The hotel is conveniently located adjacent to the Downtown Plaza Shopping Center with more than 100 shops and restaurants including Macy’s, The Hard Rock Café and a Century Movie Theater; the State Capitol is close by; and Historic Old Sacramento is a short two block stroll away.

Convention Highlights!

Get some of that good ol’ California Gold Fever! First stop on our Tour Day will be the Kennedy Mine in Jackson, California. Famous for being one of the deepest gold mines in the world at 5,912 feet, the Kennedy demonstrates how gold changed an entire way of life in California.

From there, we will proceed just a little further up the hill to Ironstone Vineyards. A state-of-the-art wine production facility, built in the style of a 19-century gold stamp mill, the facility and grounds alike are peppered throughout with antiques and artifacts from days gone by, including the artfully restored Alhambra Theatre Pipe Organ. Lunch will be at the Vineyards, and produced out of the Culinary Exhibition Center. Also on the grounds are wine aging caverns, spectacular lakeside gardens, The Heritage Museum and Jewelry Shoppe in which is housed (and carefully guarded) the rare, one-of-a-kind 44-pound crystalline gold leaf nugget, the largest in the world!

We’ll stop on our way back into Sacramento to meet our keynote speaker, Jerry Tindell.

Jerry Tindell – Clinician, Trainer and Instructor

Jerry Tindell grew up in rural Missouri in a logging family that used horses and mules for power as part of earning a living. Getting the job done was the first objective. The first hand experience of the behavior of working horses and mules throughout his growing years has given Jerry Tindell a unique insight into the equine psyche.

Jerry Tindell’s ability to transform these early lessons with equines is the keystone of his program today. Through a lifetime of handling horses and mules, Jerry has developed a comprehensive knowledge of equine behavior and, just as importantly, the human skills necessary for top performance. He has been a constant student while working with horses and mules to achieve a true partnership. Jerry’s emphasis is on safety and a system of instruction that allows the horse to understand his job whether it be pulling a carriage or plow, sorting calves or as a trail horse. His considerable experience has broadened his ability to instruct horsemen of all skill levels and riding and driving disciplines. As a professional trainer for the Los Angeles Police Department’s mounted unit, he was able to establish a successful curriculum for mounted law enforcement whose beat was the unrelenting streets of Los Angeles.

Hundreds of horsemen, both amateurs and professionals have improved their horsemanship skills by attending Jerry Tindell Horsemanship Clinics. Developing a safe, responsive horse and handler relationship is the Tindell goal. Jerry Tindell is dedicated to enhancing the horse and handler experience through knowledge and practice, combined with compassion.

SPEAKERS

Attorney and Professional Horsewoman Maria DeAngelis
“Hitch Your Wagon to a Star – Raising the Bar on Excellence”

Maria is a lifelong horsewoman whose life goal is to be described as a “hand” with horses. Maria owns and operates Elysian Grove Stable in Herald, California. Her stable operation includes boarding, training, vet referral lay-ups and a horsemanship/lesson program for all ages and skill levels. Maria believes that horses provide “a lifetime of learning” and takes special pleasure in helping adult students achieve their lifelong dream of riding a horse. Maria is certified as a riding instructor by the Certified Horsemanship Association. She has competed in both under-saddle and driving events. Maria also serves as a driver for All Seasons Carriage Company. One of her current projects is working with Jerry Tindell on a safety and teaching manual for commercial carriage operations

Maria’s other professional accomplishments include being Assistant Chief Counsel for the California Department of Child Support Services. She has practiced law in California for 18 years. When finally able to quit her “day job” upon retirement from State service, Maria looks forward to including the practice of equine and ranch law in her retirement activities.

Chris Hawthorne, Sergeant with the California Highway Patrol, will address safety and enforcement as applies to tow vehicle and trailer issues; what traffic enforcers look for during vehicle stops where there are safety concerns and/or traffic violations; also information re load limits and load placement; reconstruction and evaluation re prevention and/or mitigation in accidents hauling live cargo.

Julia Markel, Vice President, Association for Wedding Professionals International

After producing bridal shows for 23 years, Julia Markel has seen what works and doesn’t work for exhibitors. Fifteen years ago she developed her seminar “7 Ways to Get More Bookings from Bridal Shows,” teaching key elements that make the difference in profiting from your bridal show investment. Julia is co-owner of MarNel Productions Bridal Expo and vice-president of the Association for Wedding Professionals, International (founded in 1996). She has presented her “7 Ways” seminar more than 100 times at national, international and local meetings. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education."

Jamie Textor, DVM, UC Davis. She will be speaking on the latest developments in equine health, particularly lameness evaluation and treatment as relates to repetitive trauma and similar related topics.

Michael Muir, great-grandson of Naturalist John Muir, will be with us to share his life with horses.

Michael founded Access Adventure in 2005, after retiring as President of United States Driving for the Disabled, Inc. A lifelong horseman born in Dixon, CA in 1952, Michael has lived with Multiple Sclerosis for more than forty years. When he could no longer ride, he taught himself to drive the horses. Michael commented, "Even though I can’t ride anymore…when I put the reins in my hands, we start that great communication between man and horse. It’s the dance of life and I’m in it." Refusing to be daunted by the relentless course of his disease, Michael credits his life with horses and the ability to enjoy nature with keeping him active and strong. In 2001, he led an international group of horsemen and women with disabilities on a remarkable 3,000 mile, ten month Journey Across America, driving wheelchair accessible horse drawn carriages from the Mission San Diego in California all the way to Washington, DC. In 2003 he and Cindy Goff, a paraplegic horsewoman from Kentucky drove a carriage, powered by Michael’s horse Domino, from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico along the same route John Muir traveled in 1867.

Michael says, "We have shown that people with disabilities can accomplish amazing things. We still want to be active participants in everything life has to offer. The horses of Access Adventure, combined with innovative adaptive equipment are the links that carry us back into a close relationship with nature and wild places. Nature is healing. Demonstrating to others that life can still be full and rich and exciting after a catastrophic illness or accident gives people hope, and the value of hope is priceless.

My great-grandfather was America’s visionary conservationist John Muir. He is known as the Father of our National Parks and founded the Sierra Club. His passion for nature inspired the world to enjoy, explore and protect wild places. John Muir instilled in his family a great love of the wilderness and he inspires me today to share the glories of nature with people living with mobility challenges. We are blazing a new trail into the wilderness…opening a path to be traveled by people with disabilities." <