What a great day for a Hunter Pace!

The Foothills Riding Club’s Inaugural Hunter Pace was a class act. The signage leading in to camp was awesome. There was no mistaking in where to go with the big yellow arrows.

Dawn, Molly, and Pete Gutowski were on hand to handle parking. They expertly guided rigs in and out of the parking areas. Those who cleared the trails are to be commended. They did a wonderful job.

Again, yellow arrows marked the way along with the red ribbons. The trails were awesome. There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get these trails cut, cleared, and set up so well. The trails were magnificent and there were many photo ops available.

The trail was 6.5 miles. There were no road crossings but there were plenty of creek crossings with beautiful wooden bridges. The last obstacle on the course was the water crossing near the finish line. It was an easy crossing with clear cool water flowing freely thru.

Some horses, however preferred to walk or play in the water for a while.

Special thanks go to Gerry and Sara Zordan, the landowners for this Hunter Pace. What a gorgeous venue. Gerry was the course designer as well.

KC Betzel, Carole Foster, Sally Herring, and Robin Hnat were on hand to manage the registration table, ensuring all the paperwork was filled out correctly and Coggins were shown. No strings necessary with the nice number that could be clipped to the headstalls.

Joey Cabaniss was the timer for the day with the help of Jan Smith and Dana Zygmont. As always, Joey gets the riders on their way with a little humor and a promise to “leave the light on for you!

The Check Point was located at the end of one of the many pastures. Rebecca Brown, Susan Faulkner and daughters, Virginia Maclure and Megan McCoy were on hand for the mandatory three-minute stop. Riders were offered a nice cold beverage.  There was a nice big rock for remounts if needed.

Last but certainly not least is the coordinator/organizer, Jillian Woolridge. She took the helm on this event and ran with it. She was certainly available for calls and texts beforehand.

Once again, Foothills Mountain Barbeque outdid themselves. They served up a hot meal of barbecue chicken or pork, sandwiches, and cookies. There was a vegetarian option and cold drinks were available for riders as well.

What a pleasure it was to ride on this beautiful land. The day started out very cold but with hand and body warmers, gloves, tall boots and a winter helmet cover all was good in the world. Oh, and let’s not forget the thermal under-roos.

Those Brave Hearts just keep showing up with a scattering of trailers coming in right through lunch. It was super to see so many trailers there but there was plenty of room for more.

Despite the cold weather, there were 57 riders in 28 teams.

Now, let’s get to those results.

There was a total of 24 riders in 14 teams in the Field Hunter Division. The Optimum Time was one hour, six minutes.

First-place honorees are the duo of Marcia Headrick and Richard Neel, or Townville, with the time of one hour, two minutes, 31 seconds. Just three seconds out of the first place was Rebecca Tolson, from Pendleton, nabbed the second place red ribbon, with the time of one hour, two minutes, 28 seconds. Coming in third place was Debbie Croft, or Anderson with a time of one hour, two minutes, 27 seconds. Fourth place was awarded to solo rider Pam Burrows of Spartanburg with the time of one hour, 41 seconds. Another solo rider, Linda Plummer from Clover placed Fifth with the time of one hour, two seconds. Rounding out the placements in the Field Hunter Division is the Rock Hill duo of Karolin Eichler and Gabby Gribic,  winning sixth place with a time of 58 minutes, 39 seconds.

Other Field Hunters out on the trail were Tiffany Aurelt, Tim Giles, Christina Goen, Joy Griffin, Susan Haslam, Emily Mitchell, Kaitlyn and Shawna Owen, Jane Polk, Allison Rhyne, Brandon Spencer, Lisa Steele, Donna Thomas, Jessica Thomas, Samantha Vaughn and Jacqueline Wansiewski.

In the Trail Rider Division there were 33 riders in 14 teams. The Calculated Optimum Time was one hour, 44 minutes, 45 seconds.

Here are the results:

First Place Honors were awarded to Boots Plyler from Greenville and Cheryl Thorp from Pickens with the time of one hour, 43 minutes, 55 seconds.  Coming in Second Place was the Greenville, Tennessee duo of Darlene Bullock and Nikki Hynes with a time of one hour, 46 minutes, 43 seconds.  The Third Place Yellow Ribbon went to Jeremy and Kristin Ahlum from Greer and Jaclyn McElhaney from Waxhaw with a time of one hour, 42 minutes, 44 seconds. Fourth Place was awarded to Missy Bright from Campobello and Ronnie Mann from Columbus with the time of one hour, 40 minutes, 49 seconds. The Fifth Place Pink Ribbon was awarded to the quartet of Janet Burzlaff and Barb Oklesen, both from Tryon, Leslie Shealy from Spartanburg, and Melissa Van Doren from Landrum. Their time was one hour, 51 minutes, one second. Rounding out the placements in the Trail Rider Division, Kristen Brown from Spartanburg placed Sixth with the time of one hour, 54 minutes, 18 seconds.

