16/ SEPTEMBER 2012 THE RIDER


President/ Newsletter Kari Kelly


Elmvale, ON L0L 1P0 (705) 322-6338,


Email: kkrkelly@xplornet.com


2012 Ontario Trail Riders Association Board of Directors Director


Vice President / Membership/ Website Wendy Downer Elmvale, ON L0L 1P0 Home: 705-322-0287 Email:


wnewdawn@xplornet.com


Secretary/ Event Calendat Janice Clegg


Everett, ON L0M 1J0 Home: 705-434-0816 Cell: 519-940-1445, Work: 800-360-5821,


Email: pineriverranch@gmail.com


Treasurer Jan Belanger


OTRA: Box 3038, Elmvale, ON L0L 1P0 • www.otra.ca


Elmvale, ON L0L 1P0 Home: 705-322-2027 Email: janbel@csolve.net


Public Relations/Promotions Kevin Kelly Elmvale, ON


Home: (519) 322-6338 Email: kkrkelly@xplornet.com


Grants


Marjory Morden Proton Station, ON ochrerider@live.ca


Fundraising/ Special Projects Morris Radomskey Everett, ON L0M 1J0 Email: morris@sprayhts.com


Administration Shirley Bodnarchuk Elmvale, ON L0L 1P0 Home: (705) 322-7858 Email:


shirley.bodnarchuk@gmail.com


Trail Development/Regional Reps Coordinator Karen Plume Harriston, ON


Home: (519) 323-4653 Email: kp59ca@gmail.com


Linda Stillson


Penetanguishene, ON Email:


thestillsons@rogers.com


The Ontario Trail Riders Association Inc, established in 1970, is an equestrian organization which promotes recreational trail riding and the creation, development, preservation and safe use of trails.


Big Ben Memorial Trail


Greetings, Supporters; We are getting there as we continue with the political process. We made it through the 4th level of governance as documented in the attached press cover- age.


The last level is Lanark County Council which meets on August 31st. Speculation has it there will be a positive response.


With this is mind, plans are in place to com- mence GPS mapping and tagging of the first trail loop’s routing [2.5 km] that goes to a beautiful


woodland lake. This will occur next month ending in October. We cannot go into the forest in Novem- ber because of deer hunt- ing. We will then re-com- mence the GPS mapping/tagging in April, June, August and hopefully complete it by October 2012. We cannot go into the forest during the months of May and July because of the flesh-eating bugs. May is Black Fly/Mosquito season and July is far too hot/humid with zillions of starving mosquitoes.


GPS mapping service


is being provided ‘in-kind’ by the Mississippi Valley Conservation. They will provide a staff person and a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Once all the 3 trail loops have been mapped and tagged, a Life Science Study has to be conducted in the Spring and Fall of 2013. Certified biologists and botanists will be engaged to conduct the survey. The municipal trails corporation will arrange the funding for this project.


Then, it will be trail blazing! Volunteers from various user groups will be


Fun D Ride 2012


We did it again. We managed to have a long weekend, fund rais- ing ride, with no one get- ting wet unless they were prowling around in the middle of the night, Saturday. We had a few sprinkles just before our buffet breakfast on Sun- day, but that was it (unless you count the couple of drops just after lunch). 50 people enjoyed an all you can eat (and more) beef bar- becue on Saturday night and breakfast on Sunday. It was very hot on the weekend but 35 riders enjoyed the coolness of the great trails in Duf- ferin and Simcoe County Forests. I do believe though, that the Pine River at the end of the trail was the biggest hit. I wish to thank all that helped make the week- end a success, Riliegh Bingham and Reagan Kelly for selling 50/50 tickets, trail bosses, Joan Patterson, Jan Belanger, and Marjory Morden and drag riders Karen Plume and Sandra Inglis. We had quite the bidding war going on for a hay bag at the silent auction which Marjory orga- nized. I have to mention Morris Radomsky who not only does all the grass and tree trimming but is also in charge of the barbecuing. The meal was donated by Premium Spray Product which is a supplier of foam insulation and equipment so that allowed us to raise just under $2000 for trail development. Thanks to all who attended to make the FUN D Ride a suc- cess.


Janice Clegg


Gayda Errett had a Canadian flag signed by Ian Millar on behalf of Big Ben. The flag will be displayed at the Trailhead Kiosk of the Big Ben Memorial Trail in Lanark County.


