My last post about my business was over a year ago.
I registered Wahbee’s Woodworking in January 2022 and began taking official business in February. I’ve been here a full year now, but what have I done?
I now have a logo, t-shirts, and hats. I finally have business cards. In addition to my Facebook page I developed a Square Site. The site is not a place for orders but it does offer a more organized way to browse what’s available.
https://wahbeeswoodworking.square.site/
Wahbee’s Woodworking had a great first official year. I started the year by building, painting, and finishing a complete course for New York’s only school with a horseback riding arena. I finished this large order for Greenville FFA in May. The set featured 12 pairs of wings, schooling standards, 6 walls, 6 gates, 30+ poles, filler, and all the artificial flowers to go with it. It took me all winter but they all came out quite lovely.
Wahbee’s Woodworking also sponsored a couple shows. Show Off Equine Events hosts a wonderful series of hunter shows. I gave the series a set of jumps free to use all summer long. For the final show I brought one additional set (The Owl).
I also gave the series a custom dual bench to present to the year’s Trainer of the Year. This year the award was presented to Riley Dunn.
In addition to SOEE I also sponsored Bellwether Stables Fall Hunter Derby. They purchased a pair of wings and I provided them with filler to go with it.
On the anthropomorphic side I wasn’t able to get my totes together this year, but I didn’t do nothing. I had a customer reach out looking to purchase raised gardens for a local facility that cares for the elderly with Alzheimer’s. The group purchased two and I gave a third towards the cause.
The raised garden beds were quite popular. I made 3 for our own home, and a local feed supply store saw them and we made a deal. I sold them 6 at wholesale pricing and they sold all of them.
In early Summer amidst my adventures with Nahe and my full-time job I built some cross-country schooling jumps for a local equestrian. He asked for a couple jumps that were jumpable from both sides. He wanted novice height, 2’10-2’11”. He also wanted a skinny log that was 2’7.” The first of the jumps I built was a bench/roll. From one side is a rolltop. From the other is a bench. The second jump I built was a true rolltop.
Unfortunately, I don’t own a tractor or trailer to allow for easy transportation, so I built these jumps to ensure everything fit. For delivery, I dismantled 80% of it, loaded it into the truck, and reassembled it all onsite.
It was quite the project but it came out very nicely.
At the beginning of summer I purchased a handheld CNC machine called the Shaper Origin. It took me some time to open it to practice but I finally did.
Among my first projects was a set of dressage letters made for my trainer. The letters were a challenge to get the angles just right but in the end, they came out nice. I carved the letters on 3 sides using my machine, painted them green, and we left the wood with a natural stain and satin clear coat.
In addition to the letters, I began to experiment with stall signs. After doing a few of my own for practice I offered some stall signs cheap to give myself more experience. By the end of December I had made quite a few and now proudly offer them as a regular item!
Toward the end of summer, we also learned of a young lady who was just diagnosed with a brain tumor. A benefit horse show was organized and my friend raffled off a horse jump that I designed. Grey symbolizes brain cancer while gold symbolizes childhood cancer.
I did other work, but that about sums up my biggest work of 2022 as Wahbee’s Woodworking. Toward the end of summer, I spent some time building up my stock. Over the winter much of that stock has been drying and should be ready for paint by spring. My hope is to have finished products more readily available this year.
Looking forward in 2023 I have more exciting things to come. So far I have sold out of over half the inventory I built up over the winter. I also have a couple new XC jumps to deliver. I’ve had customers come from several states Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
I’ve so far had the chance to attend some excellent networking events. I am also now a business member of our local Group Member Organization ENYDCTA (Eastern New York Dressage and Combined Training Association). This group has gone above and beyond to deliver meaningful events and seminars and I’m so excited to become a part of the group.
I will be sponsoring SOEE again. I will be sponsoring the ISHA Tournament of Champions held in May at the famous United States Equestrian Center in Gladstone, NJ. I am sponsoring the Larkin Hill Horse Trials. I am also currently planning to sponsor the Bellwether Hunter Derby once again.
So far this year I have partnered with a new friend who is curating a BRAND NEW equestrian subscription box. You might remember me raving about Carly who formerly owned Cavali Club. Since selling that subscription the box has lost its glamour. What’s missing? Carly! As Carly begins to start shipping Marengo, her brand new and customizable equestrian box I’ve joined with her. On the Marengo website, you can find my wooden grooming totes. I’m also including a discount card in all of the new releases!
https://marengoequestrian.com/
marengoequestrian.com/collections/grooming/products/handcrafted-grooming-tote-by-wahbees-woodworking
JOIN ME SUNDAY to unpack the first ever Marengo Equestrian box!
The Green Horseman 
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