Writers Tricks of the Trade Volume 5, Issue 5 | Page 17

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LIFE STORIES (CONT’D)
children to young adults and more, they came. Handicapped vaulters with
disabilities that covered the spectrum participated side-by-side with non-disabled
vaulters. Friendships formed Valley View Vaulters was gaining recognition as the
word spread.

Read the rest of their
heart-warming story
in the Kindle short
“Miracles Happen on
Horseback”
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Visit their website
In 2011, a young man
chose to film a
documentary about
Valley View Vaulters
and some of our
Special Needs
Vaulters as one of his
school projects. His
teacher entered it
into the LA Film
Festival-Student
Division and he won
1st Place! You can
see this video titled
"Armed with Love" by
clicking the link
below:

For the first time in history there was a special exhibition by five severely
handicapped Valley View Vaulters and one blind vaulter from a therapeutic-only
program in Northern California. After each vaulter completed their routine on a
moving horse, triumphing over their handicap, the audience rose to their feet and
thunderous applause filled the arena. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Now 35 years later, the miracles are too numerous to count. Here are a few
examples of the hundreds of accomplishments thought to be impossible.
Jim, a young man with cerebral palsy who was unable to walk when he started with
Valley View, wheeled his chair to the edge of the arena, rose and walked on his own
to the horse. Entered in the competitive phase, he mounted, successfully completed
his routine and walked back to the wheelchair.
Two brothers both had extreme A.A.D.D., to a point they could hardly get from one
side of the arena to the other. They overcome this extreme challenge because of
Valley View Vaulters and Rick and Virginia’s guidance and inspiration. Both were
extremely talented vaulters. Their medications were cut back but the A.A.D.D.
remained under control. Their schoolwork and socialization improved radically. They
both went on to win multiple Gold National Championships. One brother became
the International champion at competitions in Europe. The other finished college at
S.C. in Los Angeles and for one term was Tommy Trojan riding the iconic horse
Traveler.

Armed with Love

WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE

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SEPT - OCTOBER 2015