Eastern_cowboy

Jeff Green | Aug 20, 2009

Lynn and Leslie Cronk of Eastern Cowboy Horseback Adventures with their long time client Dave Arnold (centre)

Lynn and Leslie Cronk, owners of Eastern Cowboy Horseback Adventures, which is located on their 2500-acre, 4th generation family farm near Parham, will be holding a charity ride/BBQ on Sunday August 23, their first ever in the business’s 7-year history.

The BBQ will be cooked by the Hinchinbrooke Fire Department and the Rebekahs of Parham.

All funds raised by the event will go towards the fire department, the Rebekahs and also to Teja’s Animal Rescue, located north of Cornwall.

The Cronks’ family-run business includes a working beef cattle farm, horse back and trail riding, boarding facilities and a cottage rental business. The business also boasts a life-size, false-front western town called Coyote Gulch, which comes equipped with corals filled with real live horses and cattle, a saloon, a bunk house, a general store, barber shop, hitching posts and a board walk.

This Sunday’s charity event will include a Chinese auction, a donation table and a 2 hour guided trail ride led by Lynn Cronk. Riders are invited to arrive with their own horses at 11:00am and are encouraged to sign up as many sponsors as they can prior to the ride. There is a minimum requirement of $20 in pledges for all participating riders.

Non-riders are also encouraged to attend the event to experience first hand an old-style western town and working farm equipped with horses and Charolais cattle. Musical entertainment will be provided by The Countryman and Bavarian accordion player Eric Morrison.

Nicole Joncas, owner of Teja’s Animal Refuge, will be present on Sunday to give a talk on her business and the rescue operations that she carries out there. Joncas is well known for the legal battle that she is currently spearheading against the Attorney General of Quebec and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for their failure to take action against illegal puppy mills operating in Quebec.

Leslie Cronk became aware of Joncas and the refuge she operates through a client and Leslie’s ongoing support and concern for animal rescue is a big part of what motivated her to organize this charity event.

I spoke with Leslie on Saturday at her farm. “I’ve been rescuing animals since I could walk. I remember missing school to bring a bird to the vet. It’s always been something that I have just had to do and I was lucky that my parents allowed me to do it.” It is also a trait that she has proudly passed down to her four daughters.

The Cronks currently share their farm with 5 dogs, 4 cats and numerous horses that they have rescued over the years.

Dave Arnold, a long-time client and family friend of the Cronks, has been boarding his horse Eric there for the last 3 years.

“I’ve been to many stables and the horses here are extremely well kept and fed and they’re as safe to ride as sitting in church.” He added, “The trails here are magnificent. It’s a great place to come because it is a true family atmosphere filled with warmth and friendliness. You always feel welcome.”

This upcoming event is not only a chance for animal lovers to support animal rescue efforts but also a chance to spend the day in the presence of horses, cattle and other farm animals.

The Cronks are hoping to make the charity ride and BBQ an annual event and Leslie definitely sees it as an opportunity to support other local animal rescue efforts.

For more details please call Leslie Cronk at 613-375-6467, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also visit their website at www.easterncowboy.com