Richard Rowland wrote:
So, you're an accomplished equestrian! Good to know. Perhaps we've met. In 1990 my wife and I signed up for our first of a dozen years on the annual "River City Trail Ride." Have you ever heard of, or participated in that ride? That year, it left Indianola, Iowa. Destination: Omaha, Nebraska.
Like I said, we participated for twelve years straight. Shit, I don't remember for sure, but I think it was held in September. It departed from different locations over the years, but Omaha was always the destination.
There was some type of celebration taking place in Omaha that coincided with the rides. I use the term rides, for not only was there the ride we were on but there where I think two others, one coming from the north and one coming from the west. We, of course, were the ride coming in from the east.
One of the major newspapers in Omaha, when newspapers were making money, sponsored the rides. It hardly cost anything to participate, plus two meals where provided. The first couple of years there was close to a couple hundred riders.
As we moved across Iowa, we would hold up for the night at county fairgrounds. The route west was a little north of I-80. The first few years were great, you'd get up, get the horses ready, and move out.
There were folks there that would shuttle your trailer to the next stop, these folks would come just to move trailers. However, for some reason, that policy was nixed. After they quit moving trailers, you would have to get up, get the horses ready, move the trailer to the next layover, and ride a bus, provided for this service, back to where the horses were. That sort of took some of the shine off of the experience.
All things come to an end eventually, and this ride was no exception. The last couple of years, things begin to change, the newspaper due to changing times that affected their profits, had ceased to sponsor the rides, some of the die-hards attempted to keep it going, but it wasn't the same.
However, we met some friends on the ride that we still do horse things with. In October a bunch of us get together and spend a week at a horse camp, usually in Missouri. Perhaps you'd like to join us sometime, always room for one more.
So, you're an accomplished equestrian! Good to kno... (
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Sounds like we one thing in common Richard. Horses...... we use to go on trail rides down in Tama, up in MN and down in Hampton. We belonged to a club called the Seneca saddle Club up here. Our horse barn at home had air conditioning before our house did. We had 49 registered Quarter horses. My mom was a registered Quarter horse judge. So needless to say we traveled all over the US in the summer to horse shows and rodeos. My 2 uncle's were rodeo clowns. What a great way to grow up. I loved it.
We had one of the few Tiger Dunns in the US at the time. I think there were only 7 then.
Good memories...and all surrounded horses.
I'd take u up on joining that ride. Sounds like it would be great fun.....