The original Nooksack Valley Riders began in 1953.  The desire was to form a club of people, young and old alike, who had one thing in common - their love for horses.  The objectives of the club in those days were pretty broad encompassing; horse races, shows, fairs, exhibitions, rodeos, training, trail riding, and camping, just to name a few.  Eventually they became part of the Games Division of the Washington State Horsemen and began competing with other clubs around the state of Washington, and against the State of Oregon at the Interstate Games Meet.

Over the years we have grown into a club with over 100 members who live in and around Whatcom, Island, and Skagit Counties.   In 2007 we became part of a newly formed organization, The Patterned Speed Horse Association, and our focus, as always, is to have family friendly competition with like minded fellow horsemen.

We come from all walks of life, span the generations (even having grandparents, parents and kids riding together!), and our riding abilities range from new beginner to seasoned rider.  We love to see a beautiful, fast run, but we all remember the process of "patterning" our horses and have plenty of patience for the rider who is new in the saddle or breaking in a new mount.  Along with some crazy-fun horse competition, we still like to camp together at our shows, have potluck BBQ's, talk and discuss new ideas and training techniques while we sit around a campfire, and every August we still perform as part of the Grandstand Show at the Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden.

A number of years ago the Tjoelker and Plagerman families joined together and started Cowboy Church for our club members so that those who wanted to, could come together on weekends and worship.  Marv Tjoelker is our Cowboy Church Pastor and delivers the compelling message of God's love using practical examples from our everyday lives and our involvement with horses, while the rest of the family leads us in worship and prayer. This ministry has grown around the state and is an integral and important part of our weekends together.  (See Marv's link to "Saddle Up 4 Jesus" below)

Because we have been so blessed to to be able to ride these magnificent animals and fellowship with such great friends around the state, we have felt strongly that it is important to find ways to give back to our community.  In addition to a variety of community fundraisers over the years, in 2011 we held our 1st Annual Melanie Ann Plagerman Memorial Show to Benefit Cystic Fibrosis and have raised over $65,000.00 for CF Research in the five years we have hosted it.  Additionally, we have done food drives for our local food banks and the wildfire victims in eastern Washington, we have collected coats and school supplies for children in need, and we collected supplies for the Oso mudslide victims. In order to benefit the generous donors of the various fundraising campaigns we hold, in 2016 we restructured our club and became a 501 (C) (3) non-profit corporation. Now we are able to offer our donors tax deductible receipts! (See "GIVING BACK" Link)

In the words of one of our members:  "Being a part of the Nooksack Valley Riders has been a life-changing experience for our family.  Our kids have grown, not just as horse owners and riders, but also as responsible people through this organization.  They have learned the meaning of "friendly competition" - being encouraged to go the extra mile and make the extra effort, both in their training and on the course. They have been cheered on when they do well and are given tips to help them do even better.  Equally important though, they have learned to cheer for and encourage others - even when they are in direct competition with them - because that is what our membership does for each other, and at the end of the day our friendships are more important than winning."

So, come watch us ride at a show and see what we're all about, or better yet, bring your horse and join in the fun!

If you have questions, feel free to contact any one of us - We'd love to hear from you!