What a beautiful weekend Mother Nature provided for riders at Windridge Farm. The day started off a little foggy but cleared up by ride time. When one can rinse off their mount after a ride, it’s a nice day!

Without permission from landowners, many of these trails would not be shared for riders’ pleasure. Many thanks go to Melvin (Junior) Arrowood, Allen Carlton, Alicia and David Henderson, Jana Johnson, Phillips and Shayla Reynolds, Gail and Terry Webb, and Dr. Wylie.

To make a Hunter Pace happen, there are many behind the scene activities. The trails must be cleared and checked for any unsafe issues. It was appreciated that many of the stumps were painted white or orange. There were white arrows sprayed on the ground at certain points to keep riders heading in the right direction. Kudos to whoever thought of that! There were also yellow signs with black arrows at certain junctures. Riders were advised by the timers to follow the pink ribbons on the right side of the trails. All in all, the trails were beautifully marked. Many thanks go to Allen Carlton, Avery Carlton, Daia Conner, Genevieve Carlton, Jeff Davis, Paul Downes, David Henderson, Susie McKinney, Cynthia Thomas, and Ricky Thomas.

The trails ridden were 8.3 miles and took riders through the woods, past the Dressage Arena, and out onto the Cross-Country Course. Riders had the opportunity to take jumps at their leisure. After winding through the Cross-Country field, riders crossed the road and continued on. There were volunteers at the road to ensure rider safety in crossing. After the road crossing there were several water crossings to negotiate, but there was no report on any issues with them. Rider comments upon finishing the ride were positive and that they had enjoyed the ride.

The wonderful smells from lunch being grilled enticed riders coming in from the trails (or before heading out). The Windridge Farm folks served up delicious grilled chicken cutlets, green beans, and mashed sweet potatoes, with tea or soda and chocolate chip cookies for desert!

There was a good turnout on this beautiful day. There were 67 riders in 34 teams.

Now, let’s get to those results!

There was a total of 36 riders in 18 teams in the Field Hunter Division. The Optimum time for the Field Hunters was one hour and ten minutes.

Amy Christensen from Landrum and Rich Putnam from Tryon received First Place Honors with the time of one hour, 16 minutes, five seconds. There was a tie for the Second Place Slot. Marcia Headrick and Richard Neel from Townville were awarded Second Place with the time of one hour, 16 minutes, 50 seconds. Rebecca Tolson, also received the Second Place Red Ribbon with the time of one hour, 16 minutes, 50 seconds.

Fourth Place Honors were awarded to a duo from Pickens, Joy Griffin and Jessica Thomas. Their time was one hour, 17 minutes. The Fifth Place Pink Ribbon was awarded to a pair from Tryon, Mary Livesay and Barb DePalma with the time of one hour, 19 minutes, 40 seconds. Rounding out the placements in the Field Hunter Division in Six Place with a time of one hour, 20 minutes, 15 seconds was Jessica Ames from Asheville, Karolin Eichler and Gabrielle Grubic from Rock Hill, and Sara Jackson.

Other Field Hunters enjoying the beautiful weather and trails were Amanda Aiello, Irene Backer, Lydia Cox, Alyssa Davidson, Nicola Deines, Jutta Echevarria, Elizabeth Galloway, Tim Giles, Christina Goen, Beth Goldizen, Stacy Guerra, Susan Haslam, Laura James, Reiss McKinney, Emily Mitchell, Paula Nguyen, Mary Oliphant, Arden Pierce, Lina Plummer, Daniel Short, and Emily Thomas.

In the Trail Rider Division there were 31 riders in 16 teams. The Calculated Optimum Time was two hours, 12 minutes, 38 seconds.

Let’s get to those results!

First Place Honors were awarded to the ever-present duo of Lynn Fitch from Taylors, and Debbie Knebel from Greer with a time of two hours, 13 minutes, two seconds. Another duo, Caren Harris from Candler and Diane Wilson from Asheville nabbed the Second Place Red Ribbon with a time of two hours, 13 minutes, 30 seconds. Less than ten seconds behind with a time of two hours, 13 minutes, 38 seconds, Charla Draper from Chapin and Lori Kunkel from Newberry were awarded the Third Place Yellow Ribbon.