Other Brave Hearts out on the Trails were Ashley Autrey, Vicki Bertsch, Anthony Cone, Bob and Terri Davenport, Lynn Fitch, Debbie Knebel, Hannah and Sarah McClintock, Marianne Moore, Karyn Owen, Laurel Pyatt, Nathan Rabensteine, Taylor Reed, Diane Roemer, Cindy Smith, Jennifer Smith, Jennifer Trilk and Dawn Ware.

Next up for the Western Carolina Hunter Pace is the Cannon Equine – Ride for the Rowleys to be held on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018,  at the beautiful Camp Croft State Park in Spartanburg County. The rain date will be the following weekend, Sunday, Feb. 25, 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!

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 of a postponement.

– Submitted by Missy Bright

Western Carolina Hunter Pace and Trail Ride Series Series Standings from Feb. 7

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

Total # Riders:        413

Field Hunters:          159

• Marcia Headrick & Rich Neel continue to extended their lead with 53 Series points at this writing.
• Debbie Croft has moved up into Second with 38 points earned at this time.
• Rebecca Tolson has moved up into Third with a current count of 34 Series points.
• Amy Christensen is in Fourth Place with 32 points to date.
• Amanda Aiello & Nicola Deines have 30 points apiece for Fifth Place.
• Linda Plummer has moved up into Sixth with an accumulation of 27 Series points.
• Beth Goldizen is currently in Seventh with 26 Series points.
• Christina Goen and Emily Mitchell are in Eighth Place at this writing with 25 points each.
• Susan Haslam is in Ninth Place with 24 points earned to date.
• Mary Livesay is currently in Tenth with 22 points.
• Lisa Clements and Richard Putnam are currently tied with 20 points at this writing.
• Holly Bacola has earned 17 points to date.
• Joy Griffin, Shannon Jackson and Jessica Thomas have 15 points apiece to date.
• Pam Burrows & Barb DiPalma have earned 14 Series points at this writing.
• each have an accumulation of 13 points to date.
• Anita Crouse, Diane Hicks and Danielle Lamb are currently tied with 12 Series points apiece.
• Kristen Brown & Jennifer R Smith have earned 11 points each at this time.
• Karen Brockway, Karolin Eichler, Tim Giles, Nancy Mason, Reiss McKinney and TJ Vore have earned ten points apiece.
• Susannah Cord, Jutta Echevarria, Amanda McDonald, Dorothea Mercer, and Erin O’Dwyer have each earned nine Series points to date.
• 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.
• Gabrielle Grubic, Sara Jackson, Karen Merrill, Molly Nowicki, Teresa Snyder, Brandon Spencer, and Faith Wanicka have each earned six points at this time.
• Pam Hilsman, Janine & Tom Stenson, and Tara & Terry Wyatt 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, Gabby Gribic, Susan Haldeman, Beatrice Lamb, Carol Land, Elizabeth Love, Sadie Mann, Stephanie O’Neill, Arden Pierce, Jane Patten Polk, Maddie Rogers, Daniel Short, Sara Sinno, 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: Tiffany Aurelt, 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, Kate Fosberry, 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, Maria Oglesby, Mary Oliphant, Kaitlyn & Shawna Owen, Lyn & Ted Owen, Natalie Owens, Neil Parnes, Harold Pfeiffer, Monique Ravesloot, Allison Rhyne, Sylvia Riaale, Diane Roemer, Elise Rogers, Trinity Ross, K.C. Scott, Peter Shanahan, Bailey Sheehan-Watson, Emma Skelton, Lisa Steele, Jenny Taylor, Donna Thomas, Emily Thomas, Heidi & Tom Trull, Samantha Vaugh, Jari Walther, Jacqueline Wasniewski, Courtney Weeks, Felicia Wichtman, Lisa & Shane Woodson and Sanders Wyatt.
• Bryan & Melanie Baire and Catherine Gillet have each earned one Series point to date.

