14 minute read
Association/Trail Riders News
BRIGHTON TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION
As we begin the New Year, we're in the middle of winter and of course, we're experiencing cold temperatures and some snow. However, as we view reports from various parts of the country, it looks like we've really dodged the bullet so far. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Have we reached the point where our thoughts can start turning to the upcoming riding season as opposed to last year's? Things have been pretty quiet at the Brighton Recreation Area but our trails are still getting some use. We see posts on the BTRA Facebook page about some hardy riders venturing out, and no one has reported any significant difficulties. When a problem such as a fallen limb across a trail is reported, our Trail Maintenance Committee chair goes right out and takes care of it. We are extremely grateful to Peter Andrews who has served in this capacity for a number of years and has made it a year around job. He is dedicated to this responsibility, has heavy duty equipment that he employs when needed, and has recruited a team of volunteers who help out when needed. We recently held our first BTRA Board of Directors meeting of the year, and it was productive. We finalized our 2022 Schedule of events and are hopeful that we will be able to offer our members a riding season filled with enjoyable activities. We are paying special attention to plans for our annual banquet. As always, we are collaborating with our co-hosts, the Pinckney Trail Riders, and are determined to make this big event a success. Hello Trail Riders! Everyone and their horses are hunkered down for the next few weeks of Winter's blast to Michigan. It has affected most of us in various ways. Our January board meeting was cancelled due to bad weather and roads. Nancy and Ken put our calendar of events for 2022 over the phone and it will be posted on our website at www.fchfa.org so riders can plan this years' activities accordingly. Check out the website and Facebook page for updates of FCHFA news.
We are also aware that the DNR at Brighton has worked on a few projects, despite it being the off-season. We are grateful that the park manager and his staff are so helpful in partnering with us. For hardy riders, the staging area and trails are open, weather permitting. Still, we urge all riders to exercise caution if they climb in the saddle during this winter season. Mark Delaney, BTRA President Plans for 2022 include our Annual Camp Outs in May and September. These events will be held at the Whitford Lake event area again. The camp outs have been extremely popular with riders for several years. You can find pictures of the fun, friends, horses, and great times on our website. Be part of it all this year and help support all we do to support the Park, improve the trails, and continue to add to the campground. There will be extended picket areas for more shade for the horses after approval and Spring workdays. Electricity is something in discussion with Park management for in the future as well. Members should be proud of all the hard work the FCHFA board does to work with our Park manager to improve what riders enjoy at Fort Custer Recreation Area. Please consider joining the club and participate in one of the most successful horse clubs in SW Michigan!
Fort Custer Horse Friends Association
FORT CUSTER HORSE FRIENDS ASSOCIATION
Come explore the trails even this time of year. The Park is open and strives to have some parking plowed at the trail-head. Enjoy quiet winter riding through fields and prairies, wood lots, around lakes and crossing creeks as you wander 20 plus miles of trails. Riding buddies can be found on the website, also if you don't have a friend to meet. Make a new friend! Thanks to all that made 2021 a great year! Here's to what 2022 will bring to us with hard work and dedication to our Park! Call Nancy at 269-967-3613 for any questions. See you on the trails, Toni Strong, FCHFA Secretary
HIGHLAND TRAIL RIDERS ASSOC.
Greetings from the Highland Trail Riders Association! We hope your year has started well and you are making some fun and exciting plans for the upcoming riding, camping, and equestrian events season. We have a few to put on your calendar! The HTRA board members held a year-end meeting this past December and voted the new board for 2022. We are pleased to have Sally Oberg continue as President, Jacqui McAtee as Vice President, and Roxanne Miller as Secretary. Vickie Banyash steps in as the new Treasurer and Walt Cook is our new Trail Boss. We thank Jim Jurkowski and Dave Snyder for their years of service, hard work and dedication regarding our organization and the equestrian trails at Highland Recreation Area. We also inducted and welcomed new board members Melanie Shipp and Janell Lumbley along with honorary member, Julie Ogg. We are so happy to have them join our team! We set the date for a first of the year goals meeting and the dates for our camping events. The Annual Poker Ride Camp Out is scheduled for May 13-15, ride, lunch, and potluck dinner held on Saturday the 14th. Our Annual Horseshoe ride is scheduled for September 9-11, ride, lunch, and potluck dinner on Saturday the 10th. As always, the campsites fill up quickly. Day riders are always welcome at all our events. Please get your registrations in early. Information is sent to members in March. All others can find registration information on our website at www.highlandtrailriders.com. You can also find information regarding HTRA on our Facebook page at “Highland Trail Riders Association.” Specific questions regarding our camp outs and other events can be answered by emailing Sally Oberg at: highlandtrailridersmi@gmail.com. We have goals to add a few more events this year and will keep them posted here in Saddle Up, on our website, and on our Facebook page. We hope you have a cozy winter, an early spring and a busy fun filled riding season. Stay safe, ride often and join a local trail association. Equestrian trail groups make it
HIGHLAND TRAIL RIDERS ASSOC., CONT.
