Meet The Leadership Team
Board of Directors
Clare Tone
Board President
Website & Newsletter Committees
Clare took her first horseback riding lesson when she was six years old and essentially never dismounted. (On purpose at least.) Horses have been her companions for exploring bridle paths near Chicago, agricultural fields and hardwood forests in Vermont and Wilderness areas in Wyoming. As a registered dietitian, nutritionist, Clare knows healthy land creates the foundation for a healthy world & vibrant community/herd. She is passionate about applying principles of sustainable and regenerative agriculture to managing Broken Arrow Ranch LLC, a historic horse ranch west of Gold Hill. Her love of horses and wild, open places inspires her to be a steward and conduit for sharing those things with others.
Carmen Porter
Vice President
Fun Show & Fairgrounds Committees
Carmen was born and raised on a farm and ranch near Lindon, Colorado. She and her siblings rode their ranch horses to work cattle, and the family belonged to the local Beaver Creek Saddle Club. She is an alumni of Colorado School of Mines and a retired Environmental Engineer. Carmen is currently involved in the Boulder County 4-H horse bowl team, as a leader and coach. She’s been a member of BCHA since 2004, and in 2017 took over the management of the annual BCHA Fun Show. She joined the BCHA Board of Directors in 2017 and served as President in 2018. Carmen has served as Treasurer for several years and is ready to hand-off the role to our next treasurer while she continues in the role of Fun Show Committee Chair.
Randy Winter
Vice President
Trails Committee
Growing up in New York City my horse experience before I came to Colorado, in 1969, was zilch. I started riding when I met my wife Cheryl in 1978. When she took up Endurance Riding I crewed for her until I too started to compete in 1991. My BCHA involvement started on the Trails Committee in the late 80’s. Subsequently I was Vice President and President of the Board in the early 90’s. As a newly (re) elected board member, I will serve as the VP/Trails Committee Chair. I worked for Bob and May Frost, Center Ride Saddles, for 5 summers while I was a teacher for the Boulder Valley School District. During that time I also started my own business, Max Tack, making rope halters and leads for the Natural Horsemanship crowd. We also went to endurance rides, setting up a table that specialized in selling equipment for endurance riding that wasn’t generally available. Lately my invention, Rein Safe, has become popular with trail riding enthusiasts. Currently Cheryl and I live north of Boulder. We have been on this 5 acre property since 1987. We have two horses, Walker and Ellie, who volunteer frequently with BCHA as Trail Ambassadors. We love living in Colorado. Ride on!
Liz French
Secretary
Social Media Committee
Liz has been around horses her whole life and grew up competing, learning, and growing alongside her equine friends. Currently, she is training a mustang named Stitch and continuing her partnership with her Appaloosa, Gemini. Liz also has a passion for the outdoors and teaching people about horses so they can reap the healing benefits of the connection between horse and human. Liz is starting her junior year at Colorado State University in the fall of 2024, majoring in Animal Science.
Vera Antonucci
External VP
Colorado Horse Association Exchange & Education Committees
Vera’s journey with horses began in Germany in 2005. Eight years later she rescued her first horse, Marino. That experience stirred her to dedicate her life to improving the lives of rescued horses. After 28 years of living in Germany, she decided to return to the States to follow this mission. Vera has been doing this for the last seven years in Jefferson County and now in Longmont.
As a board member of both the Jefferson County Horse Council and the Boulder County Horse Association, she’s excited about building communication between the Front Range horse associations with the goal of mutual information exchanges and expanding the care and welfare of our horses and their humans.
Michelle Sander
Incoming Secretary
Education & Social Media Committees
Born and raised in Los Altos, California, when the landscape was still defined by horses and apricot orchards, Michelle developed a lifelong connection to equines. In 2008, she relocated to Boulder County with her husband Jay and two sons, Carson and Preston, where she founded and served as Executive Director of the Great Escape Mustang Collaborative—a nonprofit dedicated to the rescue, training, and advocacy of the American Mustang. Her work with the organization reflected her deep commitment to horses, conservation, education, and community engagement.
In 2023, Michelle transitioned from her nonprofit leadership role to re-start her career in Real Estate, joining PorchLight Real Estate Group. She now specializes in land, farm, and ranch properties, combining her professional expertise with firsthand knowledge of rural life and land stewardship.
Michelle and her family reside on their Boulder County ranch alongside their menagerie of animals—including ten horses, two burros, chickens, barn cats, and three dogs.
Michelle is honored to join BCHA and support the organization’s mission by contributing her passion for education, advocacy, and collaborative community outreach to strengthen and protect the equestrian lifestyle in Boulder County.
We've been 100% volunteer-powered for over 50 years!
The Boulder County Horsemen’s Association was established as a Colorado non-profit corporation in 1971. The organization obtained its 501(c)3 status in 1988. In 2001, it changed its name to Boulder County Horse Association (BCHA). In 2021 it celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The Board of Directors is elected by its membership.
The horse community in Boulder County needs you! Please consider volunteering as many or as little hours as you like. A wee bit of help goes a long way!
Reach out today!
Our board meetings are held via Zoom the second Tuesday of each month, January through November from 7 to 8:30 PM. Members are welcome to attend!
In Appreciation of Volunteers & Board Members
We would like to thank all volunteers including board members past and present! These individuals have volunteered countless hours to serve and promote our mission: to promote, protect and advocate for the equestrian community of Boulder County through education, recreation and collaboration.
In grateful recognition of Board Presidents over the past 50 years and counting:
1971 Judith Lilly, 1972 David Varra, 1973 Judith Lilly, 1974 Pip Wales, 1975 Cathy Bickell, 1977 Sue Carter, 1979 Tom Hoselton, 1980 Nancy Gonacha, 1981 Shirley Hyden, 1982 Cathy Bickell, 1983 Judd Adams, 1984 Jill Talbot, 1986 Bruce Rice, 1987 Ben Lobue, 1989 Randy Winter, 1991 Creighton Stewart, 1995 Carol Hellwig, 1997 Tracy Speich, 1999-2002 Suzanne Webel, 2003 Hildy Armour, 2005 Suzanne Webel, 2007 Jacquelene Lee, 2008 Sandi Rosewell, 2009 Linda Hall-Taylor, 2010-2012 Dirk Arnold, 2012-2015 Suzanne Webel, 2015 Laura Edwards, 2016 Sara Martinelli, 2018 Carmen Porter, 2019 Tamar V.S. McKee, 2021 Clare Tone