Trail Riders:       254

• Jennifer Smith is holding the lead with 36 Series points earned to date.
• Lynn Fitch, Nikki Hynes & Debbie Knebel are currently tied in Second place with 33 points at this writing.
• Darleen Bullock has moved into Third with 31 Series points.
• Ronnie Mann has moved up into Fourth Place with 28 points at this time.
• Missy Bright is close behind with 27 points for Fifth place.
• Llyn Josef is in Sixth with 24 points to date.
• Molly Watson is in Seventh Place with 22 points at this time.
• DeAnna Norton and Diane Wilson are currently tied in Eighth with 21 Series points to date.
• Kristin Hiller Ahlum  and Lori Kunkel are tied in Ninth Place with 20 points at this writing.
• Michelle Drum, Erin Fletcher and Forrest Samuels are currently tied in Tenth Place with 15 points earned apiece.
• Valaria DeVine, Laura Hendley, Arlene Lulavage, and Bobby Turner are tied with 13 Series Points each.
• Peggy Horton and Sherry Wyatt are tied at this time with 12 points apiece.
• Boots Plyler and Melissa VanDoren have each earned 11 Series points to date.
• Ciara DeNardo, Kristen Hughes and Connie Moore have each earned ten points to date.
• Jeremy Ahlum, Susannah Birch, Linda & Wayne Farris, Elizabeth Gregory, Natalie Hyatt, Emily Northey, Barb Oklesen, Gene Pitts, Jerah Sowinski, Greenlee & William Taylor, Cheryl Thorp, and Lacy Westle have each earned nine points to date.
• Lisa Alford, Chloe Bosshard, Julie Frederick, Caren Harris, Kathy Knutson, Lin Martin, Mitzi Mayhew, Hannah & Sarah McClintock, Nicole Mills, Paula Moore, Debora Pearl, Kim Randall, Jan Smith, 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, Jaclyn McElhaney, Gena Meredith, Amy Meyer, Cynthia Milligan, Meaghan Morris, Sandy Rhodes, Leslie Shealy, and Jess Wright have each earned seven Series points at this time.
• Sharon Capps, Kathy Davis, Sandra Hyder, Karim Shihata, Emily Wampler, and Jennifer Wilson have six points each at this time.
• Nicole Aguilar, Janet Burzlaff, Caroline Coates, Bob & Terri Davenport, Lisa Kotallik, and Kathleen Nebel have five Series points to date.
• Brittany Annis, Gail Bolt, Cam Brandon, Kristen Brown, Cheyenne Davis, Jill Davis, Kevin Ester, Caprice & Carla Fullam, Rita Garrison, Mary Beth Herbert, Skylar Hill, Elaine & Michaela Hughes, Grace Karegeannes, Nancy Klouda, Reiss McKinney, Reed & Roanne McNutt, Mallie Merck, Amy Mims, Marianne Moore, Reuben Parton, Diane Roemer, Josie Thompson, Jillian Woolridge, and Glenda Wolf have each earned four points apiece at this writing.
• Maddie Brown, Kimberly Hannu, Debra Kennerly, Taylor Reed, Samantha Seay, and Jennifer Trilli each have a current count of three Series points.
• Two Series points each have been earned by: Korie Albright, Jordan Anderson, Zane Annis, Ashley Autrey, Auburn Bailey, Margo Barrett, Katelyn Bearden, Karen Benson, Vicki Bertysch, 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, Jessica Nelson, Rachel O’Brien, Erin O’Dwyer, Anna Oglesby, Ashley Outlaw, Karyn Owen, Beverly Ozmon, Amy Palmer, Neil Parnes, Nancy Patterson, Elizabeth Peacock, Ditte Phillips, Jane Patten Polk, Laurel Pyatt, Valerie Quinn, Janna Ritacco, Jaime Robertson, Sally Rock, Leslie Scott, Johnna Sharp, Hyland Sheffron, Cindy Smith, 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, Heidi Trull, Joseph Vasquez, Susan Wallahora, Di Wang, Dawn Ware, 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, Anthony Cone, Janet Cummings, Karinn Delap, Jennifer Evans, John Hicks, Cindy King, Beth & Craig Looper, Nathan Rabensteine, 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 as we move toward and eventually into spring.  The next event in the 2017-18 Series will be the new Cannon Equine’s Ride for the Rowleys to help fellow equestrians after the devastation in Florida scheduled for Sunday, February 18th. Next on the schedule will be the Windridge Farm’s Spring Hunter Pace & Trail Ride scheduled for Sunday, March 4^th and that will be followed on Sunday, March 18^th by the Green Creek Hounds Spring Hunter Pace. The Series will continue straight thru May, with our Year End Gathering & Awards in June, so be sure to check the schedule and come play with us!!

Always remember to check the website 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.  Hit “Store” on the website to view the pictures.  If you like, you can place an order online.

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

Reported by Jan Smith