2013 march-april stirrup
Transcription
2013 march-april stirrup
NATRC Region 3 Newsletter Mar/Apr 2013 Issue The Inside This Issue: Contact Info Editor’s Note Upcoming Ride Info Ride Season is Upon Us Convention Follow-Up NATRC at Rocky Mountain Horse Expo Sponsors News Bits Convention Photos 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 April-May Events Pinon Mesa (Benefit Ride) April 20-21 Ride Chair: Jerry Sims 505-215-9796 Email: [email protected] NATRC Clinic May 5 (Snow day May 11) Register: Susan Peters [email protected] or Pam Galchutt [email protected], Navajo Lake May 11-12 Ride Chair: Cathy Cumberworth 505-419-8870 Email: [email protected] General Albert P. Clark Memorial Ride May 25-26 Ride Chair: Linell Miller-Inman and Gary Inman 303-644-5895 Registration: Pam Galchutt [email protected] Website http://www.natrc3.org Ride Management System (RMS) www.natrc5.org/rms/logon.asp Thanks to Gary Walls for all the great photos from the Convention!!!! www.PhotoPistol.com President’s Message Stirrup First of all, a huge thanks to Susan Peters for the wonderful year she has given us as President of Region 3. Her term as President is truly a hard act to follow. Our regional and national convention is now a part of our history, and I would also like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this a fabulous convention in every respect. I would like to individually name everyone who had such a huge part in the planning and implementation, but in the interest of space and not wanting to leave anyone out, please know that of you are appreciated and valued for your contribution to Region 3 and this year's convention. This is my first letter as your new President. For those of you who came to the meeting and heard my presentation, please excuse the repetition. But for those of you unable to attend, I would like to take this opportunity to expound on a few of my thoughts and goals for the year. I have been associated with NATRC since 1983 with a long period of time in these years where I had to step away and get perspective not only on life, but on our sport. We horse people are a special breed with some great “I can do it” attitudes. We also can be quite set in our ways often disregarding the need to attract newcomers and help them get started. As with any other endeavor, it is important that we examine why we pursue a special challenge, why we love this particular sport, and how much are we personally willing to give to it to make sure that it continues for us and for others for years to come. Nationally and regionally, our membership is shrinking. As with many other horse clubs and associations, we have the potential to either grow or shrink into non-existence. As members of Region 3, our challenge in the coming years is to help us grow. This can only be done if we adopt the worker attitude for a portion of the time. If we try to exist on the backs of just a few willing souls who do the majority of the work, we will find our membership fading which jeopardizes the entire organization. There is a great Biblical principle of giving 10%, not only in money but in time. If we all give a little, we can all do a lot. Let's adopt the 10% rule! We need to capitalize on all the positive aspects of competitive trail riding and get out there to encourage others to try this great sport. However, if new folks come to give us a try and find that we are stuck in our own little groups, they will not feel welcome and most likely will not come back. Many times we hear that this is such a “nit-picky” sport with this and that marked down on cards taking points away. Helping new folks understand the reasoning behind the rules and being good mentors along the way will certainly help them want to stay. We will be working on a mentoring program this year expanding upon the mentoring we have done in the past. I would encourage all ride managers to appoint a Mentoring Chairperson. At each ride, have a couple of seasoned NATRC riders who are willing to be a mentor for the ride, but not compete. In this way, they can give their full attention to the two or three newcomers and teach them the intricacies of competitive riding. One idea is to have a newcomers “B” Ride in conjunction with our “A” rides. This is a nice way to teach and ease new people into distance riding. Our Membership Recruiter, Jerry Sims, with the help of other riders, has put together a poster that can be displayed in many areas throughout our communities. You will find this poster in the newsletter, and we encourage everyone to make copies and distribute them in feed and tack stores, your local veterinarians offices, horse functions and shows, as well as local horse clubs. Please put your name in the area representative spot and be willing to be a spokesperson and advocate for our sport. We can all look for ways to do small presentations at group meetings where they look for speakers. A