possible for all of us to ride safely through our beautiful parks. Help is always needed. The Highland Trail Rider Assoc. would love having more members. Come ride with us!
We will be hosting a fall ride this year in the park. It is scheduled for October 23, 2022 so mark your calendars!
Happy Trails – Mary Nader
Congratulations, you made it through the snowy and cold January! February is upon us, which means we are inching our way to SPRING! I am sure you are looking forward to warm weather again as much as I am! A big welcome goes out to new member, Susan Williams of Morning View Farm in Ionia, MI. Susan comes from the QH world. She has competed very successfully in Training Challenges and is now an MFT halfowner and 3-year Director for the MFHA. The Events Committee has been hard at work finalizing the details on our annual MFTHBA National Trail Ride, clinics, and other trail rides. Go to our website and Facebook page for periodic updates.
MAYBURY STATE PARK TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION (MSPTRA)
Greetings, trail riders, Happy New Year! A new year means it's time for a new 2022 MSPTRA Membership! Join and pay online, or print the membership form and mail it in. We appreciate the support! Our annual meeting that was originally scheduled for November 10, 2021 was rescheduled and did take place on December 1, 2021. All open board positions have been filled. We look forward to the coming year!
Check out all the new updates to the website at www.mayburytrailriders.org Continue to follow us on Facebook for updates on the trails, events and general news going on in the park. Feel free to post pictures from your rides! onstrations, versatility activities and public relations divisions. She accumulated her points while riding Spy and Jigs. The topscorer in the Under Saddle division was also Jodi, riding Spy. They participated in a number of Dressage shows, took many lessons, participated in clinics, performed many versatility activities, camped, and traversed many trail miles in organized rides. Susan Williams was the high scorer in the Not Under Saddle division. This division is for MFTs of any age who have not yet been saddle broke. They can earn points in general training, clinics, as well as showing in hand. 14 members worked all year on doing as many different things as they could with their MFT(s). A milestone was achieved by two members: Jodi on Spy, and Carrie on Moo, who both have reached the 1,000 plus mile club on their horses. This is a category in which the accumulated miles are rolled over into the next year. They each earned a decal to mark their accomplishment. If you would like to participate in this very popular program in 2022, go to: www.michigan foxtrottinghorse.com to learn more about it. Print off the forms to send in and become involved in this very popular program. It is very motivational by encouraging you to do more things with your Fox Trotter. You will have fun experiencing a wide range of activities to prove how versatile your horse is. There are Youth and adult categories. Get your friends with Fox Trotters to join and do this with you – it's fun and Fox Trotters can do ANYTHING!
