Actor William Shatner has had his share of adventures as Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk and Boston Legal's Denny Crane. Now he's climbing aboard a reining horse to put it through its paces, and help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma.
It shouldn't pose too great a challenge to the well known Hollywood actor and philanthropist.
Shatner is a longtime, dedicated breeder of American Quarter horses. He has had much success with the beautiful American Saddlebred, developing and riding world champions "Sultan's Great Day" and "Revival". He has won numerous world championships in several equine events.
Shatner will ride a reining horse at the 4R Performance Horses Celebrity Slide to help support the charity. He will try his skills at commanding the lightning quick moves of the horse while guiding it through a reining pattern and its precise manoeuveres on December 4 at the Oklahoma State Fair Arena beginning at 6pm.
He will be joined by the likes of Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett, founder of one of America's leading fine jewelry companies David Yurman, TLC's Trading Spaces star Christi Proctor and Tulsa Morning Anchor Kristin Dickerson, who also have thrown their hats in the ring as celebrity reiners.
Shatner's passions for horses and philanthropy were united through his involvement with AHEAD With Horses, a charity that gives physically and mentally challenged children the thrill of riding a horse - and boosts their confidence and self-esteem, often with life-changing results.
For the past 19 years, he has hosted the Hollywood Charity Horse Show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The event, held every spring, benefits AHEAD With Horses and other Los Angeles-based charities.
 William Shatner at the Hollywood Charity Horse Show several years ago with a little girl who was able to take her first steps as a result of Ahead With Horses. |
He has also worked with the American Tinnitus Association, raising awareness of the debilitating illness through numerous television appearances and interviews. In June 2007, he helped raise awareness of the sub-par treatment that many US troops were receiving at Walter Reed Army Hospital.
On an international level, he and his wife have started the William & Elizabeth Shatner Therapeutic Riding Consortium Endowment for Israel. This very special venture is designed to benefit Bedouin, Palestinian, Jordanian, and Israeli children so that in addition to healing, there will be an effort to bring the war-torn children together and start the first steps towards a lasting peace.
Most of all, Shatner is proud of the award he won in October 2009: Pacific Coast Year End Horse of the Year All-Around Amateur.
Shatner continues to act, write, produce and direct while still working with charities and further his passion in the equestrian sports. He and his wife and three married children live in Los Angeles.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma serves children throughout Oklahoma and has granted more than 1600 wishes since its inception in 1987.
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