short 15 minute talk is pretty easy to do, and Syndi Scott is coming up with a great power point presentation for use at various events. Talk about the great experiences, beautiful trails and lasting friendships on your Facebook page if you have one. Post pictures and encourage others to give this a try. Look for young people who love horses, but maybe aren't keen on the traditional showing world. The future of our sport lies with the young people. Lastly, we need rides and ride managers. If we keep losing rides due to lack of management, we lose the opportunity to keep our region vital and our trails open to horses. We often have to work with area agencies such as BLM and Forest Service. By showing cooperation and working with other user groups, they will see us as advocates to the work they do. All over the country, trails are being closed to horses. Let's not let that happen in our beautiful region. We would love to see a ride in Utah, Wyoming and Montana. Get creative and help make that happen! Together – Lend a Helping Hand! Make this a wonderful year of great ideas and enthusiasm. Your new President, Sharon Roper-Dashner The Region III Newsletter is a bi-monthly publication in January, March, May, July, September, and November. It is available by subscription to non-Region III members for $10 per year. Advertising Rates: Free for current members Non-members - Full page $50, half page $30, quarter page $18, business card size $10 Classified Rates: members $5 per ad non-members $10 per ad Send all letters, articles, payments, advertisements, photos, etc., to: John Volkerding, Editor, 4105 Skyline Dr, Farmington, NM 87401, [email protected] Deadline for articles, ads, etc. is the 15th of February, April, June, August, October, December Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 2 Board of Directors Bobbi Hansford, Vice President Dist 3 970-856-7902 [email protected] Chuck Smith, Treasurer, Dist 3 505-215-2625 (C) [email protected] Janna Combs, Dist 1 970-576-5606 [email protected] Sherri Halligan, Dist 1 303-420-1025 (H) [email protected] Syndi Scott, Dist 2 303-660-6008 [email protected] Pam Galchutt, Dist 2 719-481-6561 [email protected] Chuck Smith, Dist 3 505-215-2625 (C) [email protected] Bobbi Hansford Dist 3 970-856-7902 [email protected] Sharon Roper-Dashner, At-Large 970-242-9278 [email protected] Juleen Feazell, At-Large 970-856-1173 [email protected] Sharon Roper-Dashner, President, AtLarge 970-242-9278 [email protected] Pam Galchutt, Secretary Dist 2, NBOD Alternate 719-481-6561 [email protected] Diana Marquardt, At-Large 970-887-2450 [email protected] Committees Syndi Scott, Publicity/Advertising 303-660-6008 [email protected] Juleen Feazell, Awards/Mileage 970-856-1173 [email protected] Diane Wingle, Ride Coordinator & Ride Book 303-279-1290 [email protected] Betty Wolgram, Membership 970-824-8359 [email protected] Linell Miller-Inman, Safety/Supplies 303-644-5895 [email protected] Chuck Smith, Historian National Convention 2013 Chair 505-215-2625 (C) [email protected] John Volkerding, Stirrup Editor 505-215-2625 (C) [email protected] Chuck Smith, Webmaster 505-215-2625 (C) [email protected] Beth Sims, Worker Points 505-326-6797 (H), 505-320-6868 (C) [email protected] Sharon Roper-Dashner, Nominating 970-242-9278 [email protected] Region 3 National Directors Susan Peters 719-488-2267 [email protected] Susan Peters 719-488-2267 [email protected] Susan Peters 719-488-2267 [email protected] From the Editor… I am taking a little editorial license to deviate from my normal posts to simply share some information on a lost teenager in the NATRC Region 3 area. DYLAN NICHOLAS REDWINE is from the Colorado Springs area and was last known to be at the Vallecito Lake area near Bayfield Colorado Age Now: 13 Height: 5'0" (152 cm) Missing City: BAYFIELD Weight: 105 lbs (48 kg) Missing State : CO Hair Color: Blonde Circumstances: Dylan was last seen on November 19, 2012. He was last seen wearing a black Nike shirt, black basketball nylon shorts, black Jordan tennis shoes, and a two tone blue and white Duke Blue Devils baseball hat. Dylan may be still in the local area. Have a Tip? Please call La Plata County Sheriff at 1-970385-2900 or the Crime Stoppers 24 hour anonymous number listed in the latest reward poster. For more information on the case: http://www.facebook.com/FindMissingDylanRedwine#!