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16/ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 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.


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


Conquering Or Surviving The David Thompson Trail


Now I have been ponder- ing the difference between “conquering” and “surviving.” There appears to be a fine line between the two. I’m referring to our OTRA Algonquin adven- ture on September 3, 2012.


trees down over the trail, not what seemed like half the for- est. I had no idea what we were heading into as I watched with amusement, little Henry packing the chain saw on his back. I think my horse did


reaching and cutting with her trusty chainsaw was truly amaz- ing. I’m not sure about Jan. First she is the only woman I know that prefers to ride a mule and tow a pack mule where ever she goes. Second, she kept


usual we got to talking on the trail. You have to ask Linda how we got on the subject of underwear, but the two nurses in the group assured us that when you have an accident and go to the hospital, they do NOT


there.


Towards the end of the day, it was funny when Shirley, the quiet, retired school teacher queried using a very colourful adjective if the ____ trail was ever going to end? When the


We all had conquered or sur- vived! Now I warn others the David Thompson Trail is rugged. Not for the faint of heart or those prone to fill their pants when faced with adversity or obstacles. If you decide to try it, ENJOY the David Thompson Trail and as you pass the many cut up trees think of us and the tenacity (or stub- bornness) of the Significant Six with the Magnificent Seven equines!


Karen Plume


LOOKING FOR


PHOTOS


We are looking for any photos of our members out enjoying the beautiful equestri- an trails Ontario has to offer! Please forward your photos to kkrkelly@xplornet.com Include the where, when, and who details as well. Please no photos from out- side the province.


NRE & UCEA


Combine for Grape &


Wine Parade Entry


By Debi Katsmar,


Some will say we conquered the David Thompson Trail and others will say we survived it. We joked as we began our trail ride/bush-wacking mission about being the modern day “Magnificent Seven,” but the seven were our equine partners, Cheeky, Percy, Levi, Terry, Cricket, a mule named Cow and Henry, the Wonder Pony Mule. I will always refer to the riders in the group that day as the “Significant Six,” comprised of five OTRA Board of Directors, Wendy, Jan, Shirley, Linda, myself, Karen and a VIP OTRA member, Hennie.


though, because every time there was a pause, she swung around to return the way we had already come. It became very evident that she is not herd bound. The problem is, I am! In the afternoon, after hours of bush-wacking we were past the half way point of the approximately 21 km. trail. As a group we decided to forge on instead of turning back, as we were sure we had to be close to breaking through the path (wrong!).


The mission was to ride the complete circle of the David Thompson Trail and remove what I thought would be a few


Now you might not sus- pect this but each group mem- ber brought their own unique skills and talents to the task. I think we should sign Wendy up for the Lumberjack Olympics. Her agility climbing, swinging,


showing up with different weapons in the form of hand saws and would tackle any size of tree or limb that was in the way with a vengeance. Hennie, who proved despite her small stature that she is very strong also sawed, lifted, dragged debris endlessly and had energy to spare. Shirley and Linda held and ponied our horses when needed and served as “lookouts.” It was Shirley who noticed the butt of my horse disappearing down the railway tracks. Cricket had untied the quick release knot from a tree and was headed back to camp when I caught up to her. The day wore on and we knew it was going to be late when we returned to camp. As


check the cleanliness or colour. So all you guys out there can relax about laundry accidents that result in pink underwear! We also learned that it is okay to trail ride in a thong (for medicinal purposes only) and that in the past, padding held in place with duct tape has been used to cover a wound on ones butt. Red Green would be proud!


We learned by experience that we could stay in the saddle and lope down steep hills faster than coming up them when bees are on your tail. Unfortunately for Linda, her young horse Levi bravely chose to stand and fight the bees instead of engaging the flight instinct, when Linda very much wanted to get out of


sun is setting, the Algonquin trails look much different and led the trail bosses to briefly question the quickest way to camp. At this point I wanted to crap my pants regardless what colour they were. Once close to camp however, Cow had already put his gait into “road- gear” dragging Henry and the chain saw along with him, and the rest of the horses decided to try to keep up. Again, my horse would swing and sidepass at a trot to glance behind her, in case grumpy descendants of Bullwinkle, Yogi or Wylie Coyote were thinking we might be a supper picnic basket. In the end, ten hours after leaving camp we returned tired, safe and sound and triumphant!


The last Saturday of September in St. Catharines is always a fun day for the chil- dren and young at heart. This is the day of the Grape and Wine Parade, the final hoorah for the Niagara Wine Festival that has been such a popular series of events for many years. This year it was no different. Niagara Regional Exhibi-


tion entered a float with mem- bers of the Upper Canada Equestrian Association bring- ing up the rear of the float on horseback. The children love seeing the horses in the parade with loud oohs, aahs and pee- uuu's when the horses leave something behind on the road. The manure scoopers get just as many cheers.The riders themselves - well they just love showing off their horses and waving and talking with the crowd.


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