2014 Spring Hunter Pace
Mint Meadows,Charlottesville,VA
June 7th, pictured here Max Olivas with Ebeth Brann
Photos by Rick Stillings, event reports see below
June 7th Farmington Hunter Pace has 119 riders!
Mint Meadows, June 7, 2014
From Nancy Howell, Organizer:
We must be doing something right because, first, we had gorgeous weather for our 2014 Summer Hunter Pace at Mint Meadows this year and second, we had tons of riders (119!!) show up to enjoy the beauty that is Albemarle County!
Let me first thank the land owners who give us the ability to enjoy this great country in all its glory by horseback. They are the backbone to any outside event we do and we could not do it without them. A huge thank you to Mary Scott and John Birdsall for the honor to hold this event every year at Mint Meadows. I also want to thank Wick and Carter McNeely, Anita Vere-Nicoll, Sally Garland and Allessandro Valmarana who, without their permission and generosity, we would never have been able to connect the dots and provide such a fantastic 7 mile Hunter Pace. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I could and would never even try to do this without volunteers. I am so lucky to have members who will give up their time and their chance to ride in the Hunter Pace (you know we all love to ride in the Hunter Paces!) so I want to thank Bonnie Hanks (who jetted back from her trip just to be at my registration table!), Bobbie Wells -my event guru, portable phone directory, all knowing and seeker of proper etiquette, and Paula Falk, who I love seeing at that registration table every year, I can count on her just like I can count on a sunrise.
Kip Holloway and Jim Finn got the busy job of being my starters/timers. They made it look easy but it can get very testy out there with all those horses chomping at the bit, getting the numbers, divisions, getting the order correct and then calling out the riders to get set. It is a lot of work. Then just as they can catch their breath, the riders start coming in! It is a busy day for them and I thank both Kip and Jim wholeheartedly for their patience and professionalism all day long.
The drinks were on Karen! She was a whirl of energy that morning bringing in 5 coolers with drinks a-plenty and loads of ice. She also started the water station on Ridge Rd. and was relieved by Bonnie Deatley and Joan Justine with her cuter-than-needed-to-be puppy Porter-Wags.
That beautiful planter of flowers on the food table was donated and arranged by Sally Garland, Jeni Galvin and Katie Sears. It really set the scene for the bounty of delicious food that multiple members kindly brought for the festive lunch after that amazing ride. I do not think there was a crumb left on that table. I will have to make adjustments next year for a fourth table of food!
I need to thank the multitude of FHC members who delivered that bountiful lunch:
In the Salad category: Marilee Lindbeck, Liz Uffelman, Martha Drum, Michelle Fultano, Jennifer Sulzberger, Bonnie DeAtley, Karen Bull and a nice assortment of fruit from Kristina Karr.
In the Sandwich/Frittata category: Marilee Lindbeck, Liz King and Nancy Howell and chips/bagels and dips from Lynne Stockton and Robin Ellis.
In the Dessert category: Meredith Bennett, Carol Ham, Jebb Cuthbert, Mary Quinn Martin, Liz King and Carolyn Brandt.
I want to thank Tommy, Julie and Matthew Cook who had the daunting task of putting up that tent!!! I don't think I could get ANY volunteers to put that darn tent up, so I really appreciate their hard work on not only putting it up but then having to turn around and take it down! But we really appreciate having a canopy for our command post and canteen-so to speak. Thank you!
Last, but not least, a huge thank you to Liz King, Carter McNeely and yours truly for blazing that trail! Liz is the trail marking guru if there ever was one! This woman knows her stuff and if anyone got lost , they were not paying attention! It took two long (4+ Hours) trail rides to get that done. It is not an easy thing to do! You have to have safe crossings, sometimes doubling back due to downed trees, making sure there are gates where needed, dealing with cows, deers, snakes (pour Daffodil!!). After all that then you start placing tapes and trying to think like you have never been there before so you can visualize what a rider will see and understand. It is hard!! But I WILL do it again next year... you betcha!
Thank you to all the riders who came out and enjoyed the day with us! You made it all worth while!
Nancy
Here are the results:
Hunter Division:
1. Allyson Louthan, Shelley Payne
2. Ebeth Brann, Mary Lofton
3. Tiffany Snell, Mandy Hafner, Tom Timmerman, Amanda Watson
4. Schuyler Hall, Hattie Carter
Pleasure Division:
1. Jenny Galvin and Katie Sears
2. Martha Drum, Kelly Van Scoter, Grace Culley, Ed Clark
3. Alice Muller, Barbara Culbert
4. Kelly Dryden, Renee Bourke
4. Lisa Busch, Jane Gatewood
Junior Division:
1. Lara Morris, Ginger Umstader, Libby Terell, Maggie Littnel
2. Erin Wiggens, Diane Hawkins, Jane Fogelman
3. Ella Foulds, MJ TImmerman
4. Lynne Gebhard, Wyatt Wilkerson
Congratulations. All first place winners received a certificate good for one cap fee for hunting with FHC or a free guest pass to a Walk and Talk trail ride this 2014/2015 season!
Rick Stillings Photos are available for purchase starting at just $2/image, they are really good, please click here to view them all.
