What would you do if the one tool you rely on every day suddenly went missing, especially if it wasn’t the first time it happened?
That’s the dilemma the Squamish Valley Equestrian Association (SVEA) faced earlier this month when a thief stole their ATV (four-wheeled quad) —a vital piece of equipment used to maintain their riding arenas.
It wasn’t just any piece of machinery, though; it was something essential to the club’s operations, helping volunteers keep the footing safe for horses.
“We use the quad to harrow and maintain our riding arenas. Having a quad enables us to maintain the arenas ourselves. It’s one of the ways we keep operating costs down, as we don’t have to hire someone with equipment to do it for us,” said Stephanie Golder, treasurer of the SVEA.
They noticed the theft on Oct. 10.
“The theft could have happened the previous week, as we had not been into our sea can for a week,” she said.
The quad was the only thing stolen.
The theft was reported to the police shortly after it was discovered.
“They responded quickly—just a couple of hours after I filed the report. They came out, asked a few more questions, and actually took a crowbar left behind at the scene as evidence,” Golder said.
Association struggles with repeated thefts.
Despite upgraded security, this theft marks the third time the club has had equipment stolen.
Similar incidents occurred in 2019 and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On both occasions, we were able to recover the quad after members of the public spotted someone using it and reported it to the police. The police retrieved it both times. Unfortunately, this time we haven’t had any luck,” she said.
Donation helps the association recover quickly.
A donation from Daniel Pitts of Ocean Rock Art helped the association to purchase a replacement.
“Dan and his wife own horses and participate in cowboy challenge clinics, which they also host at our club. He understands how important the equipment is to us and wanted to help us get back on track,” Golder said.
Winter preparations with new ATV
In preparation for winter, the new quad will also be fitted with a snowplow attachment.
“Which means we will be able to keep our arenas accessible during the winter months,” Golder said.
Community support for the volunteer-run organization is essential.
“We don't receive government funding, only occasional grants,”
“One of the conditions of our lease with the District of Squamish is to keep membership fees low to ensure accessibility. So, every large expense, like purchasing a new quad, impacts our budget. Donations like this mean we don’t need to dip into our funds or raise fees,” she said.
To avoid future thefts, the new ATV will be stored off-site.
“We’ve upgraded the locks, but the new quad won’t be kept on-site. I’d rather not give whoever took the previous one any ideas,” Golder said.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief’s Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