/FindMissingDylanRedwine or http://finddylan.com Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 3 Upcoming Rides Pinon Mesa Competitive Trail Ride, Region 3 Benefit Ride Farmington, NM April 20-21, 2013 Type A Two-Day Open, CP, & Novice Type B One-Day Novice Rider Limit: 60 http://www.natrc3.org/uploads/Pinon_Mesa_Benefit_Ride_2013___1.pdf The San Juan Valley Trail Riders invite you to ride the Pinon Mesa Ride. This is a beautiful early spring ride. The trail has varied terrain- mesas, arroyos and pinon trees, winding through the beautiful high desert. There are! Management: Jerry Sims, #11 RD 1948 Farmington, NM 87401 P: 505-215-9796 [email protected] Ride Secretary: Chuck Smith PO BOX 687 Flora Vista, NM 87415 P: 505-215-2625 [email protected] NATRC CLINIC, Greenland Open Space, Colorado Springs, CO Sunday, May 5, 2013, (Snow date Saturday, May 11th) http://www.natrc3.org/uploads/NATRC_CLINIC_2013___2.pdf Join us for this fun and educational “Introduction to NATRC” clinic at the Greenland Open Space (located just off I-25 between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs). Bring your horse or you can even come without one. We will divide the clinic participants into groups of four riders linked up with one experienced NATRC rider (We can assign parents/kids and friends to the same group). The groups will then go from “station to station” so every horse and rider will have a chance to learn some tips and to try their hand at many of the obstacles you might find on a competitive trail ride. Those without a horse (“auditors”) will have an experienced ‘coach’ as well, who will explain what the riders are doing, etc. We will take a maximum of 24 riders with horses, plus 4 auditors with no horse. For More Information: Contact Susan Peters at (719)488-2267; email - [email protected] Or, Pam Galchutt at (719) 481-6561; email - [email protected] Navajo Lake CTR Type A Two Day, near Farmington, NM May 11-12, 2013 Rider Limit: 60 http://www.natrc3.org/uploads/Navajo_Lake_2013___3.pdf The San Juan Valley Trail Riders invite you to be part of NATRC history. Ride the 38th annual Navajo Lake Ride, the longest continuous ride in NATRC. This ride will traverse varied terrain of mesas, arroyos, beautiful rock formations and pinon forest in the spectacularly scenic area around the Navajo Lake Dam. Come enjoy the fun, especially our famous “Mother’s Day Trail” filled with surprises! Management: Cathy Cumberworth, (505)-419-8870 or [email protected] 14 Road 3773 Farmington, NM 87401 Secretary: Eleanor Kelly, 505-327-3465, 97 Road 3665, Aztec, NM 87410 [email protected] The 2013 USAFA/ Gen. Albert P. Clark Memorial NATRC Ride United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO (limit 60 riders, A&B) Type A (two day) - Open, CP, Novice May 25-26, 2013 Type B (one day) - Novice only May 26, 2013 http://www.natrc3.org/uploads/USAFA_2013___4.pdf Today, heightened security and restricted access to the USAF Academy makes this a rare opportunity for most riders to experience this beautiful and historic facility. This NATRC ride is a “must do” for all levels of riders. Trails vary from groomed trails past world famous landmarks to single-track horse trails through wooded valleys, across mountain sides with “ahhh-some” views, and along scenic streams. This year, the trail passes through remnants of the horrific 2012 “’Waldo Canyon Fire”, where you will note how close the homes on the southern boundary (and indeed, the entire academy) came to being destroyed. Footing is mostly soft dirt with a few rocky areas. It is an easy early season ride! The One day, “B” ride is approximately 16 miles, timed at 3.5 mph. Over the two days, the “A” CP/Novice ride is approximately 33 total miles, timed at 3.5 mph. The Open ride is approximately 52 total miles timed at 4.5 mph. “DO” (distance only) entries are accepted in all divisions. You are welcome to stay over on Sunday night. Management: Ride Managers: Linell Miller-Inman & Gary Inman, [email protected] , Home phone: (303)644-5895; Secretary and Registration: Pam Galchutt, 3360 Schilling Rd, Monument, CO 80132 [email protected] , 719-481-6561 (home) Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 4 Ride Season is Upon Is – Time to Get Those Entries In!!!! By Susan Peters The 2013 ride season is practically here – most of the R3 rides are now open in RMS for registration, and I would encourage everyone to enter rides as early as you can. Here’s why: • With fewer local vet and horsemanship judges, ride managers are having to budget and plan for travel. Air travel has gotten particularly challenging and expensive. To get reasonable fares, ride managers have to purchase tickets well in advance of the ride. They depend on deposits to pay for these advance expenses – air travel plus insurance, sanctions, etc. The total of these expenses can approach or exceed $1000 – well above the $500 loan a new ride/manager can get from R3 and well above the amount existing rides might have left in the “kitty” from previous years. Without deposits, this money has to come as a “loan” from ride management personal pockets. • Early deposits give ride management an indication of how many people are going to enter their ride. When ride managers see that riders aren’t willing to commit to coming to their ride, they may reconsider their commitment to putting on the ride. Many riders do not realize that when ride management agrees to put on a ride, the ride management