Trail Obstacle Challenge

Mark your calendars for August 24-29 and choose if you would like to improve your skills by participating in private lessons, workshops, judging and scoring, ground manners or a Schooling Competition. These will all be directed towards making you and your horse more skilled on obstacles and riding the trail.

Along with the lessons and workshops, the BC Equine Arena 2 Trail Association (BCEA2TA) and the beautiful Timber Ridge Trails in Lumby, will be hosting one of the first Trail Obstacle Schooling Challenges to be held in the province.

This Challenge will be different from other Trail Obstacle events, in that it will incorporate a scenic 5- to 6-mile trail ride with intermittent obstacles spaced at varying distances along the trail. This event will be for the rider who wants to add a trail ride to the competition component. Everyone is welcome to compete, whether a seasoned competitor or if it is your first competition. Riders will ride in groups of four or less, regardless of rider category. See HCBC, BC Equine Arena 2 Trail Association rules and category divisions, to determine your level.

Each rider will be judged individually on obstacles along the trail and advance to the next obstacle when all riders in the group have completed the obstacle. Winners will be selected from each rider’s category with the highest score on the total obstacles. A team challenge may be included if there are sufficient entries.

A lead up to the Trail Challenge will be a more traditional Arena Schooling Competition, held on August 28th in the arena area. This is a good place to practice your obstacle skills and competition in preparation for the Trail Challenge on August 29th. Everyone is welcome to take part in these events but must be a current HCBC member.

The clinician and head judge is well-known, trail obstacle

New Exciting Competitive Trail Obstacle Challenge

By Janice Reid

instructor Dawn Ferster, HCBCGP, IMTCA, who will be accompanied by four BCEA2TA approved judges.

Obstacles offer great cross-training tools for a variety of equine disciplines and these workshops will advance you in your riding skills, ground manners and educate you on scoring and judging in a competitive situation.

Next year, with the addition of new venues, it is hopeful that there will be a circuit for Arena 2 Trail.

If anyone is interested in becoming a judge, contact BCEA2TA. For further information see the link below and follow us on Facebook at BC Equine Arena 2 Trail Association.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5367036076670469&id =100000923904645&sfnsn=mo

BCEA2TA UPCOMING EVENTS AT TIMBER RIDGE, LUMBY BC July 14 - Private lessons July 15-16 - Workshops July 17 - Out on the Trail August 24 - Private lessons August 25-26 - Workshops August 27 – Competitor’s Edge - understanding scoring and judging for competition August 28 - Arena Schooling Competition August 29 - Trail Challenge Schooling Competition Sept 28 - Private lessons Sept 29-30 - Workshops Oct 1 – Competitor’s Edge – understanding scoring and judging for competition Oct 2 – Arena Schooling Competition Oct 3 - Trail Challenge Schooling Competition