Cowgirls for the Cure

AVALON, CATALINA ISLAND - Little Harbor campgrounds were alive with activity September 29th through October 4th as 51 women and their horses gathered for the 15th annual Las Caballeras ride. Each year these ladies get together for a week of fun and games with their horses on Catalina, but this year was a little different. They incorporated a fundraiser to support breast cancer research as part of their program. Everything was pink! They wore pink hats and shirts. Their horses wore pink halters and ribbons. There were pink tablecloths, pink cocktails, pink chaps and pink hoodies. There were even several sightings of a pink Bigfoot! Michele Bestudik, of Avalon, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, was their guest of honor. The ladies contributed donations, raffle and auction items. When the dust cleared at the end of the ride, they had raised $10,000 which they donated to the California Breast Cancer Research Program through the University of California.

In appreciation for the privilege of riding the beautiful Conservancy trails, each year, Las Caballeras purchases a Conservancy membership for every member attending the Catalina ride. They also invite the Conservancy to give a presentation to the group and join them for dinner on Wednesday night. This year in honor of the ?Cowgirls for the Cure? theme, the Conservancy hosted a pink party. Carlos de la Rosa, Chief Conservation and Education Officer for the Conservancy, gave a pink presentation of the island flora and fauna, including pink bison and fox.  Conservancy Administrators Ann Muscat, Mel Dinkel, Jackie McDougall and Leslie Baer joined Carlos with pink renditions of many popular songs. Everyone had a wonderful time, and agreed it was the best ride ever.