Erin Fletcher and Forrest Samuels from Asheville received Fourth Place Honors with a time of two hours, 11 minutes, 30 seconds. Fifth Place was awarded to the trio of Llyn Josef from Columbus, Jennifer Smith from Simpsonville, and Molly Watson from Landrum. Their time was two hours, nine minutes, six seconds. Rounding out the Trail Rider Division for Sixth Place was Mary Beth Herbert and Peggy Horton, both from Tryon, with the time of two hours, four minutes, 54 seconds.

Other Trail Riders out in the woods and fields and enjoying the day were Margo Barrett, Missy Bright, Darlene Bullock, Julie Frederick, Elaine and Michaela Hughes, Nikki Hynes, Carla and Syndey Langley, Ronnie Mann, Karim Shihata, Annette Spencer, Lisa Trojan, Stacie Wadsworth, Dan, Kay, and Laura Wellbaum, and Sherry Wyatt.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Eric and Trayce-Doubek Dierks. Eric was involved in a very serious accident, getting kicked in the face by a mare. He has since had surgery and is recovering.

The Western Carolina Hunter Pace Series is taking time off for the holiday season. But, when the 2018 calendar rolls around, Clemson is the next stop! The SC Upstate Equine Council Hunter Pace and Trail Ride is coming up on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 with the rain date being Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018.

To save some time and crowds at the Registration Tables, download the Registration Forms from the Western Carolina Hunter Pace website for the specific event and slap a return address label on it including your emergency contact and email to insure you can be contacted. Some forms don’t have a spot for an address but go ahead and write it somewhere on the form or use the aforementioned label to ensure they can get you the ribbon you might earn!

Check the website at www.wchpace.org for upcoming events, changes, and to view your photos taken by photographer Lou Smith. With the weather being so unpredictable here of late, rain dates are in place in case a postponement is needed.

Have a safe and wonderful Holiday Season and see you on the trails next time!

• Written by Missy Bright

Western Carolina Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series
Series Standings at Dec. 10, 2017

After seven of the possible 16 scheduled events of the 2017-18 Western Carolina Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series, there are ties all down the line, leaving the current standings as follows:

Total # Riders: 382

Field Hunters: 144

Marcia Headrick & Rich Neel are holding their lead with 35 Series points at this time.

Amy Christensen is close behind to Second with 32 points.

Amanda Aiello, Nicola Deines and Rebecca Tolson have 26 points each for a tie in Third Place.

Debbie Croft is in Fourth with 25 points earned at this time.

Susan Haslam and Mary Livesay currently have 22 points to put them in Fifth Place.

Christina Goen and Emily Mitchell are in Sixth Place at this writing with 21 points each.

Lisa Clements is in Seventh with 20 points at this writing.

Linda Plummer has moved into Eighth Place with 18 Series points to date.

Holly Bacola and Beth Goldizen are tied in Ninth Place with 17 points earned.

Shannon Jackson has 15 points to date to put her in Tenth.

Barb DiPalma has earned 14 Series points at this writing.

Richard Putnam has an accumulation of 13 points to date.

Anita Crouse, Diane Hicks and Danielle Lamb are currently tied with 12 Series points apiece.

Kristen Brown, Joy Griffin, Jennifer R Smith and Jessica Thomas are tied with 11 points each at this time.

Karen Brockway, Nancy Mason Reiss McKinney and TJ Vore have earned ten points apeice.

Susannah Cord, Jutta Echevarria, Amanda McDonald, Dorothea Mercer, and Erin O’Dwyer have each earned nine Series points to date.

Pam Burrows, Tim Giles, Amelia Nowicki, and J Rutlege have each earned eight points at this writing.

Mike Bass, Kinsey Jamerson and Hyland Sheffron have accumulated seven Series points apiece to date.

Karolin Eichler, Gabrielle Grubic, Sara Jackson, Molly Nowicki and Faith Wanicka have each earned six points at this time.

Pam Hilsman, Janine & Tom Stenson each have five points earned at this writing.

Jessica Ames, Mike & Roberta Axelrod, Irene Backer, Baiba Bourbeau, Candice Carr, Lydia Cox, Stephanie Easler, Caprice & Carla Fullam, Elizabeth Galloway, Susan Haldeman, Beatrice Lamb, Carol Land, Elizabeth Love, Sadie Mann, Karen Merrill, Stephanie O’Neill, Arden Pierce, Maddie Rogers, Daniel Short, Sara Sinno, Teresa Snyder, Brandon Spencer, and Stephanie Wanicka have a current accumulation of four Series points apiece.

