Farmers Dash

You may have noticed that I did not post anything last week about having a blog, that is because I have taken on once again another new adventure.

You have probably seen on my Facebook and other social media that I am in the process of planning and producing another fundraiser/charity barrel race! Some of you may remember the Brain Power Barrel Race that I had cohosted two years ago this May, which was a major success for two phenomenal causes! This time for the Farmers Dash, I want and I am in conversation with the farmers' wellness initiative to get this off the ground for May 30, 2026.

Now, What is the Farmer Wellness Initiative?

The Farmer Wellness Initiative is a mental health support program created specifically for Ontario’s agricultural community. It provides free, confidential counselling services to farmers, farm workers, and their families who may be dealing with stress, anxiety, financial pressure, or other mental health challenges related to life in agriculture.

Farming can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with unique pressures such as unpredictable weather, market fluctuations, long working hours, and the responsibility of running a farm and caring for livestock. These challenges can take a toll on mental health, which is why programs like the Farmer Wellness Initiative are so important.

Through the program, farmers and their families can access professional counselling at no cost, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Support can be provided over the phone, virtually, or sometimes in person, and counsellors are trained to understand the realities of agricultural life.

The Farmer Wellness Initiative is part of the broader Agriculture Wellness Ontario, which focuses on improving mental health awareness and access to support across the farming community.

Why Me?

Out of all of the amazing causes that I could've picked, sick kids, helping families with limited grocery budgets, cancer research, and so much more. Why would I pick the farmers' wellness initiative? Well, obviously, these are all fantastic causes and charities, but the farmers' wellness initiative doesn't have, to my knowledge, a direct way where they are raising money, they mainly get their financing through government services, and as we all know, the government can be unreliable when it comes to budgeting and many charities are government funded so there's only so much go around.

On my dad's side come from a farming family. Cash crop farming. But that side of my family is no longer in farming due to a wide range of reasons! So to me, it does mean something, being in the horse world, being in the agricultural world, it does mean something.

I hope in the future to be able to have a race production company that is able to put on a variety of barrel races for amazing causes like the ones I mentioned above. But for right now, it is one at a time, as I am the only one coordinating and setting everything up. I do have a fleet of amazing people who are helping me find sponsors, volunteering themselves for work like barrel setting and helping me day of. It would not be possible without everyone who has volunteered to help me.

The Plan.

This coming Wednesday, I have my meeting, after my meeting, it will be full-fledged advertising and door-knocking for sponsorships, donations and competitors.

I'm also working with a super cool platform for entries, which ideally would be April 30, giving people just under a month to enter.

I haven't exactly figured out if I want to do side pots or just get everyone to run, I haven't figured out the exact time I'd like to start or whether I would like to do cash at the gate for the expos. All that being said, there are just a few little things here and there that I need to figure out. I am so incredibly excited!

With all that being said, I have to go back to some planning and work now so enjoy this short little brief, and I know you will all be hearing more about this soon!