Hospice Aftercare - Donation

We are pleased to announce that FCTB was able to send a check for $140.00 to Hospice Aftercare Services. Thanks to all who were able to contribute. The club's name will be listed in the Day of Show Program for their fund raising event "The World of Horsemanship" on October 20th. I'm sure this will be a very special presentation. Those members who will be unable to attend our club ride in Goethe State Forest on that day may want to attend this event in Middleburg.

OLeno - River Rise Camping Trip

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS HERE

Our September ride at Oleno was enjoyed by only four members. Not sure if weather or fuel prices kept everyone else away, but you really missed out on a wonderful weekend. We enjoyed shady bug-free trails with a nice breeze to keep us cool. We saw plenty of deer, enjoyed the view at River Rise, and scoped out a special spot along a briskly flowing section of the river. Busta injured his hoof so he was able to enjoy a nice relaxing weekend of not being ridden, while his stall buddies went out and explored the great trails. Tucker got the duty of toting Wildcat for the weekend, while Traci introduced a 3 year old training horse named Diana to the life of a trail horse. Nobody got bucked off or run away with, so let it be said that all horses (and riders) were in top form for this ride. Wildcat and Sista Sara were our cooks for the weekend and we lived the gourmet lifestyle of campfire cookin!

Saturday was a state park clean up day, so in addition to the crowd on Friday, there were many volunteers at the trail head in the morning when we were saddling up. They went out by the truck load to trim the trails and clear away fallen debris. We saw signs of their handiwork along the trails as we rode, and appreciated their clean up efforts. With all the publicity at Oleno, we felt like celebrities with all the reporters and television crews!

An update on the tree girdling/killing at Oleno River Rise..... One of our goals for this outing was to see the project first hand and get better understanding of the situation, both politically and environmentally. Friday was a media day at the park, and our members participated in a large demonstration to express the equestrian's displeasure with the girdling project, which is well under way. TV news crews did an excellent job of interviewing and taking opinions from all sides. Standing united is a key factor in addressing issues such as this one. We were told that only Laurel Oaks were being killed. The target trees are scattered, so there is not mass destruction in a concentrated area at this time. However, we were disappointed to see that Sweet Gums, Turkey Oak and numerous other trees were being girdled in addition to the Laurel Oaks. The areas are plainly visible from the trail, and only about a half hour ride from the trail head. Members present decided to seek more information regarding this situation. It seems possible that some internet magnification may be taking place. While we hate to lose the shade and scenic views, the project may not be accurately portrayed by the accounts we have read so far. We are hoping to find an ecologist(rather than a politician) to inform us of the goals for this project and the extent of the tree killing.

It was an informative and relaxing weekend. Sorry not all of our members could make it!

Hospice Aftercare Services Event - Oct 20th

FCTB has committed to donating $25 to this event. All funds go to Hospice Aftercare Services, which provides funeral/cremation support for hospice patients who's families cannot afford to pay for the services themselves.

We would like to challenge all of our members to match or add to this donation. Please send your check payable to KD Huff to be received by Oct 5th and she will combine all donations into one larger check to Hospice Aftercare Services from FCTB. Or you can get more information about donations in our files section and send your personal donation directly to Hospice Aftercare Services.

Club Ride - River Rise State Park

Our second planned ride for September will be a camping trip to the O'Leno/River Rise State Park. We plan on the weekend of Sep 28 - 30. There are a limited number of stalls, so come early if you're not going to tie out or bring panels. If you can't camp, we hope you'll join us for a day ride. Unfortunately - pets are not allowed.

You may have heard, the shaded trails of this area are in jeopardy as the State wants to convert the park back to a Sandhill community of wiregrass and pines. You can read more about this in our files section with a document called River Rise West. We hope you'll add your voice to the other equestrians who are outraged by this action.

**Don't forget we have another weekend planned for October - scroll down to read about that ride**

Labor Day Camp and Ride at McCulley Farms

McCulley Farms was the perfect spot for the FCTB Labor Day weekend camp and ride. While the threat of heat and rain kept some away, the 5 members who showed up were not disappointed. Friday we got in a nice evening ride and reaquainted ourselves with the nice winding trails that surround the McCulley homestead. Saturday morning the early birds headed out in the fog and enjoyed a four hour ride that took them along the Withlacoochee River. We saw several springs and no other riders. Most of our ride was in the shade and quite pleasant. The only bad part was the banana spiders that had staked their claim to the trails. We wore out several "spider sticks" and exercised our vocal cords throughout the weekend. Traci executed a perfect limbo move by laying her head all the way back on Tucker's rump to avoid one arachnid. Saturday afternoon we piled into one truck and visited Blue Springs. We shared the icy waters with some scuba divers and colorful locals who one after another leapt from a high dock that overlooked the big spring. Our favorite daredevil (Wildcat) flung herself off the dock with enthusiasm. The rest of us were too chicken to try it! Donald found that bathing suit suspenders might be a good idea the next time he decides to swim against the current of clear rushing spring water. Now we all know what the rest of his belly tattoo says! Sunday we had another nice four hour ride along the river and on some narrow woodsy trails. Cathy hung for the full 8 seconds when her horse became airborne. Ride 'em Wildcat! We again enjoyed the shade and peacefulness of the ride. Sunday afternoon we went to Pot Springs, which was not quite as big and not as many people. It was invigorating to soak in the icy waters! We spent the afternoon at the spring and then came back to camp to enjoy a wonderful dinner prepared by Chef Bobby and then we had a small but cozy campfire. Monday morning we stayed on the McCulley side of the woods, and meandered down some new trails for about two hours. Another perfect day of riding! We truly enjoyed the sincere southern hospitality of the McCulley family. They are such wonderful hosts, it is almost impossible to not enjoy the visit. We look forward to seeing them again before the end of the year! Here are the great photos of the weekend.

Help Support Baker County Horse Assoc.

Please support the Baker County Horse Association....
Your attendance at the August 20th meeting with the Baker County Commissioners and Fair Association could help influence some equestrian-related decisions. The county commissioners are interested in removing the free access and use that BCHA has had in regards to the show grounds. Their club has made improvements entirely on a volunteer basis and state grant funds have been used at this facility to make it a place that the horse public can use. Now the county is looking to make a profit from the people who have done all of the work. Please plan to attend this meeting at 5:00 PM.

Directions....295 to I-10 West. Take the 1st Macclenny exit CR-228 (New SuperWalmart). After exiting I-10 onto CR-228 go right. Continue on CR-228 until US-90. US-90 go right just a couple of streets to 3rd street. At 3rd Street go left. The Admin building is on the right across from the Chevrolet Dealership.

Upcoming Events

We probably won't have an official ride for August - no one wants to ride in the heat - but we'll e-mail if anyone gets together.

For September we'll be camping and riding at McCulley Farms for Labor Day Weekend. You will need to contact Richard directly to reserve your spot. We'll be camping in the corner with the trees in the electric site area near the stalls.


For our October club ride/campout, we will participate in the Breast Cancer Awareness Annual Benefit Trail Ride sponsored by the Levy County Horse Club. ( See the flyer in our files section) The trail ride will be held at the Tidewater trailhead of the Goethe State Forest on Sat., October 20th. Some of us plan to camp Friday and Saturday night - join us or you can come just come for the day.