OTRA and its members represent the equestrian trail user with the Ontario Trails Council, Ontario Equestrian Federation and Equine Canada. We welcome your membership to help sup- port the voice of OTRA on your behalf. For more information please visit our website at www.otra.ca


called upon. In-kind ser- vice will be provided by the Ontario Rangers Stew- ardship Program.


tacting the regional and local politicians.


We’re hoping by late Fall of 2013, at least one of the trail loops will be ready for opening. Trail Opening Ceremonies will be planned by the municipal trails corporation. I will contact, well in advance, the Millar Family, RCMP Musical Ride, Wayne Ros- tad and Marg Southern to enquire about their avail- ability to attend the Trail Opening Ceremony. The municipal trails corpora- tion will no doubt be con-


Once again, we will be attending the last level of governance for approval. It has taken a year to go through the political process.


I will provide the results of the County Council’s response.


Again, thank you for your ongoing interest and support. Without it, the past 6 years of working to see the venture become a reality would not have suc- ceeded to this extent.


Happy Trails! Gayda


The importance of having ID on you at all times became very clear to me after a mishap with a fellow rider this past weekend.


• All riders need to have identifica- tion on their person at all times. • Full name as it shows on your


Rider Identification My Very First OTRA Ride


health card


• Health card number • Date of birth. • Address


• Contact Information • Known allergies


• Other health related information by Miranda Carson


I was so excited get- ting all of my camping gear ready for my very first OTRA FunD ride. I couldn’t believe the week- end was finally here! It seemed too good to be true. 3 months before I set out for this weekend I had no licenced trailer, no truck, very few supplies and a horse that hadn’t left my farm in 12 years. Now this would deter some peo- ple, yes, but with my per- sistent Aunt encouraging me to get out for a ride with her (thank goodness) and a great friend to do it all with, we pulled together and made it happen.


This journey really began about mid spring. First my friends Catherine and Dave bought a truck. You know you have great friends when they buy a truck to pull your trailer! Then we hauled out my horse trailer that had been stored in the barn for a good 5 years, and worked away at getting it fixed up and the safety done. Once we were safe and ready for the road we thought it may be a good idea to load up our horses and try making a few short trips. (Cather- ine’s horse hasn’t left my farm in 6 years) We were extremely happy and relieved when our first out- ings went off without a hitch.


In the midst of all this, my Aunt Carol was relay- ing any and all important


information she felt I may need to have a successful weekend and I was slowing acquiring the necessary equipment. To top it all off, the day before we were set to leave, we had loaded everything into the horse trailer so we would be ready to go the next day, and when the very last thing went into the trailer the door to the tack room fell right off the hinges! Thank goodness for Dad’s! My Dad made a not so short trip to the nearest Sundowner dealer to get me back up and running. The journey getting to OTRA FunD ride was defi- nitely a team effort!


I think I had pretty high expectations going into the weekend. I was expecting a fantastic week- end of riding and learning the ropes when it comes to camping with my horse. Wow! My expecta- tions were so surpassed! I ended up getting three days of amazing trail riding, great food and the best company anyone could ask for.


lutely beautiful! I have rid- den in a few forests here and there but these trails were spectacular. I rode two different trails in the three days I went out and each trail was so different from the other it felt like I was in a completely differ- ent forest. It didn’t take long to appreciate our fan- tastic trail bosses on our


The trails were abso-


rides. I would have been lost in these forests without them for sure!


Just as amazing as the trails we travelled were the people I met on them. Everyone was so friendly and sociable. It was so great to hear where others were from, how long they have been with OTRA, and the many stories of their experiences. I so enjoyed getting time to spend with my Aunt and getting to meet her riding friends. This group of people were some of the nicest anyone could hope to meet.


delicious. I went home to rave about it with my hus- band and I think this alone has him convinced to come out with me next year. And of course I can’t


The BBQ dinner was


that an emergency team should know.


• ID could also contain information regarding your horse.


your next ride to either photo copy current ID or make an ID card to carry with you. It could be a life saver.


Submitted by Carol Scott Please take a moment before


leave out my horse. He was so well behaved. From staying on a picket line for the first time, to crossing bridges and rivers, and even staying pretty level headed when loose horses were bolting and bucking all around him. I think I may have a seven- teen year old trail horse in the making.


Thank you to every- one who helped make this an amazing weekend! I obviously couldn’t have even gotten there without Dave and Cat. And a spe- cial thanks to my Aunt Carol. I’m so grateful that she never gave up on me and stayed persistent in her attempts to get me out on my very first OTRA ride. Photo by


Shirley Bodnarchuk


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