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The San Mateo County Parks Department has approved a contract with a new horse-boarding vendor for Wunderlich Park. Excel Equestrian will replace the current Woodside vendor Chaparral Ranch in November.
The selection of Excel Equestrian comes after the San Mateo County Parks Department opened a request for proposals for a stable operator in April. Applicants included Chaparral Corporation and Over The Moon Eventing, a riding school based in Watsonville.
Excel Equestrian is a Redwood City-based vendor that currently operates out of Wunderlich Park’s Folger Stables. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved its two-year probationary contract during its meeting on Oct. 7.
The incoming stable operator will be responsible for feeding the horses daily, cleaning stalls and stable facilities, conducting night checks and providing all other services required to operate a horse boarding facility, according to the contract.
Although the resolution approved by the Board of Supervisors states that the agreement begins in October, San Mateo County Parks spokesperson Carla Schoof told The Almanac that “At Excel Equestrian’s request, Chaparral Corporation’s contract has been extended through October 2025 to ensure continuous care of boarded horses and to support a smooth transition.”
Chaparral’s 10-year contract with the county ended on July 31 but due to the extended proposal review process, its contract was extended through the end of September.
The initial agreement with Excel Equestrian will be valid until Oct. 31, 2027, and will be revisited in a renewal process for two additional four-year terms under the county parks discretion.
The county found that Excel Equestrian was the most qualified applicant because of its existing knowledge of Folger Stables and experience operating horse boarding facilities in San Mateo County.
In August, Bay Area equestrians began to express concerns about whether Chaparral Ranch’s contract would be renewed by San Mateo County after a series of investigations in San Francisco and Gatos revealed the corporation was abusing its horses.
County parks officials told The Almanac that although other locations were found to be neglecting the horses, there was no evidence of animal mistreatment in Woodside.
Over the last two years, Chaparral Corporation has closed down its businesses in Los Gatos, San Francisco, Milpitas, Camp Mather in Yosemite and now in Woodside. Its remaining stables are located in Sunol and Marina.
Excel Equestrian and Chaparral Corporation did not respond to a request for comment.
