Hello everyone!
My name is Meredith Chamberlain and I am the trail ride manager for the Connecticut leg of the Guinness World Record attempt ride. On Sunday, June 13th riders all over the country will be mounting up and heading out on the trails in order to set a trail ride world record. Any member of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association who participates in one of their rides on the 13th of June will get their name in the record books and be a part of giving back to horse charities all over the country! So we are welcoming you to saddle up for our Connecticut leg of this monument us ride.
McCulloch Farm in Old Lyme, CT has generously offered their facilities and trails for the event. Mary Jean Vasiloff, owner of McCulloch Farm and the host of this ride, has been breeding her famous Whippoorwill Morgans for 65 years is an avid promoter of the Morgan Horse. She is opening up her farm for this event and all riders will be treated to her little slice of horse heaven. Riders will be able to enjoy their scenic trails that wind around manmade lakes and down the driveway which used to be a part of the old Benjamin Franklin Highway. The majority of the trail loop is on conservancy land so no participant will have to encounter any ATVs, dirt bikes, etc.
As always there will be 6 obstacles along the way to test the communication between you and your horse. At the end of the ride awards will be given to the 6 best riders in each division; open, pleasure, and junior. Prizes will also be awarded for best dressed western rider, best dressed English rider, and best groomed horse. A jackpot will be available for the open division of and all open riders wishing to participate please bring $20 to add to the pot. There will be 100% payout of the jackpot to riders. Also, the first 20 to register for this ride will be entered to win a grand prize (to be announced the day of the ride). We will also not be having a dog competition and ask that you please do not bring your dogs to the event.
Participants are welcome to come and stay the night before. Overnight check in will be between 6pm and 8:30pm and volunteers will be on hand to help you set up temporary pens for your horses to stay in overnight. There will be no electrical hook-ups available on the grounds but there will be access to water. Please let me know if you are planning on coming the night before and if so how many people (including non riders) who will be accompanying you. We would greatly appreciate to know how many non riders will be accompanying you on the day of the ride as well. All riders must be registered 2 days before the ride (Friday, June 11th) and must bring copy of a negative coggins and rabies vaccination with them to check-in the day of the ride. (We ask that you please bring copies of both documents for us to keep in our records)
Dinner will not be provided for those staying overnight but breakfast and lunch will be provided the next day for $5 - $10 to be paid directly to the concession stand. Free coffee will be available at 7:00am and breakfast will be ready by 8:00am. We ask that you please order the meals during registration online so we can have a rough estimate of the amount of food we need to prepare.
Please feel free to contact Mary Jean or myself with any questions. We hope to see you for this epic ride and will be in touch with you by phone shortly. Thank you for supporting the ACTHA and all the charities it helps!
Agenda:
Check-in Saturday evening (between 6pm - 8:30pm) or Sunday morning (starting at 7:00am)
Breakfast: 8:00am, free coffee will be available at 7:00am
Rider`s briefing: 9:00am
Ride out: 10:00am - 11:00am
Trail will take about 2 - 2 ½ hours, 6-7 miles
Lunch following the ride
Awards following lunch
Photographer:
There will be at least one photographer at the ride to take everyone`s pictures on trail. They will be available to talk to at the event about purchasing pictures.
- Entries limited to first 100.
- First 20 entries will be automatically entered to win a grand prize.
- Great prizes for 1st - 6th place Open/Pleasure/Junior divisions. Voluntary $20 jackpot for open division at check-in. Payout will be _________________________________________________
- Open, pleasure, junior, and buddy divisions. See the FAQ page for questions regarding the divisions.
Fees payable online:
- CTC entry fee - $58 pleasure/$58 open/$43 junior/$40 Adult buddy/$35 junior buddy
- New membership fee - $25 individual; $40 family of 2; $75 family of 4; additional horse - $10 ea.; additional rider - $10 ea.
Fees collected at check-in: meals
Breakfast - $ 5
Lunch - $ 10
THERE WILL BE NO CAMPING FEE , FREE PRIMITIVE CAMPING AND NO HORSE CAMPING FEE. NO STALLS AVAILABLE AT THIS RIDE
Additional contests will be:
Best dressed western rider/ english rider
Best groomed horse
DIRECTIONS TO OUR RIDE:
DIRECTIONS TO McCULLOCH FARM
100 Whippoorwill Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371
FROM THE SOUTH and WEST:
Take Exit 70 off I-95 North (immediately after the Baldwin Bridge). At bottom of
ramp, take left onto Rt 156, passing under the highway. At second light, take right onto
Hall Road (Rt 1 North). At third light (stone bridge to your right), take left onto Boston
Post Road (Rt 1 North). Follow for 1.5 miles to Whippoorwill Road on your right.
Follow Whippoorwill for 1.5 miles. McCulloch Farm is on the left, blue sign at end of
driveway.
FROM THE NORTH and EAST:
Take Exit 70 off I-95 South. At bottom of ramp, take right onto Boston Post Road (Rt 1
North) (stone bridge to your left). Follow for 1.5 miles to Whippoorwill Road on your
right. Follow Whippoorwill for 1.5 miles. McCulloch Farm is on the left, blue sign at
end of driveway.Registration for this ride will close 06/11/2010 (2 days before the ride date).
If heavy rain expected, come prepared to ride and bring your slicker!
PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER ONLINE TO PARTICIPATE. If you need assistance in signing up, please call the affiliate listed above.
