Singing is John Ludy Puleo’s passion and profession, but he will be using his voice in a variety of ways on Monday, June 4, at BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center near Harvard.
Puleo will be the guest announcer at the third annual Heroes on Horseback Horse Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show is an opportunity for veterans of the armed services to participate in events on horses provided by the center.
At the show, Puleo will be introducing and explaining the various classes and calling out instructions to participants as requested by the judge, Wayne Bredehorst of Wind Swept Farms near Harvard.
Puleo also will tell the audience about event sponsors and play music during downtime. His musical talent will be used by opening the show with “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“I’m donating my services for this excellent cause,” Puleo said. “It is a fundraiser for the vets and is part of the riding program at the center. The vets are suffering from wounds, post-traumatic stress disorder and other things. Riding horses is calming, soothing and therapeutic for them. People respond to therapeutic riding in ways that they don’t in other therapies.”
After opening with a flag-raising ceremony with BraveHearts veterans, the riders will participate in a variety of classes in which the horses will be walking and trotting on lead lines. Specialty classes will include the water ride, egg and spoon, phone book race, flag race and driving cones course.
Puleo also will be at the center from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, June 1, for the annual Volunteer Appreciation Barbecue. He will be the featured entertainer and will sing standards by Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Michael Buble and Sting.
“I am really looking forward to helping out at the event,” Puleo said. “It brings back memories of being with my grandfather, William Bedard, who managed the riding stables of the Harry Thomas Farm in Gages Lake, Ill. I used to ride with him and help clean stables as a youngster.”
The center is located at 7319 Maxon Road, west of Harvard. In case of rain, the events will be at BraveHearts at the Bergmann Centre, 4950 Hwy. 173, Poplar Grove.
Center programs include therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy, therapeutic carriage driving, a large and comprehensive program for military veterans and Gold Star families, summer day camps and horticultural therapy. For more information, call (815) 943-8226 or go to www.braveheartsriding.org.
Puleo lives in Delavan, Wis., and performs at clubs, weddings, private parties, outdoor concerts and other venues throughout southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. For more information, visit his Web site at www.JohnLudyPuleo.com.