Westernaires during one of our annual Horsecapades fundraising campaigns and happened to buy a ticket to attend the show. His oldest daughter asked to join Westernaires shortly thereafter. After some pondering, Matt and his wife decided to give this “horse program” a try. Matt later dipped his toe into volunteering. He became a Monitor for his daughter’s team, a Wrangler of the rental horse herd, and a riding instructor, among other areas.
“One of the first things my wife and I heard at the Tenderfoot induction was how these would be our daughter's life long friends, they'd be in her wedding, etc etc. I think it sounded like the teacher from the Peanuts to me at the time. I get it a lot more now. I understand the life long friends part. I watch her interact with some of the best kids a parent could ask for in the barns and I watch the relationships being built, and I understand.
“I listened to as many of the graduation speeches as I could get through and I get it now. Those kids have formed life long friendships, and my daughter is forming life long friendships. No one mentioned that the parents build life long friendships as well. I wasn't anticipating that part, and I'm extremely grateful for it.”
“I believe Westernaires has helped my daughter in so many ways. This is definitely her passion and we are forever grateful to Westernaires for the opportunity! We just love the whole experience.”
— Jen, Westernaires Parent
“I call this place my home because everyone here treats me like family.”
— Emma, Westernaires Rider
“We’ve never been more honored to support an organization that is truly helping kids grow in virtue, hard work, comraderie and dedication.”
— Kimberly, Westernaires Parent
“Westernaries has been such a great experience for me. I have been able to find so many amazing friends through Westernaires and was finally able to find a place where I feel accepted. Everyone is so kind and you can just be yourself. It’s what my mom calls my ‘happy place,’ and it really is. Westernaires is my escape from all the stress of everyday life.”
— Dae, Westernaires Alumna
Uplifting Our Community Every Day
1949
the year that Westernaires was started, at the request of the Lakewood Youth Council, who requested that a riding group be initiated for Jeffco kids to teach and promote riding in the western tradition. Elmer and Marjorie Wyland (founders) made that vision come to life.
25K+
individuals served through programs over the past 76 years
50+
riding teams and clubs
200
rental horses, ponies, and draft horses owned and cared for by Westernaires for the use of our members
100+
annual performances and appearances put on by Westernaires members as outreach to surrounding communities and states
100%
Westernaires Alumni graduated from high school
97%
Westernaires riders stated Westernaires has helped them with their academics
Join Us for Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day
We're proud to join Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, a powerful statewide movement to create more possibilities for the kids of Colorado.
If you make your contribution during the matching window — beginning September 3rd at 6PM — your generosity will be DOUBLED!
This isn't just a fundraiser for Westernaires. It's a rally cry for opportunity, self-esteem, and joy. And you can be part of it.