WHILE most Cebuanos wake up to the sound of a rooster crowing, at Whistlejacket Farm, the neighing of a majestic horse is more commonly heard.
Located in Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City, Whistlejacket Farm is different from the other farms that Cebu has. Instead of cultivating vegetables, Whistlejacket breeds horses, and excellent, disciplined riders.
Now a stable and a riding school, Whistlejacket is unique and perhaps the first of its kind in the metro, offering lessons to those interested in learning to gain proper training in horse riding. The farm was first a private stable, until owner and equestrian Candice Gotianuy decided to open it to the public back in September 2010.
Ever since then, it has been an uphill success for Whistlejacket, with a mixture of beginners in riding and advanced riders learning at the farm.
Currently, Whistlejacket has three advanced riders, Elliana Booth and Margarita Milne, both of whom expressed a want to horseback ride ever since they were young, and Lisa Kalenkiewicz, who was born into a family of riders, and upon moving to Cebu to be a social worker, reached out to Whistlejacket Farm to continue her love and passion.
All three are trained by the talented Jose Maria Montilla, fondly called Sir Tata, a veteran equestrian, and a medalist in the SEA and Asean Games.
With a passion for both horses and the sport, Tata proudly pointed out the talent of his three advanced riders who possess the passion and fire that he looks for in riders.
“Not all riders have it, you know. But these three, they have what I look for. That fire that goes beyond just riding the horses,” Tata explained. “It’s very hard to find that naturally.”
Open to all interested students, learning at Whistlejacket is personalized and intimate, with each lesson kept to a maximum of five students per class, allowing the instructor to maximize training time.
Whistlejacket Farm is open Wednesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays, all with different time schedules. Classes are, of course, scheduled ahead by appointment, but on days when there are no lessons, students are welcome to bond with the horses, washing them as well as helping out at the stable.
For horse lovers and aspiring riders, Whistlejacket Farm is a welcome addition to Cebu, offering something different that teaches one discipline, and surprisingly, helps one find the inner peace that riding with horses allows.