Sunshine Ranches Equestrian Park
Ribbon Cutting
August 14, 2004

Sunshine Ranches Equestrian Park
North of Stirling Road on Volunteer Road /148 Avenue in the town of Southwest Ranches

Artist Richard Medlock designed Equestrian Oasis with functional and artistic amenities for horses and their riders utilizing a 20-acre neighborhood park situated in the heart of Broward's horse country.  The central portion of the Oasis design, based on a horse shoe shape, is created of earth-berms and stones for seating, a waterfall and fountain and shade trees.  The horseshoe shape opens to the east to catch the prevailing wind and is oriented so that the concrete saddle sculptures on the western ridge of the berm cradle the sunset on summer and winter solstices.  Other key features of the Oasis are the horse watering trough and a representation of the Golden House of Southwest Ranches on a central boulder.

Pictured holding scissors from left to right: George Morris, Marianne Allen, Bob Dunn, State Representative Nan Rich, Deputy Town Attorney Keith Poliakoff, Mayor Mecca Fink, Town Attorney Gary Poliakoff, Council member Aster Knight, Broward County Clerk of Courts Howard Forman, Council member Forest Blanton, Equine friend Chief and Council member Don Maines, Town Administrator John Canada

Ritual Indian blessing performed at the Equestrian Oasis. 
Image of Golden Horse of Southwest Ranches is shown on
coral rock in foreground; one of the two concrete
saddle sculptures is seen in the background.

View from top of horseshoe-shaped earth mound of
opening day celebration at the Equestrian Oasis.

Horses pony up for refreshment at the artist-designed
fountain and watering trough.

The setting sun is cradled in one of the two large concrete
saddle sculptures on the western ridge of the
horseshoe-shaped earth mound on the occasion
 of the winter solstice (December 21)