becomes totally and solely responsible for the financial outcome of the ride. If the ride makes money, ride management decides what to do with the profits (invest in equipment, donate funds, save for future year’s rides, or split it up). If the ride loses money (which is entirely possible if there are too few riders), ride management pays out of their personal pockets. Understandably ride management keeps a close eye on entries. While it hasn’t happened often, ride managers in the past have cancelled rides if the entries are low. • Some rides have additional constraints ride management has to take into account. For example, the ride at the Air Force Academy requires special entry authorization information for each registrant – and that information has to be provided to the Security Gate weeks in advance of the ride. • In R3 we have been fortunate that a number of our rides fill, but that fortune can present challenges as well. In past years, we have figured out ways to “juggle” entries to get everyone in. For example, last year the ride management for the ride at the Air Force Academy brought in another set of judges so all 80+ registrants could enter the ride. 66 riders actually started the ride. This year ride management is going with one set of judges – the limit on riders will be 60. At Tarryall, the week before the ride, we had 70 entries for a limit of 60 riders, so we asked ten riders if they would give up their places to let other riders in, and we assigned them to riding volunteer jobs. This year in response to a request from the ranch – we will limit the riding volunteers to four safety riders so we won’t have the flexibility we have had previously. • As a rider, you have relatively little at risk financially due to the reasonable ride deposits and refund policies. Deposits are $50 or less. The rides with stated policies refund all but $15 if you cancel prior to a certain number of weeks in advance of the ride. It seems like a small amount at risk to 1) ensure you get a spot in an oversubscribed ride and 2) encourage ride management in undersubscribed rides to continue to hold the ride. It is going to be a great year –R3 has a lineup of some outstanding rides with some terrific judges – some old favorites and some ones that haven’t judged in Region 3 very much. The one thing we don’t want to miss is YOU – so figure out which rides you want to do, enter on RMS, and send in your deposit!! We are so looking forward to seeing you on the trail! Worker Points 2012 was a busy year for all involved with our competitive rides and clinics. There were 95 individuals receiving awards at the Region 3 Convention. Chevrons, plaque tags, new plaques, and beautiful pieces of pewter were given to deserving volunteers. There are 652 names on the volunteer Master List. There were 251 actual volunteers in Region 3 during 2012. 114 of them were NEW volunteers of which 13 of the new volunteers earned 250 or more points! They really worked hard! I would like to acknowledge and thank all the volunteers that helped put on the Region 3 Competitive Trail Rides during 2012. Our volunteers have spent countless hours planning, coordinating and participating at the rides. Many of our members serve on committees and also help at the rides and clinics. Many of you wear “lots of different hats”! Without our volunteers, it would be impossible to enjoy our sport. Keep in mind that any of your volunteers could be possible NATRC members, if they aren’t already! Please accept our gratitude for your participation and contributions during 2012! Beth Sims, Worker Points Chair Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 5 2013 Regional/National Convention Info Convention Used Tack Sales Results and Thanks Having never done one of these before, I had no idea what to expect or how best to organize it. With many restless nights of 'what ifs', it all came together and seemed to run pretty smoothly. (Whew!!) Region 3 members plus several other region members and even some non-members really came through, both as sellers and buyers as well as helpers! As you who were there could see, we had a room stuffed with horsey treasures, including probably two dozen nice saddles. It was a buyer's paradise! My primary goal for doing this was to offer a service to our members, at a very reasonable 'consignment' cost of 10%, ($100 max), rather than trying to make a lot of money. Almost $3400 in used items were sold, resulting in $310 in donated net proceeds to our region. As Susan observer, that translates to being better region income than most rides produce, and with a lot fewer volunteers needed and a lot less effort exerted by management. That feels good! So, I want to send out a big "thank you!" to all of you who participated. Special thanks go to my wonderful volunteer helpers: Lesly Lynch hung in there all weekend with me. Susan Peters and Juleen Feazell, despite being busy