Saddle shop opens bigger equine center

Rick’s Saddle Shop opens new location in Upper Freehold Township bringing equine products, a pet center, an education center and even a place for children’s birthday parties to town.

By: Lauren Burgoon
   UPPER FREEHOLD — Monmouth County has the most horses of any county in the state and Upper Freehold holds the most horses of any town in the county. So it makes sense to bring an equine store here.
   But with the grand opening of its new supercenter, Rick’s Saddle Shop, a longtime staple of the Upper Freehold equine scene, went beyond bringing just a store to town. The 27,000-square-foot center on Route 539 brings equine products, a pet center, an education center and even a place for children’s birthday parties to town.
   "There is so much here that’s new that we’ve never carried before," Mike Conforth, the company’s vice president, said Friday. "At least 75 percent of what we offer now are items we’ve never had before."
   Those items include trailers, a huge selection of saddles, riding clothes, boots, gear and much more. The bright, new building is filled with everything that can keep horse enthusiasts busy for hours.
   The store’s journey to its grand opening started many years ago when Rick’s Saddle Shop workers realized that its existing store didn’t have nearly enough room for merchandise, especially in a town where many families own horses and more people are becoming interested in riding. The company broke ground for its new store in November 2003, on land already company-owned, to expand the operations.
   The new store joins two other locations in Englishtown and one in West Chester, Pa. The stores employ a total of 60 people, all local, Mr. Conforth said.
   He envisions the new Upper Freehold store as a place where horse lovers and those just getting interested in riding can gather. As big as the retail space is, the conference room figures just as large in Mr. Conforth’s plans for the store. The room sits off of the retail section and will include readily available information for people who want to know how to get involved in equine activities, how to sign their children up for riding lessons and more.
   "The sport is gaining popularity and we want to make it very easy for people to come in and get all of the information they need in one place," Mr. Conforth said.
   Store owners also plan to run clinics and educational seminars in the conference room, which is equipped with a 110-inch, high-definition television. The television will come in handy to some shoppers when there are no clinics in town, Mr. Conforth added.
   "I know what it’s like to go out shopping when you just want to sit down. So if there are people who would rather not shop, they can come in here and watch races on the television," he said. The satellite channels pick up events from all over the world.
   The room and the adjoining kitchen will also be available to rent for birthday parties. A fenced-in area outside of the conference room can be used for the birthday parties and horse demonstrations.
   Rick’s Saddle Shop celebrated its grand opening with a string of notable equestrians. Former jockey Ron Turcotte, who rode the Triple Crown winner Secretariat in 1973, visited last weekend. Champion riders Kristin Schmolze, Anne Kursinski, Darren Chiacchia and Stephen Bradley also signed autographs at the store throughout the week.