Classes include Showmanship, Western Pleasure, Trail, and Western Horsemenaship. There is also a Reining jackpot for all ages. To register and detailed information go here.

Volunteers working on Workday near Brockdale Trailhead

Here’s a note from Jack Gilstrap who was one of the volunteers.

We had a very productive workday thanks to Wade and Jamie Hanchar, Kaetlyn and Kris McFarland, Lucy Estabrook, Maureen Miller, Katie and Lizzy Rosdorff and Jack Gilstrap. We policed the trailhead and entry area for trash and debri. Wade, Jamie, Kaetlyn, Kris and I took the Gator on the trail to install new signs and take down several dead trees too close to the trail. This group earned the title “WRECKING CREW!” We cleared alot in a timely manner.

Mission accomplished thanks to Great Volunteers.

Thanks to all,

Jack Gilstrap

Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. ~Elizabeth Andrew

Discover why some of the richest people in the world are not millionaires, they are volunteers. ~Unknown

Carol Winston - TTPA Volunteer of the Year 2010

Jean Schooping - TTPA volunteer of the Year 2009

Today we would also like to recognize those volunteers who have stepped up and have volunteered to support the TTPA for 2011.

First off, we would like to say thanks to the TTPA Board especially to new Vice President Jack Gilstrap and Secretary Kris McFarland. We still have an open Board seat for the Events position. If anyone is interested in filling that position, please contact us. We would love to have you to fill that seat and we promise that you will have help. Part of the efforts have been to spread out the work so no one person has to do too much. “Many hands make light work” is our new motto.

TTPA 2011 Board
President Duke Monson
Vice-President Jack Gilstrap
Secretary Kris McFarland
Treasurer Kendra Lara
Past President Tracy Matern
Public Relations Chris Churchill
Events Coordinator (open)
Trail Ride Chair Kathy Erickson
Chuckwagon Chair Lana Gilstrap
Membership Chair Ruth Blom
Trail Steward Charlie Gaines
Grants & Stewardship Carole Kowitt
Newsletter Editor & Email Pat Monson

We also have a number of committees to perform specialized jobs and to assist at events. This year the TTPA was truly blessed with the volunteer spirit because we have more volunteers than ever offering their help. This makes the work more fun and lessens the load on everyone. Thank you volunteers. You make it better for everyone. We still need more volunteers so if you’re wondering if you’re needed, you still are!

The 2011 committees and their volunteers are:

Coggins Tracy Matern, Beth Mydill, Betty Hall, Kellie Smith, Brenda Rizos, Noel Freeman, Keeley Helton
Events Keeley Helton
Chuckwagon Christina Snow, Amin & Karen Bata, Steve & Debbie Bourgeois, June Boyd, Karen Newton, Lynda Parker, Royce Schafer, Kurt & Shelley Van Doren, Marty & Sharon Berryman, Debi Zinser, Jane Becker
Assistant Trail Stewards Jean Schooping – North of Highland
Carol Winston – Brockdale north to Highland
Trey & Terry Henry – East Fork to Brockdale
Highland Trailhead Tracy Matern (Captain), Tom & Pat Pollard, Brenda Rizos, Connie Cropp, Noel Freeman
Brockdale Trailhead Debbie Bourgeois (Captain), Lucy Estabrook, Charle Witted, Sally Ballis
East Fork Trailhead Jill Korbelic (Captain), Karen Locklear, Sharon Berryman, Cliff & Pat Martin
Insurance Specialist Lucy Estabrook

There are many more volunteers who help out behind the scenes or who have been accidentally left off the list (please let me know the names and I’ll add them). We are grateful for your support.

Thank you volunteers. Because of you we have a trail and an organization. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Several folks have asked for a proposed calendar for activities for the TTPA for the year 2011. Here is a tentative schedule. As I hear of date changes I will update this page and post information about the new dates in a new blog post. These dates are subject to changes and cancellations if weather is bad. This is Tracy’s working list. I’ll try to update it here as dates are firmed up.

January
8 Workday
12 Board Meeting 7:30 PM
15 Chili Lunch trailride
Brockdale-
15 Fort Worth Parade

February
12 Workday
14 Valentine’s Day
19 Trailride
21 President’s Day

March
12 Workday
13 Daylight Savings Time Begins
14-18 LISD Spring Break
19 Trail Ride
Spring Break

April
9 Work Day
13 Board Meeting
22-24 Easter Weekend
23 Trailride-Obstacles?

May
Rockwall County Posse Ride-find date
so we don’t conflict
8 Mother’s Day
14 Workday
21 Event or Trailride
28-30 Memorial Day Weekend

June
3 Last day of LISD school
11 Workday Rise 4:26 PM mid 9:58 PM 82.5%
15 Full Moon
18 Trailride-Rise 10:58 PM 92.6%
Perhaps switch with workday
19 Father’s Day

July
4 Monday-check Fourth of July- Parades
9 Workday rise 3:24 pm mid 8:48 PM 70.3%
15 Full Moon
16 Rise 9:30 PM mid 2:21 AM 98.7%
23 Trailride-Rise 12:31 AM mid 7:24 AM 47.2% switch with workday?