with their own “jobs”, helped with the set up and were available for anything else needed. My neighbors, Jana and Gwyn, who are not even NATRC riders, came up to help on Friday, and Dayna Morgan came on Saturday and brought along her friend Miriam who doesn't even have a horse. One of several fringe benefits of the sales was that it even drummed up future ride volunteers and participants, since Susan Peters set up a table in the room with ride, clinic and general flyers we had made for the event, and she really promoted our sport. She had a video running, made by my husband, Steve, to get everyone motivated. It showed how fun and beautiful rides like our Air Force Academy and Tarryall are. (You can see the video if you visit Susan at the Denver Horse Expo at the NATRC booth in the horse barn). The "UT" room also proved to be a fun gathering and socializing spot for us all to reconnect and chat. The hotel staff was very helpful and flexible, bringing in more tables as the room filled up, so I was very glad we held the convention at the Double Tree. Having a separate and lockable room made it secure for us. Pricing was the key to success, and I noticed that the sellers who were really looking at it as 'garage sale pricing' were the most successful. There were lots of great bargains, and I suspect now there are some less cluttered tack rooms. Ok, maybe also newly cluttered tack rooms! Again, thanks to all who helped make it very fun and successful! I hope we can do it again! ~Pam Galchutt~ National Board Meeting Update, Susan Peters & Jerry Sims The full details for the National Board meeting held at the NATRC National Convention in Denver can be found in the Board minutes to be printed in the next issue of The Hoofprint but here is a summary of the major topics: • Rule changes to be taken to the membership for discussion (if the Board feels these changes should be pursued – more specific wording will be approved at the July NBOD meeting and if the rules change continues to be supported – the Board will vote to approve or disapprove the rule change at the November NBOD). o A modification to the new portable panel rule which makes it clear that stallions still need to be double tied to the trailer o A modification to the rule that prohibits certain ride management from competing in a ride (currently ride manager, rules interpreter, ride secretary, etc. can’t compete). This rule change would take “ride secretary” out of the list of management who cannot compete. The rationale behind this rule change is that the ride secretary is not privy to any information/activities that would provide an unfair advantage if she/he competed. Often the ride secretary is done with “at the ride” work by Friday night/Saturday morning so it is possible for ride secretaries to be able to ride and be the secretary. o The challenge of declining ridership in Open lightweight and Open heavyweight classes was discussed. As the number of open riders decline in many rides across the country, a two prong problem emerges: it is easier to get first and second places – and harder to accumulate points (these two challenges impact many Open national awards including National Championships). The Board brainstormed many possible solutions – but felt that conversations with open riders were necessary to formulate the best rule change. One possible solution is to combine the lightweight and heavyweight classes into a single class for points and placings when the classes have fewer than a certain number of competitors. This solution does increase competition (each class has more riders), and you are able to earn more points. But how does it affect consistency across rides in a region and across regions? We would love to get your thoughts and input. ([email protected] ; [email protected] ) • An anonymous donor has come forward to provide funds for rides (more information will be forthcoming). • 2012 financial report – made a slight profit (first in several years). NATRC took in about $100,000 in revenues and had expenses slightly under $100,000. Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 6 NATRC at the Rocky Mountain Horse Show Expo, by Susan Peters NATRC is going to be represented in a big way at Rocky Mountain Horse Expo this year. In past years we have had a booth on the trade show floor and presentation slots on the program. The cost of the booth went up and it was felt that the return for our organization just wasn’t there so we have been absent for a number of years. Expo management came out with a new offering this year – a well priced combination hospitality booth/demo horse stall in the barn – for breed associations and non-profits – so we decided to give that a try. We had very short lead time to get our application in. I called Karen Wylie. She is a first time rider this year on a Foxtrotter who has competed in Open with the previous owner. I can usually count on Karen