VICTORIA SADDLERY
An Interview with Ann Woelfle-Bater, owner
Interviewed by Melanie Huggett
For horse people, often one of our favourite pastimes is shopping for new tack or apparel at a local tack store. And whether a recreational rider or a top competitor, most riders want to use quality products on their horses. The capital city of British Columbia is home to Victoria Saddlery, offering a wide selection of essentials for horses and riders in the English disciplines. Recently, I got the chance to talk with owner Ann Woelfle-Bater about her store.
How did Victoria Saddlery get its start? What made you decide to open the store?
Originally, Dona Naylor approached Pam Nezil and I about opening a tack store in Victoria, BC back in 2002 when Shank’s, a popular local tack store, closed its doors. Dona owned and ran what had formally been Maple Hill Tack Shoppe from her farm in Coombs, BC. She had acquired the business from Midge Rees who had operated it for over 20 years from her home in Nanaimo, BC. Since then my husband Dennis and I have become sole owners of Victoria Saddlery, as well as having opened up a second equestrian-inspired woman’s clothing store in Sidney, BC named Donatello’s.
What kind of merchandise do you sell?
Victoria Saddlery concentrates strictly on English riding apparel and tack including giftware, books, as well as some street wear. Our aim is to provide a range of brands that reflect the best quality for the price. This means that we can outfit a beginner or recreational rider as well as a top show level horse or rider for either dressage or hunter/jumper. We have access to the entire marketplace when it comes to suppliers, so we are constantly on the hunt for new and innovative products and continue to source from places that can get us the products at the lowest cost and in the timeliest fashion. We attend an international buying market once a year on the east coast of the U.S. in order to stay current on the newest products.
What sets you apart from other tack stores?
We have really knowledgeable and experienced staff and have created a very user-friendly atmosphere in the store. We are really adamant about filling special orders as quickly as possible and attempt to stay true to providing the best quality for the best price. My environmental concerns dictate my desire to source products that are going to last; I really dislike waste and the idea of consuming vast quantities of inferior products that end up being discarded quickly. I would rather sell something that will stay in use as long as possible to minimize unnecessary consumption. And I do try to stock as many local products as possible as a way to do this and support other horse-oriented businesses.
Where do most of your customers come from?
Most of our customers are from Vancouver Island, BC, but we do get calls from the U.S. and all over Canada.
What is the most common question you get asked?
“Can you order this in?”
Tell us more about your team.
My wonderful employees are all show riders themselves. Many of them I have known for a long time through the horse world and there is a mutual respect for each other’s integrity and knowledge. There would be no store without them. They help in a huge way, make the job so enjoyable, and I feel really confident that my customers are well looked after. Right now they include April Ray with Donatello’s, and Shelly Walker, Lindsey Munro, Heather MacIntyre, Erin Waller, and Victoria Strongman with Victoria Saddlery.
What do you like most about your job?
My job entails finding beautiful and quality products and I love shopping for these things. I love the anticipation of presenting these things to customers who will hopefully get great use and pleasure out of them. Fine leatherwork and well-made horse blankets and clothing are a joy to handle! I also like supporting and interacting with my horse community. We donate a tremendous amount of sponsorships and discounts to horse shows and professionals in the field. We also try and match donations for various charitable horse causes throughout the year.
Do you have any short or long-term goals? Where do you see Victoria Saddlery going in the future?
My goal is to keep Victoria Saddlery a desirable place to shop. I am forever evaluating ways to keep it so with product research and a willingness to pick up and drop lines as necessary. I would like to feel that in the end I have provided an important service in outfitting horses and riders in products which provide safety and comfort. I would like to achieve the reputation for satisfying customers and making sure the products they purchase are enhancing their horses’ quality of life because they fit and function well.
Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
Donatello’s is a really unique blend of street wear and equestrian-inspired fashion. It attempts give the mainstream shopper the opportunity to see a different spin on women’s clothing styles and has been really well received by the non-riding shopper. It is fun to see customers marvel at the clothing that we as riders are used to seeing. So much of it has a European styling that makes it stand out. This store is also evolving but we will attempt to keep it true to its roots in the design houses of equestrian/country lifestyle fashion.
For more information on Victoria Saddlery, call 1-866-475-6766 or visit www.victoriasaddlery.com. For more information on Donatello’s, call 250.656.0607 or visit www.donatellos.ca.
Photo: courtesy of Ann Wolfle-Bater