Affiliate News COMPETITIVE TRAIL NEWS IN THE SW New Locations for Trail Challenges The Texas Trail Challenge Club


(TTCC) is offering two new ride loca- tions in its Spring calendar. The Tar- rant Ranch ride will be held April 22-23 in Bullard, Texas. It has been several years since TTCC has been to Tarrant Ranch, one of the few proper- ties in Texas that has been under con- tinuous ownership and management by members of the same family for more than 160 years. With more than 50 miles of marked trails, the terrain features hills, creeks, forests and wide open spaces and is barefoot friendly. Another private ranch in South


Texas, the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch, will host a TTC ride May 6-7


in Smiley. This ranch has been in the family for more than 160 years, too. The Lazy F Ranch offers more than 75 miles of horse and wagon trails surrounded by oak, pecan and other hardwood forests. Many of the winding creek trails are hung with Spanish moss. Barefoot friendly, this ranch has diverse ter- rain over its 2500 acres. To register for any of these


rides, or for additional information, go online to texastrailchallenge- club.com and click on “Events”. You can choose to ride one or two days at various competitive levels. w


Special Olympians of Gatesville Stars of NATRC CTR Their smiles were contagious at


the Raising the Bar Competitive Trail Ride at C-Bar Ranch in Valley Mills, Texas on March 18-19. Several young and motivated members of the Gatesville Special Olympics team as- sisted volunteers at pulse and respira- tion checkpoints at this ride that benefitted their program. Handing out water to the com-


petitors, the Special Olympians were out on the actual trail, several miles from parking lots and pavement. “We are trying to purchase the


necessary safety equipment for our Gatesville kids to have an equestrian Special Olympics team in the future,” said ride manager Alice Perryman, who with husband Michael volun- teers in the existing program. “The kids just love the horses and were so excited to come and take part in this competitive trail ride, even if it meant sitting alongside the trail in their wheelchairs and watching.” More than 25 horse and rider


teams competed at the event through- out the weekend under bright, sunny skies. Many competitors brought their horses up to the children to let the


horses be touched and stroked. “It was so gratifying to see the wonder on a young


man’s face when he could listen to my horse’s heartbeat though a stethoscope,” said Elaine Swiss, one of the com- petitors. “The head NATRC volunteer found the heartbeat first and then put the earpieces to the boy’s ears.” Most NATRC events benefit non-profits throughout


the Southwest. The next ride on the calendar will be held at Pole Canyon in Quitaque, Texas on April 8-9, followed by one at Tarrant Ranch in Bullard, Texas on April 29-30. w


April 2017 SouthWest Horse Trader 33


Optical Harmonics


Optical Harmonics


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