to be up for these kind of things – plus our favorite clinician was going to be at Expo. Another recent concept is the “Ride with the Experts” program. Horse owners can pay to ride in the various clinics that are held throughout the Expo weekend. About 8 NATRC riders and their horses were planning to participate in the clinics outside of NATRC so we are going to stable stable our horses together. What a benefit/opportunity – the camaraderie of the group, the ability to keep an eye on each other’s horses, the proximity of the hospitality stall, and the kind of NATRC presence we will have at this premiere horse event (I think we will be taking up over a dozen stalls). Pam Galchutt and I are donating a clinic entry as a way to draw attendees to our hospitality stall and into our sport. What a perfect venue for our sport – NATRC is all about learning and here we will be with our horses investing in learning to become even better partners with our horses. Syndi Scott, publicity chairman, has been leading this project and will be doing slideshow presentations on Saturday and Sunday (a joint effort with the Mountain Region Endurance Riders). We hope to introduce a number of people to our sport, because we know there are lots of people who would love to do rides like we do – some of them just don’t know we exist. As a personal testimony – 20 years ago I started attending these Expos. For five years, I always made a point to find the NATRC booth. I would read all their literature and think how much fun it would be to do a ride. But life was in the way then – I was a single mom with a young child. NATRC must have felt someone like me was a pretty bad prospect since I just showed up and never rode. But one year, a friend of mine won a drawing for a ride entry to the Air Force Academy Ride 1999 and offered it to me. My son was 14; I was remarried – and it was close to home. I went. I don’t know exactly how many rides I have competed in over the subsequent 14 years(over 100 rides I would guess) or how many rides I have managed/secretaried (easily over a dozen), but my story is a testimony to the fact that the payoff to some of these publicity events may not be immediate – sometimes you need to give it time. A few awards from the Convention REGION 3 BEST MANAGED RIDES 2012-TARRYALL RIVER ROMP - Pam Galchutt and Susan Peters SUE BRETAG AWARD recipient for 2012 was Pam Galchutt 2012 NOVICE 1ST YEAR HORSE recipient for 2012 was Motown’s Black Cash (Deb Steddem) BILL SMITH BUDDY AWARD recipient for 2012 was Sharon Roper CP HI AVERAGE HORSE & RIDER - recipient for 2012 was Linell Miller-Inman and Baby Doll's Spotted Man RUTH TYREE HI AVERAGE HORSEMANSHIP AWARD recipient for 2012 was Terri Smith KEN BURKDOLL COMBINED HI AVERAGE HORSE AND RIDER AWARD recipient for 2012 was Hot Saki and Terri Smith Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 7 Sponsors Be One with Your Horse Providing Horses with the Very Best http://www.actionridertack.com/ http://www.goodforyourhorse.com/ Portable Panels for horses on the go! Trail Horse Riding Gear and Endurance Tack http://www.carrilitecorrals.com/ Hoof Boots, Saddle Pads & Horse Equipment http://www.ridingwarehouse.com Fit to Function http://www.cavallo-inc.com/ Your Source for Witez II Bloodlines http://srsaddleco.com/ Finally, A Hay Net for Round Bales http://www.chiggervillefarm.com/ Top Quality Beta Biothane Horse Tack http://www.texashaynet.com/ The Right Way to Tie Your Horse http://www.thedistancedepot.com/ Cutting-edge Alternative Horse Care http://www.tierite.com/ Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 8 It's All About You and Your horse http://www.tilt-tie.com/ http://www.easycareinc.com/ Customer Satisfaction is Our Number One Goal! Wireless Camera System for Monitoring Your Horse Honor the Talents and Abilities of all Gaited Horses http://www.trailereyes.com/ When your ride, ride Trailwise! http://www.foshgaitedsporthorse.com/ http://www.trailwisetack.com/ Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 9 NEWS BITS Annual Greenland Clinic By Susan Peters Got A Horse But Need A Way to the Ride?? This year we are back at the Greenland Open Space for our annual “Intro to NATRC” Clinic. The date is Sunday, May 5th with a snow date of Saturday, May 11th. We are deviating from the usual format of lecture/obstacles/practice trail ride to what we think will be a more intimate, personal arrangement of one mentor with (4) mentees. We will have (6) experienced NATRC riders work with (4) participant riders (openings for 24 riding participants and 4 non-riding participants) – staying with them through the obstacle course and trail ride. It can be scary going to your first ride, and we hope that having someone you spent an entire day with – will make that first ride less intimidating for many riders. If you have a horse in Colorado Springs and would love to go to a NATRC ride but don’t have a way to