Three Victoria women have acquired Arista Equestrian -- a high-end clothing line designed for riders sold around the world -- and have moved the Vancouver-based company to Central Saanich.

Lawyer Catherine Murray, Access Records co-owner Gail Gordon and marketing consultant Fran MacLean are all avid riders and will merge the Arista brand with Horse ManUwear, a more casual line of riding apparel developed by MacLean three years ago.

Design and some manufacturing as well as distribution of the clothing lines are now under one roof at 6680 Mirah Rd., just off Keating X Road on the Saanich Peninsula, which is considered to have the greatest numbers of horses per capita in Canada.

No financial details were released. The Arista brand is carried by retailers in Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Denmark and Great Britain as well as in hundreds of stores in the U.S. and across Canada, including 30 retailers in B.C.

Sharie Loychuk, who founded Arista 20 years ago and developed a reputation in national and international equestrian circles, decided in September to wind down the clothing business and retire. She had entertained some offers, but didn't like the fit until the Victoria partners emerged. "After meeting them I knew they'd be perfect for it ... they're all so full of fun and enthusiasm," said Loychuk.

Loychuk has agreed to stay on as a designer and consultant with the new partners.

"We are so excited about this venture and thrilled that Sharie decided to come on board with us," said MacLean. "We share the same vision and have just finished working on the new spring line. The designs are fabulous and reflect the energy and excitement that all of us have brought to the table."

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Chiropractors Stan Marcus, formerly of Maplewood Family Chiropractic on Blenkinsop Road, and Natasha Kipot, formerly of Royal Oak Chiropractic, have merged their practices in a new clinic. Royal Oak Chiropractic Natural Health is at the Royal Oak Shopping Centre, above the Subway restaurant, and provides chiropractic care, massage and acupuncture therapy as well as nutritional supplements and laser therapy. They're welcoming new clients. Both phone numbers remain the same, 250-721-9009 and 250-704-1178

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Charles Stephan of Fairwinds Resort and Jon Schafer of the Coast Bastion Inn are new board members of the central and upper Island branch of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association. Meanwhile, Shane Robillard of Parksville's Tigh-Na-Mara Resort was re-elected as chairman and Pete Maltesen of Nanaimo's New York Pizza and Pasta was named as vice-chair. Other directors include Bill Brendon, Hub International; Dave Buettel, GFS Canada; Harry Veller, Salmon Point Pub & Restaurant; Jeanpaul Brasca, Grand Hotel Nanaimo; Jesse Mitchell, Acme Food Co.; Stephen Burr, Vancouver Island University; and Steve Miller, Lighthouse Brewing.

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Victoria's Rhonda Parker has been named one of North America's top travel consultants by U.S.-based Cruise Holidays. Parker, who runs Cruise Holidays Pacific in Victoria, was one of only 13 selected for the honour -- and one of only three Canadians -- during a special ceremony aboard Royal Caribbean's Radiance of Seas cruise ship. Cruise Holidays is part of the Travel Leaders Group with 1,500 agency locations across the continent.

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Margaret Lucas, general manager of the Hotel Rialto downtown and former chair of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, is joining the board of directors at Camosun College effective Dec. 7. Lucas has managed the restoration of the heritage Rialto (and former Douglas Hotel) for the past several years and has been involved in the hospitality industry for more than 25 years. She was previously general manager of Olympic View Golf Club for 16 years. Lucas is also a board member on the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, a director with both the Downtown Victoria Business Association and the Victoria Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation. Last year, she was presented with the Victoria Business Person of the Year Award for her contributions to the revitalization of Victoria's downtown core.

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The Professional Organizers of Canada Vancouver Island chapter has elected a new board of directors -- chair Stephanie Deakin of Re:Organized; vice-chair Merilyn Litster of Room Raiders; secretary Barbara McDonell of Clutter Queen Services and website liaison Janet Young of All Organized Storage.

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Peter Lawless, a lawyer with Johns, Southward, Glazier, Walton & Margetts, was named a director of the Coaches of Canada, national association of professional coaches. Lawless is also a director of the Coaches Association of B.C. One of his notable charges is Beijing Paralympics double gold medallist Michelle Stilwell of Nanoose.

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Anne Wootten has joined Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre Company as managing director. She will work with artistic director Brian Richmond in preparation for the theatre company's second season. Wootten is a theatre veteran, having spent eight seasons at the Stratford Festival and as consulting director and choreographer on various shows in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Her film choreographer credits include That Old Feeling, Tommy Boy, the ABC mini-series JFK, Restless Youth and The Freshman. Last year, Wootten directed, co-produced and co-wrote 150 Years in Golden Mountain at the Royal Theatre and choreographed Regina for Pacific Opera Victoria.

dkloster@tc.canwest.com