Anna Dalton and Ann Fratcher have three points each.

Two Completion points earned at this time by: Lisa Baugh, Jared Beasley, Sara Borkosky, Samantha Cason, Melissa Champion, Caroline Coates, Julie Cook-Walker, Mary Cullens, Alyssa Davidson, Leslie Davies, Alice Debbs, Katya Engalichen, Julie Frederick, Eliza & Emelia Fredrick, Amy Gantt, Jennifer Gruhn, Stacy Guerra, Martha Hall, Kelly Hart, Rebecca Hedges, Desiree Hill, Lucy Hooper, Molly Hunt, Laura James, Donald S Jefferis, Dawn Kennedy, Olivia Kuo, Sydney Langley, Meghan Linder, Kaiya Mann, Roy D McMillan, Tess McNally, Sydney Miles, Catherine Mooneyham, Claire Moore, Connie Moore, Kay Mott, Cheryl & Stagg Newman, Paula Nguen, Mary Oliphant, Lyn & Ted Owen, Neil Parnes, Harold Pfeiffer, Jane Patten Polk, Monique Ravesloot, Sylvia Riaale, Diane Roemer, Elise Rogers, Trinity Ross, K.C. Scott, Peter Shanahan, Bailey Sheehan-Watson, Emma Skelton, Jenny Taylor, Emily  Thomas, Heidi & Tom Trull, Jari Walther, Felicia Wichtman, Lisa & Shane Woodson and Sanders Wyatt.

Bryan & Melanie Baire and Catherine Gillet have each earned one Series point to date.

Trail Riders: 238

Nikki Hynes and Jennifer Smith are currently tied for the lead with 25 Series points.

Llyn Josef has moved up and into Second Place with 24 Series points.

Darleen Bullock, Lynn Fitch and Debbie Knebel are currently tied in Third with 23 points.

Molly Watson is in Fourth Place with 22 points at this time.

DeAnna Norton and Diane Wilson are currently tied in Fifth with 21 Series points to date.

Lori Kunkel has Sixth Place with 20 points at this writing.

Ronnie Mann is in Seventh with a current count of 17 points.

Missy Bright has jumped up into Eighth with 16 Series points to date.

Michelle Drum, Erin Fletcher and Forrest Samuels are currently tied in Ninth Place with 15 points earned apiece.

Kristin Hiller Ahlum, Val DeVine, Laura Hendley, Arlene Lulavage, and Bobby Turner are in Tenth Place at this writing with 13 Series Points each.

Peggy Horton and Sherry Wyatt are tied at this time with 12 points apiece.

Ciara DeNardo and Connie Moore have earned ten points to date.

Susannah Birch, Linda & Wayne Farris, Elizabeth Gregory, Emily Northey, Gene Pitts, Jerah Sowinski, Greenlee & William Taylor and Lacy Westle have each earned nine points to date.

Lisa Alford, Chloe Bosshard, Julie Frederick, Caren Harris, Kathy Knutson, Lin Martin, Mitzi Mayhew, Nicole Mills, Paula Moore, Debora Pearl, Kim Randall, Annette Spencer, Jenna Stutts, Lisa Trojan, Stacie Wadsworth, and Nancy Wiggins have earned eight Series points apiece.

Tara Boyce, Andrea Davis, Charla Draper, Suess Fraser, Susie Justus Hill, Gena Meredith, Cynthia Milligan, Meaghan Morris, Sandy Rhodes, Jan Smith, and Jess Wright have each earned seven Series points at this time.

Sharon Capps, Kathy Davis, Sandra Hyder, Karim Shihata, Melissa VanDoren, Emily Wampler, and Jennifer Wilson have six points each at this time.

Nicole Aguilar, Caroline Coates, Lisa Kotallik, and Kathleen Nebel have five Series points to date.