get there or would like to reduce fuel costs – I may be able to help. Here’s the deal – if you can drive an automatic truck and a two horse trailer (due to a medical condition, I no longer drive), I will provide the truck and trailer (2 horse oversize straight load) and we can trailer pool with our horses. I am most interested in going to the front range rides (Air Force Academy, Colorado Trail, and Tarryall). For additional details – call 719-448-1441; leave your phone number and I will call you back. Mike Jubb – NATRC rider for many, many years This clinic has ALWAYS filled – so encourage your friends who have been wanting to try their hand at NATRC – to register soon!! We will love to have them – it should be a lot of fun. For more information – contact [email protected] 2013 Benefit Ride This year the benefit ride will be Pinon Mesa, April 20-21, 2013. Benefit rides are designated to help the region financially. All profits go to the region. You may donate your time as a worker, a gift to first time riders or an award to the competition. We do except donations for cost of anything from food to awards. We mostly want you to come and enjoy the spring weather and the ride. The more competitors, the more Region 3 will make. We are expecting a good turn out from first time riders, since we are having a trail horse clinic one month before the ride. Sign up to ride, donate awards, food for workers, or cash. We can always use your help to benefit the ride, for Region 3. I want to thank Jenny Smith – she has donated lunch on Sunday! Thank you, Jerry Sims Vest Numbers Vest Numbers are available for purchase on a first come first basis Novice $10, CP $20, Open $30. Please contact Chuck Smith [email protected] for available numbers Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 10 NEWS BITS Ride Manager’s Corner A new ride season and many new things for Ride Managers in RMS. We wanted to express our appreciation to everyone for attending as a vendor, speaker, participant at this year’s National Convention hosted by Region 3. Given the snowy start to the weekend we had an outstanding turnout and I think everyone had a great time here in the Rocky Mountains. To everyone who worked in coordinating the convention before hard and slaved away during those days, it could not have been done without all of you! Chuck, John, and Lukas Brenda Imus, 4 Beat saddle for sale $1100/OBO 15" seat, wide tree, supracor padded seat Questions? Call or email Angie Rubenstein, 303816-7051 [email protected] • First, RMS has a brand new interface. When you access the logon screen for RMS, you will be asked if you want to use OLD RMS or NEW RMS. This lets you decide if you want to continue to use the familiar interface you have used for the past number of years – or if you want to use the new interface (more drop downs, more intuitive, and some new features). In July, coinciding with the move to a new hosting facility, the option to use the old interface will be phased out. • Diane Wingle will be taking over the RMS coordinator role (I will be her backup). If there are any new ride secretaries, and you would like a walk through via phone – let us know. We will get on a conference call and walk you through entering riders, managing entries, producing reports, etc. You can reach Diane at [email protected] I can be reached at [email protected] • In the past, most of us have set up Distance Only riders as a separate class of rider which creates some problems when you generate reports for National. Distance Only is NOT a separate class – it is a modification of an existing class (Novice, Open, and CP are the valid classes). You should enter a Distance Only rider as a CP/All, Novice/lightweight, heavyweight, or junior, or Open/heavyweight,lightweight, or junior – then check the box for distance only (rider/horse). This process counts the distance only rider in the appropriate class (for points) and creates accurate reports. ~Susan Peters Stay Current with your Email Addresses! Please notify Betty Wolgram ([email protected]), Membership Chair, of any change to your e-mail address. Doing this will assure that you continue to receive the newsletter and other communications. Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 11 Region 3 Convention Photos Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 12 Region 3 Convention Photos Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 13 Region 3 Convention Photos Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 14 Region 3 Convention Photos National Convention Photos Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 15 National Convention Photos Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 16 NATRC POSTER Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 17 Membership Form Mar/Apr 2012 Issue The Stirrup Page 18 The Stirrup Newsletter of NATRC Region 3 John Volkerding – Editor PO Box 687 Flora Vista, NM 87415