Competitive Trail Riding

Two organizations I know of, I'm sure there are more:
NATRC - North American Trail Ride Conference - www.natrc5.org  for Region 5.
ACTHA - American Competitive Trail Horse Association - www.actha.us

Having never participated in an ACTHA ride, I cannot say anything about them.  I do hope to get to ride in the Broadview Ranch ride this year.  I'm not sure how many rides they have close enough for me.

I have been fortunate enough to compete in a few NATRC rides and highly recommend these.  Let me get the fine-print-disclaimer out of the way up front.  They are not cheap.  It will require a significant investment of

Riding and Camping Checklist

Always a work-in-progress!

Necessities:
Horse
Saddle / Girth
Pad / Blanket
Bridle

Elk Garden to Fox Creek 08.14.10 ~18 miles

Left Elk Garden parking lot on VHHT to intersection with Crest trail (99), 4.1m.

Crest trail to VH Connector Trail (100) ~2.5m --partial is VHHT, VH Connector Trail @ gate, right goes thru Park, usually lots of ponies here.

Iron Mt Ride 11.21.10 8.4 mi

Rode from Fox Creek north (Rt. 741) up to VHHT, ~less than .75 mile.  Left on VHHT, crossing the road twice before turning west toward Hurricane Mt.  Trail opens onto FS 828 on Flat Top Mt.  Right on FS road for little over .5 mile.  Left off the road, back onto trail toward Cherry Tree Shelter, about .3 miles to Shelter.  Southeast on Iron Mt Trail from the Shelter back down the mountain, paralleling the FS road most of the way.  Once at the bottom, the trail parallels Rt. 603 back to Fox Creek.

View from Cherry Tree Shelter, looking down Iron Mt. trail toward Fox Creek Camp.

Map of the ride.  Red and Blue are two different GPS files to make up the complete loop.  Experimenting with devices.
Participants:
Kim, Kim, Deb, Deb, Walker; Gus, Nic, Clem, TLH, Frisco.

Pond Mountain Ride 05.01.10

Riding on Pond Mt. Start at Gentry Creek. Can loop down ATV road onto Hawkins Rd, ride pavement on Hawkins, Sugar Creek, Gentry Creek back to trailer. 05.01.10 did loop, not going ALL way up, 8.4 miles, max altitude 4500'. Everett, Debra, Jay, me. Suspect "top" field at 36.5, -81.7.


Google Map of the Pond Mt ride.