The fog from nearby Lake Hartwell lifted just in time for the sun to warm the scene at the Butch Kennedy Trailhead for the sixth Western Carolina Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series on Saturday, Nov. 20.

Participants rode through the thousands of acres of the Clemson Experimental Forests Fants Grove Trails. The forest is a working classroom for Clemson University. Along the way riders passed over many stout wooden horse bridges and through a few tiny creeks. The trail also passed near a stand of Moso bamboo, next to a natural stand of loblolly pines and other agricultural sites.

The Clemson Eventing Team members, clad in purple and orange team shirts were in attendance at all the tarmac road crossings. The team also had an assortment of homemade baked goodies for sale at the end of the ride.

Eventing members included at check in: Elisa Willems and Lauren Turner; timers: Hannah Gersbach and Catherine Wieters; bake sale table: Bethany Vawter; road crossings: Rachel Owens, Kori Manson, Maggie Cox, Sarah Reins, Morgan Conrad and Julie Prettyman; halfway point attendants: Maddy Varin and Amy Kaplan. Christina Kearse, Leah Ellison and Alana Rowman participated in planning for the event. Instead of ribbons the team acquired a number of donated prizes and gifts for those placing.

The field hunter trail used about 11 miles of the forest. The pace rider covered the trail in a blistering 1 hour 45 minutes and 20 seconds.

Closest to the optimum time were first place finishers Baiba Bourbeau of Tryon and Beatrice Lamb from Columbus, who were 21 minutes, five seconds off the pace. Second place went to Thomas Pluemper of Pelzer, SC, who was right behind with a ride time of two hours, seven minutes, 48 seconds.

The team of Jerry and Megan Alexander, Cammy Clifton and Makenzie Reynolds from Forest City were third at 22 minutes, 30 seconds off optimum.

Columbus residents Rhonda Lewis and Peter Shanahan came in fourth with a time that was 24 minutes, 31 seconds off the pace.

Riding in her first Western Carolina Hunter Pace, Kelsey Dickman of York came in fifth at 25 minutes, 6 seconds off the pace.

Rounding out the awards in sixth place were Tryon residents Duane and Harlene Harm, who were 36 minutes, 40 seconds off the pace.

The trail riders were able to experience about seven miles of the Clemson trails. The calculated optimum time was 2 hours 12 minutes and 53 seconds.

Linda Farris and Wayne Farris from York took first with a time that was only 47 seconds off the pace.

Second went to Victoria Bailey of Woodruff, Kelly Cannon and Carley White of Moore, and Morgan Smith from Spartanburg who were a scant 54 seconds under the optimum.

Third place went to Chris Britton, Peggy McMakin, both from Tryon, and Pat Parrish of Columbus at just 55 seconds under the optimum.

Kathy Bethka from Greenville and Stephanie Culberson from Fountain Inn earned fourth place with a time that was 1 minute, 39 seconds under the pace.

Fifth place went to Paula Anckersen from Long Cree and Gretchen Enright from Travelers Rest, who were 5 minutes 19 seconds over the pace.

Julie Bates, Cathy Proner, both from Pendleton, Brandy Gibson from Central and Cali Johnson of Fort Mill rounded up the awards in sixth place even though they had to make an unexpected stop to extract a boulder out of one of their horses shoes, with a ride time of 2 hours, 20 minutes, 34 seconds.

The next ride in the series, the last for 2010, will be held December 5, 2010 at the Biltmore Equestrian Center.

Events will continue straight through May with only a short break for the holidays, so be sure to check the schedule and come play with us. Check the website, www.WCHPace.org, for all upcoming events, news, articles, photos, placements and contact information.

Photographers Lou and Jan Smith are at every event to capture the riders and their mounts as they fly over jumps, canter through the fields and enjoy the beautiful area trails. Click on Photos on the website to view the pictures. You can place an order online.

For information on the Western Carolina Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series e-mail series coordinator Jan Smith at Jan@WCHPace.org or call Jan at 828-894-8760.