Victoria Riding Academy

courtesy Royal BC Museum and Archives | F-01123 St. Margaret's School Riding Class in the Uplands

	The origin of the Victoria Riding Academy goes back to the early years of the 1900s when J. McCleave established J. McCleave Riding School and Saddle Horses on the Willows exhibition grounds.1
	By 1930, D.B. Carley had acquired McCleave's riding school and renamed it the Victoria Riding Academy.2 By 1934 it was called Victoria Riding Academy, Polo Club and Saddle Horses.3
	Carley and his operations remained on the Willows fairgrounds until 1949, when the fairgrounds were closed. He then relocated to 2301 Cedar Hill Cross Road.
	At this new location Carley catered to a more diversified clientele with the Victoria Riding and Equitation School,4 the Victoria Riding and Hunt Club5 and the Victoria Riding Academy and Hunt Club.6
	1 J McCleave Riding School and Saddle Horses located on the Exhibition Grounds is listed in the 1918 Victoria telephone directory.
	2 Victoria Riding Academy is listed in the 1930 Victoria telephone directory.
	3 Victoria Riding Academy, Polo Club and Saddle Horses is listed in the 1934 Victoria telephone directory.
	4 Victoria Riding and Equitation School is listed in the 1950 Victoria telephone directory.
	5 Victoria Riding and Hunt Club is listed in the 1950 Victoria telephone directory.
	6 Victoria Riding Academy and Hunt Club is listed in the 1957 Victoria telephone directory.

PHOTOGRAPHS

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RECOLLECTIONS

Recollections may be abridged for length and/or clarity

My cousin (born 1920) remembered riding her horse, Margot, from the Riding Academy, at the old Willows grounds, all the way to Shoal Bay to visit her grandparents. That was before 1940.

She remembered the Carleys who ran the Academy.

In the early 1960s, I would go every Saturday with a friend to the Academy's Cedar Hill site to hang around the horses, and occasionally ride, and the Carleys were still there.

— Erica Fowles, OBHS class of 1965

* * *

During the summer holidays, the Victoria Riding Club, on Cedar Hill Cross Roads, is open every day, all day long. A fee of $1.50 is charged for one hour of riding. Class lessons cost $1.25 per hour, and private lessons cost $2.00. It is best to take class lessons on Saturday morning. If you want to go up someday when you think there will be a lot of people riding, it is best to phone and reserve horses. Altogether, the stables have sixty horses, and twelve race-horses. There are many beautiful trails to ride on, and a ring to train in.

— extracted from the 1955 OBJHS OBEJAY yearbook

* * *

One of my fondest memories of living in Victoria is my three years spent at the Academy beginning in 1965 or '66?  I think.  It was located just through a short bit of woods we used as a short cut at  the end of the grounds of Uplands Elementary School. The main entrance and driveway was off Cedar Hill Cross Road, I believe.  There was a golf course right there too.

There, at the old barns I first learned to ride and care for horses.  I spent every waking moment, when not in school, right there in the barns. There was a very elderly couple who owned the place, and I learned so much from Mrs.... was it Carlyle???? [Carley] the name has escaped me.  They were kind, patient trainers and instructors. They gave instruction and boarded horses, too.

From there I went on to have my own horse for a number of years, before graduating high school in Brampton, Ont. and going to work as a groom at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario, where I spent nearly 20 years.

That wonderful old riding academy is still vivid in my memories, and I'm 61 now.

I even remember the horses and some of their names.  Gray Lady, a huge white/gray mare, a gray pony named Jimmy,  Fairy Ring, a thoroughbred, who died in a terrible fire at the Vancouver racetrack. Innisfree, a lovely little bay, owned by a girl I went to school with. My Boy Jimmy, a handsome, dark coloured horse.

And, today I live in PEI!  Wonderful, incredible memories.

I hope someone from that time and place sees this and remembers.

— Nora Patrick Young, former Oak Bay resident, niece of Katherine and Hugh Keenleyside

* * *

I rode at the VRA from 1951-1972.

I went to Willows school for grades 4-8 and Oak Bay High for 9-12...then onto Victoria College for a year.

I owned 2 horses which I stabled at VRA..Glen To Glen and Sidrita.  My daughter Cathie had her first pony stabled there as well. ..Little Bo Peep. Cathie is now in the horse business and her daughter Jennifer is a talented rider at age 14. DNA !

Mr and Mrs Carley were one of a kind. I had the pleasure of handling their thoroughbred foals, brood mares and stallions as well as galloping the ones who would be going to the racetrack.

All of us learned so much from the Carleys. Mrs C was in charge of the school horses, boarders and feeding...0ver 60 horses and all of them looked superb when under her care. Mr C loved the racing, showing and breeding part of the business. They were a great team! Both of them had a good relationship with both old and young who spent their hours at VRA. The young folks would have spent from dawn to dusk there with their friends, the horses and the Carleys....no regrets !

— Pat (Jones) Newman, OBHS class of 1955

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I rode at Carley's from 1952 until approx. 1960.

The horse I rode to start with was Cricket. Then there were Grady-Gay and Charmer. I have very fond memories of the stables being there — made a little girl's dreams come true. I was horse crazy. The horse I then rode belonged to Roy Pitzer. She was a palomino and her name was Honey. I am sure she will be remembered. Her stall was right next to the side sliding door.

I also remember Dorothy who did the organizing of the riding and horse and rider pairing.

I also remember some of the other horses; Stepping Fast and Rolling Home, the two brood mares. The stallions at that time were Under Oath and Grey Skies.

I also remember the indoor ring that was built sometime in the sixties???? It was undercover so you didn't get wet; although we rode rain or snow or shine.

It was a wonderful time. Very happy memories!

— Mary (Nex) Hannah, former Oak Bay resident

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