MI FOXTROTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION
The results are in for the 2021 Versatility Challenge! Congratulations go out to Jodi Myers for being the most ambitious MFHA member in the Horsemanship Challenge in which the rider participates the most in trails, lessons, showing, clinics, breed demWe have a number of unisex stone-washed blue short-sleeved 100% cotton limited edition MFTA t-shirts available for only $15 (plus $6 shipping unless you want to pick it up in Mason, MI). Email MIFoxtrot21@ gmail.com to place your order. Make your check out to MFHA. The sales of these shirts will help provide funding for clinics and other promotional activities. We appreciate your help. We are the Michigan affiliate of the Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breed Assoc. (MFTHBA). Go to www.mfthba.com to register your horse and become a member. There are a wide range of interesting activities to become involved in. The MFHA’s mission is to promote the Fox Trotter horse in and around Michigan. We are a member-led group who work together to promote, plan, and carry out educational and fun activities that owners and riders are interested in. Become a member now by visiting our website at www.michiganfoxtrottinghorse.com and send in your membership. Make your check out to MFHA. Our meetings are held remotely the 3rd Thursday of the month in the evening. You are invited to attend. Send in your membership so we can send you an invitation. By Marilyn Mannino
MICHIGAN
WESTERN DRESSAGE ASSOC. OF MI
Winter is showing her limited array of colors as we patiently await spring's arrival. I have a few important announcements to make. First some good news: Sue Hughes' book should be out soon! I expect to have more information on this next month. The WDAMI Board recently had its annual election of officers. There will be no change in the Executive Board – I will continue as President, Sue Hughes as Vice President, Carol Baldwin as Treasurer, and Joann Coy as our Secretary. Thank you ladies, for your dedication to WDAMI. And now the not so good news: the WDAMI Awards Banquet has been canceled due to the current high number of COVID cases in Michigan. WDAMI has also decided not to have our usual table at the Michigan Horse Expo this year (March 11-13) for the same reason. We are hopeful that next year things will have settled down and we will be able to resume our participation in these events. In the meantime, the WDAMI Award committee will be meeting this month to come up with a plan for our 2022 Awards Banquet, for it seems that COVID is here to stay. On a happier note, we do plan to go forward
WESTERN DRESSAGE ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN, continued
with our WDAMI 2022 show series. Our first show is Dressage at Waters Edge (April 22 – May 13, with videos due by June 10). That will be followed by the Sunflower Horse Show (June 10 – July 1, with videos due by July 15) and the Battle of the Saddles (July 15 – August 12, with videos due by August 26). All three shows are WDAA recognized. We have added a versatility award and kept our door prizes for all three shows. And we will once again offer our Harmony award for all three shows, plus a Grand Prize drawing for those who show in all three events. In addition to these three shows, Wyn Farm will be hosting two USEF Lite/WDAA shows this year. And Central Michigan Horseman's Association will also be offering WDAA recognized shows throughout the summer too. WDAMI is looking for sponsors for our yearend awards and educational events. If you would be willing to help by sponsoring or by helping us to find sponsors, please contact us by email at: infowdami@gmail.com. If you would like to volunteer or offer other services we need, please contact us. We can always use the help. Please don't forget to renew your membership.
WDAA has announced the judges for the WDAA World Championship Western Dressage Show scheduled for September 27 – October 1, 2022. The Judges will include Gail Hoff, Nena Denman, Jodi Ely, Ida Norris, and Heather Stalker. Karlan Downing will judge the Rail and Equitation Classes. There will be four full days of Western Dressage tests and one full day of rail classes. All Levels of freestyle will be offered and there will be an exceptional rider division including both Therapeutic Riding and Physically Challenged classes. WDAA Horse Lifetime Points and Awards Program award triple points at this show. Other fun events include competitor's parties and a silent auction. In order to compete at the World Show, you must qualify by showing in at least one WDAA Recognized show between January 1, 2022, and September 20, 2022, and you must earn a 60% or higher in any test. Online shows do count for purposes of qualifying. Riders who showed at the 2021 World Show are also deemed qualified for the 2022 show. Tip of the month – “Test for lateral movements: If the rider is able to stop his horse in every lateral movement so that he halts in the same angle and lateral bend as before quietly and without swaying, and to move off again without hesitation on a volte on a single track, it is proof that the horse was well between the hands and legs and that the movement was ridden correctly on two tracks.” (Waldemar Seunig, 1965)
Thank you for your support. Be safe, have fun, enjoy your equine partner and exercise acts of kindness to all. Until next time – Safe Riding, Suzanne Morisse, WDAMI President
YANKEE SPRINGS TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION
Your yearly membership matters to YSTRA! Each membership or donation goes right back into keeping your trails maintained. In recent years, we have been able to add corrals to camp sites. Upgraded our obstacle course. Add trail systems around the campground. Our future goals are to expand day parking. Potentially bring electricity to camp and other great amenities!
Join us online at: https://ystra.org/ or you can also find us on Facebook.
Yearly Membership dues are only $20! You can use the “donate” button on our website homepage at: https://ystra.org/ ($1 PayPal fee) or email Sarah: sarah@grcarvers.com for more information. You can also mail a check payable to YSTRA for your yearly dues to: YSTRA, 10370 W. Parmalee Road, Middleville, MI 49333. Attention: Travis Buehler.
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