August
13 Work Day-Rise 8:02 PM mid 1:03 AM 99.6%
13 Full Moon
17 Board Meeting
School Begins
27 Trailride –suggest moving to 13th-no Moon

September
2-5 Labor Day Weekend
10 Workday
12 Full Moon
17 Trailride Rise 10:22 PM Mid 4:46 Am 78.9% -suggest no night ride
28 Rosh Hashanah

October
7 Yom Kippur
8 Work Day
10 Columbus Day/Fair Day
29 Halloween Trailride

November
6 Daylight Savings Time Ends
8 Election Day
9 Board Meeting
12 Work Day
14 Trailride
Thanksgiving Break
24Thanksgiving

December
Christmas Parades
2 Christmas Party
20 Hanukkah Begins
Christmas Break
25 Christmas Day

January 2012
Check date of Ft Worth Parade
12? Board Meeting
14 Work Day
21 Chili Ride

Save October 30th for a complete day of Halloween Fun with your horse. Start by planning your best Halloween costume and riding in the Lucas Founders Day Parade. The Parade starts at 1 PM. Staging is behind Lucas City Hall starting at 11 AM. There is plenty of room to park your trailers there. Keep your costume on, stay for lunch and then trailer over to the Brockdale trailhead for a costume contest at 3 PM.

Scary witches will be on hand to serve you witches brew and prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in 3 divisions—adult (over 18), young adult (14-18) and youth (under 14). Then put your costume away and ride the trail but be back in time to enjoy the company of friends and a good dinner at 6 PM. Lucas will also be offering trunk or treating for the littlest citizens at 6 PM back at Lucas City Hall.

If you don’t have a horse or you’d like to walk in the parade, we need two TTPA banner carriers to lead us out. Please let me know if you’d like to do this at bobtracy at dfwair.net or 214-495-7493. This parade would be an excellent first parade for an inexperienced horse to try. There is not as much scary stuff as in some of the bigger parades and not as many spectators and plenty of room along the streets. He might, however, have to deal with a beautiful llama.

You can attend any and all of these events. Please RSVP to me for the Parade and the dinner at the email and telephone number above so we are sure we have enough food for you and can give an estimate to the Lucas Parade organizers. Remember to bring your Coggins papers for the activities at Brockdale Park.

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/16751255 – for more info

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/16751275 – for more info

Help reunite the owner with the horses.

Good news. There will be horse parades in North Texas for the 4th of July this year. Plan to decorate yourself and your horse in red, white, and blue. The parades are great fun for both the participants and spectators. A parade isn’t a real parade without horses.

Here’s the scoop on the parades straight from TTPA Parade Chair Tracy Matern. Below is the schedule for the 4th of July parades in North Texas that include horses:

July 3rd – Saturday

Weston Parade start 10 AM Judging 9 AM
Staging in field near intersection of 543 and 455.

Melissa Parade start 6 PM Line Up 5:30 PM
Lighted parade
Theme “Hometown Heroes”
Registration form required and $5 fee. I sent in the registration.
Staging is usually behind Cardinal Stadium on Cardinal Drive.

July 4th – Sunday

McKinney Parade start 1:30 PM Check in by 12 noon.
Theme: Red, White and BOOM!
Staging at former Collin County Court house Parking Lot.
Henry St and S. Tennessee St.
First time they are letting horses participate!
Registration form and $25 fee.

No parade in Royce City this year

Please let Tracy know which parades you plan on attending. ESPECIALLY, please let her know by tomorrow (Wednesday) if you are interested in being in the McKinney parade. Given its time of day, Tracy will not plan to send in the money or to go unless people are interested in participating. Tracy must have the registration form and money in by Friday.

We will ride under the TTPA registration. Tracy would love to have banner carriers for each parade—two per parade—so involve your non-horse-riding friends or relatives.

Here is Tracy’s contact information:
Tracy Matern
TTPA Parade Chairman
bobtracy at dfwair.net
214-495-7493 home
214-392-2288 cell

Want some tips on riding in a parade? Check out our article on preparing your horse for a parade.

Plan to be in the parking lot of 825 N. McDonald Street in McKinney between 7:30 and 8:00 AM on Saturday, June 19th to check-in for a tour which will include Selway Equine Therapy Center in Whitesboro, Babcock Performance and Breeding Quarter and Paint Horse Farms in Gainesville and Valley View, Wilbanks Paints and Pasos in Pilot Point and Green Valley Reining Horses in Aubrey.

To register, contact the Collin County AgriLife Extension Office at 972-548-4233 by Thursday, June 17th. Further information is available athttp://collin-co.tamu.edu.

If you wish to participate in the fundraiser it is a ACTHA 6 mile Obstacle Course. You can find out the details from their web site.

Feel free to go to the map and leave comments and information about the trail.

Hope this helps put TTPA on the map.