Karen Doherty received an Honorable Mention from the Connecticut Press Club for her article, “Ride with the Granby Pony Club,” which appeared in the September 2025 issue of the Drummer. An editor at the Drummer suggested Doherty write about Granby’s Pony Club. Doherty relates that her sole experience with ponies was at the Bronx Zoo at age five but she accepted—what was to her—the challenge. She was surprised to discover a dynamic group dedicated to aspiring horseback riders, an organization not widely known outside the equestrian sphere but worldwide in scope. For Granby’s many equine enthusiasts, of course, the information was familiar ground.
In England in 1929, a fledgling “club” was formed to encourage children to learn riding and horsemanship. In 1954, an offshoot of what had become the British Pony Club crossed the pond through the efforts of equestrian-minded individuals in America. The United States Pony Club was created and has flourished over the past 70 years.
Doherty explains that “the curriculum teaches riding skills, horse care fundamentals and sportsmanship within a structured learning pathway.” She notes, “With members in Granby as well as in Avon, Canton, Ellington, Enfield and Vernon, the Granby Pony Club brings together members from ages 12 to 62 who share an interest in horsemanship.”
Having recently retired from a career of fundraising for Clark and Wesleyan Universities, Doherty now has the luxury to pursue several back-burner interests. She enjoys weekly classes in both drawing and watercolor technique at the Farmington Valley Art Center. Becoming part of the Drummer family is another desire realized: over the past two years, Doherty has crafted lively profiles of nine writers who have won awards from the Connecticut Press Club for their published articles.
And she plans to “travel more and stay longer.” Hawaii is a given as she makes periodic trips there to visit her son. Previous travel has taken her to Cuba, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Italy and Scotland.
Doherty shares, “Writing for the Drummer has given me the opportunity to learn about the local community and the people who call Granby home.”
Her award-winning article can be found by following this link.