Brittany Annis, Gail Bolt, Cam Brandon, Cheyenne Davis, Jill Davis, Kevin Ester, Rita Garrison, Mary Beth Herbert, Skylar Hill, Elaine & Michaela Hughes, Grace Karegeannes, Nancy Klouda, Reiss McKinney, Reed & Roanne McNutt, Mallie Merck, Amy Mims, Barb Oklesen, Reuben Parton, Josie Thompson, Jillian Wodridge, and Glenda Wolf, have each earned four points apiece at this writing.

Maddie Brown, Kimberly Hannu, Debra Kennerly, and Samantha Seay each have a current count of three Series points.

Two Series points each have been earned by: Jeremy Ahlum, Korie Albright, Jordan Anderson, Zane Annis, Auburn Bailey, Margo Barrett, Katelyn Bearden, Karen Benson, Matt Boles, Chris Bonary, Alexis Botchie, Baiba Bourbeau, Marcia Bowen, Tammi Bruning, Jeanie Burrell, Pam Burrows, Elizabeth & Grace Caldwell, Kelly Cannon, Sheila Coppersmith, Debbie Craycraft, Natalie Crombie, Benay Daniel, Kat Dooley, Katheryn Eilders, Amanda Fisher, Sherry Garnes, Terra Garrison, Andrea Gentry, Kayla Gonzalez, Joy Griffin, Jennifer & Kathryn Gruhn, Susan Haldeman, Clara Hale, Paula Hammond, Cindy Hansult, Harper Hockaday, Lucy Hooper, Ann & Tony Hubbuch, Sandra Hunter, Patricia Iacomini, Kinsey Jamerson, Lori James, Ginny Jennings, Brandy Johnston, Ann Jordan, Jen & Kate Keilman, Claire Kennedy, Cathy Kirkland, Lydia Kolbas, Beatrice Lamb, Danielle Lamb, Carla & Sydney Langley, Yara LaPointe, Janet Leatherwood, Rhonda Lewis, Geraldine u/d Mark, Kristen McAuster, Amanda McDonald, Bridget Mercer, Karen Merrill, Sydney Miles, Marianne Moore, Jessica Nelson, Rachel O’Brien, Erin O’Dwyer, Anna Oglesby, Ashley Outlaw, Beverly Ozmon, Amy Palmer, Neil Parnes, Nancy Patterson, Elizabeth Peacock, Ditte Phillips, Boots Plyler, Jane Patten Polk, Valerie Quinn, Taylor Reed, Janna Ritacco, Jaime Robertson, Sally Rock, Diane Roemer, Leslie Scott, Johnna Sharp, Leslie Shealy, Hyland Sheffron, Teresa Snyder, Kayla Stacy, Paula Stathakis, Suzanne Stettler, Shelby Stewart, Yasmin Straitiff, Kristi Suber, Ivey Sumrell, Sydney Swenson, David & Donna Taylor, Emily Thomas, Jessica Thomas, Michelle Townsend, Christy Anne Traylor, Jennifer Trilli, Heidi Trull, Joseph Vasquez, Susan Wallahora, Di Wang, Dan, Kay & Laura Wellbaum, Laurie Whitaker, Tracie Williams, Carolina & Robin Wilson, Maxine Winesett, Kris Wynne, and Mary-Ladd Yatts-Yonkman.

One point apiece has been earned to date by Julie Alexander, Janet Cummings, Bob & Terri Davenport, Karinn Delap, Jennifer Evans, John Hicks, Kristen Hughes, Cindy King, Beth & Craig Looper, Denise Ritacco, C.R. & Carol Stanley, and Janet & Alexander Stone.

We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events. Mark your calendars and ride with us when the Series picks back up after a break for the Christmas Holidays.

Events will start again on Saturday, Jan. 6 with the SC Upstate Equine Council at Clemson, followed by The Foothills Riding Club’s Inaugural Hunter Pace on Saturday, Feb. 3, and the new Cannon Equine’s Ride for the Rowleys to help fellow equestrians after the devastation in Florida scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 18. The Series will continue straight through May, so be sure to check the schedule and come play with us!

Always remember to check WCHPace.org for all upcoming events, news, articles, photos, placements and contact information.

Thank you to our photographer, Lou Smith, for being 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.

For information on the Western Carolina Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series e-mail series coordinator, Jan Smith at WCHPace@Windstream.net through the website, or call Jan at 828-863-4713.

• Reported by Jan Smith