Chris Irwin's 25 years of international acclaim and horse industry expertise and Kathryn Kincannon-Irwin's 25 years as hotelier of small luxury Relais & Chateaux hotels in California and upstate New York have meshed into a collective vision: to go where no resort has gone before and combine the best of both worlds. Their 100-acre Riversong Ranch lies in a stunningly pristine wild and scenic river valley with majestic pines poplars and aspens, gorgeous meadows and a mile of rushing river frontage, in the eastern foothills of the Canadian Rockies east of Jasper and west of Edmonton. Resort development plans revolve around a holistic approach to an equine-inspired environment that will become "The Irwin Institute for Equestrian Arts."

Chris Irwin's stellar reputation in the horse world has been built around the premise: "Ask not what your horse can do for you; ask what you can do for your horse," a unique philosophy which will be intricately woven into every detail of Riversong Ranch living. A large, fully-insulated indoor arena will provide a comfortable environment for hosting year-round events - everything from Chris' Certification Program, to EAPD workshops and retreats, horse shows, working-student programs and ongoing training. In addition, guests staying on the property in one of the cozy, comfortable riverfront cabins or in a spacious RV site with electricity and water hook-ups, will be ensconced in a world of quality using horsepower: from the carriage ride (no motorized vehicles here!) to your cabin door, to horses in harness performing endless daily chores by staff (and guests if they are game!). Resort amenities will include a small spa with massage, steam, sauna and whirlpool, a non-denominational (English and western) tack store with a quality inventory of clothing and equine equipment, and the Riversong Cafe for meals, snacks and beverages all day. Guests can enjoy the Ranch via T'ai chi classes on the riverfront, an archery course, fishing, kayaking and canoeing excursions, hiking and riding trips into the miles of Crown Land surrounding Riversong Ranch, and an artisans colony for visiting artists and craftsmen.

And then there are the horses! Chris and Kathryn will have their own breeding program producing a line of Baroque breeds, Thoroughbreds and Drafts, thus its own herd of wonderful schooling horses, all beautifully trained to provide students with an inspiring ride of responsiveness and calm. The Equestrian "menu" will offer a cross-country course, a perimeter bridle and driving path, lessons for any discipline, be it dressage, jumping, gymkana or driving, groundwork, stall work and equine communication skills. For guests wishing to trailer in their own horse to take a lesson or clinic, the Ranch will have indoor guest stalling available for short stays.

Located in the ranch’s 60-acre meadow, Riversong Ranch Equestrian Centre will open for business in August of 2008.  In addition to Train The Trainer sessions, Horsemanship Clinics, and EAPD workshops, Chris will be accepting a select number of horses in for training at Riversong Ranch, full training of which will be conducted by Chris, Kathryn and the ranch's on-site trainer.  More details of this horse-in-training opportunity will be available shortly on this site.  If you are interested, please email your request to alphamare@xplornet.com and Kathryn will make sure Chris reviews your application.  We will then get in touch with you regarding specifics.