Halt Cancer at X contributions leap to $120,000 at annual Montana equestrian event at Rebecca Farm

Organizers of the 2016 Event at Rebecca Farm http://www.rebeccafarm.org "humbled and blown away" by community support

When Sarah Broussard, organizer of The Event at Rebecca Farm, talks about "Halt Cancer at X," it is easy to see her passion for the initiative, in great part because it is homegrown. With the announcement that $120,000 was raised by both event competitors and community members at The 2016 Event at Rebecca Farm, Sarah Broussard admits to being a little overwhelmed.

"I’m absolutely blown away by the support. At $120,000, that’s almost twice what was raised last year," said Broussard. "In the past we’ve raised between $50,000 and $80,000 so when I checked the board this weekend and saw we were over the $100,000 mark, I was thinking, ‘you’ve got to be kidding me.’ To see this huge outpouring of support has been incredible."

Her gratitude makes sense because the Halt Cancer at X initiative is very personal for Broussard. She founded Halt Cancer at X in 2012 after her mother, the late Rebecca ‘Becky’ Broussard (for whom Rebecca Farm is named) passed away from breast cancer. Since 2012, the Halt Cancer at X initiative has raised and contributed approximately $250,000 in funds to national cancer research and local support services for cancer. The Halt Cancer at X’s primary focus is breast cancer but in the Flathead Valley, with a close-knit community of medical services, funds for breast cancer often serve a dual role by providing resources to those with other forms of cancer.

"When we started Halt Cancer, a lot of people gathered pledges or gave because they knew and loved my mom," Broussard shares. "I think the fact that $120,000 was raised this weekend is a testament to the fact that a wider network of support is growing, not only in the eventing community, but here in the Flathead. Seeing people from all walks of life take pride in Halt Cancer at X is encouraging."

Broussard credits the increased engagement to a diversified approach to Halt Cancer at X at the 2016 event.

She explains: "As Halt Cancer has grown we’ve recognized the need to give people a variety of ways to participate. There are so many different kinds of people who have been impacted by cancer, and we want to be part of the solution. When I started Halt Cancer, it was pretty much just pledges and donations. Today, there’s a place for everyone to participate in Halt Cancer at X, whether it’s by participating in the Rebecca Farm to Market 5k Fun Run, making a $10 parking donation, or bidding for a Halt Cancer at X saddle pad. There truly is a chance for everyone to take part in something great."

One of the 2016 additions to Halt Cancer at X highlights a national partnership with an eventing-circuit favorite, Fleeceworks. This year, as part of The Event at Rebecca Farm, Fleeceworks rolled out its "Pads with a Purpose." partnering with Halt Cancer at X to develop saddle pads for those who "Ride for a Cause." Fleeceworks’ saddlepads were customized with Halt Cancer at X branding and used by top international-level riders during The Event. They were then donated as auction items at an evening gathering. The 33 pads auctioned garnered an impressive total of $7,500.

The local community also came out in force, both to attend The Event at Rebecca Farm and support Halt Cancer at X. A total of $20,000 in parking donations was collected from the 10,000 spectators who took in the four-day event. An additional $2,500 was raised through the Rebecca Farm to Market 5k entry fees. Beyond generous monetary donations, The Event also enjoyed another year of incredible volunteer support, with more than 300 volunteers filling 550 positions.

"I’m incredibly humbled. And not just by the financial contributions, but also by all the volunteers and staff who have worked so hard to grow this initiative. They are the lifeblood of Halt Cancer and The Event," Broussard said.

With The 2016 Event at Rebecca Farm now complete, Broussard turns her attentions to the fall and incoming grant applications for the monies raised. In 2015, local grant recipients of Halt Cancer at X included Cancer Support Community Kalispell, Flathead Valley Cancer Chicks, and Flathead Cancer Aid Services. An additional $50,000 was awarded to the Telomere study, a national research project that strives to prevent breast cancer progression through the study of mammary tumor cells.

"It’s exciting to see that the money we raised is going to make a difference, both in our community and at a worldwide level through the support of research," shares Broussard. "Through Halt Cancer at X, we’re able to ensure that 100% of what is raised goes to programs that are making a difference. I think that’s one of the reasons so many people are getting on board to help."

To learn more about Halt Cancer at X and The Event at Rebecca Farm visit http://www.rebeccafarm.org.

ABOUT THE EVENT AT REBECCA FARM

The Event at Rebecca Farm, presented by Montana Equestrian Events, is held every July in Kalispell, Montana. The largest equestrian triathlon in the United States, The Event is also considered to have some of the world’s finest scenery. Each year it draws hundreds of riders of all levels, from amateur to Olympians.

Rebecca Farm features ten courses ranging from novice to Olympian qualifier, which were originally developed by world-renowned course designer, Mark Phillips. In 2012, Scottish equestrian Ian Stark redesigned the Rebecca Farm courses. Known for his immense contributions to eventing, Stark has won multiple Olympic medals and was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

For more information, visit http://www.rebeccafarm.org.