TAMWORTH BUSHRANGERS TRAIL RIDE CLUB RIDE

RIDE INFORMATION FOR RIDE FEB 2016.

Hi Peeps.

Welcome back to another year of riding!  We have some great rides planned and here are the details for the first one.  In search of cooler weather we are heading ‘up’ to the hills of Bendemeer.   This ride is a nice, easy and relatively short ride for those horses (and riders) such as mine that may be a little unfit after the xmas celebrations and heat of summer. 

This ride is a camp over as we like to take advantage of the excellent facilities that Bendy has to offer, and well, cause we like it.

So you can arrive anytime on Saturday the 27^th of Feb. if you are camping over.   I anticipate getting there around lunchtime.  N.B The club ride is on Sunday the 28^th of February.

For Horses: There are plenty of excellent yards available and most have water.  Yards are located at the southern end and northern ends of the showground.  You will need to bring your own feed, and it is probably wise to bring a bucket. 

For People: You will need to supply your own sleeping arrangements.  I am camping in the float, or may sleep out in the open if the weather is favourable.  There is an amenities block which I have arranged to be unlocked, and we have ‘hired’ for the night and it has clean toilets and hot showers.  If it is hot and you fancy a dip in the river, then knock yourselves out!

For dinner you can catch and kill your own or head over to the pub which offers great meals, and pizzas etc.  The pub is located approx. 10 mins walk from the showground. 

The following morning we are heading out at 9am sharp, as per our summer ride start time.  We are heading over to the common.  We will initially head through town and then into the common.  This is lovely ride and there is a great spot for those who may wish to have a canter.  There is also a dam where we will have morning tea and for those so inclined, a swim in the dam with their horses.  I have swum in this dam on a couple of occasions and apart from an icky squishy bottom, it is lovely and refreshing and the horses, some really enjoy it.  So if you wanna swim, bring your best dam swimming attire in your saddle bags, and perhaps a small towel if you can fit it.  

We then head back through town and tie our horses up at the pub where we have lunch.   There is a reasonable amount of places to tie up to.  There is a solid wooden fence adjacent to the pub, a few trees along the riverbank and a post and wire fence surrounding the publican’s residence that we can use.  We will leave the carpark free for cars. Please note that you will be required to bring twine if you are tying up to the publican’s fence as we don’t want to compromise the fence should a horse pull back. Bendy pub can get fairly busy on a Sunday and there is often a jumping castle, kids, motorbikes and of course members of the public nearby.  Please consider if your horse is able to tolerate this type of environment prior to attending.  I have done this ride on at least three occasions and found no issues.  The Publican is very happy to have us visit, they are not bothered by any horse manure that may be left behind.  Should we receive information that a very large number of riders are attending, then as a contingency, we may have to head back to the showground and yard the horses prior to lunch.  Following lunch we will be crossing the Macdonald river at the pub (it has been very shallow) and heading back into the showground to end our ride.

As a courtesy to the pub for catering purposes, and for logistical reasons our club will require an RSVP prior to your attendance.  

There will be a fee of $10.00 per person to cover the cost of the amenities and yards for those that are camping over.    

Please ensure you arrive in time to renew/complete membership forms and associated paperwork.  To reinterate the cost for a year’s membership is $120.00 for an adult and  $50.00 for a junior. 

Please note riders under 18 must wear an approved safety helmet.

So! In finishing, I will need RSVP’s from people.  Please advise if you are planning on staying on the Saturday night, or just coming for the ride on the Sunday.  Please RSVP to me via my email yarrabee5@gmail.com or text to mobile 0428 192 187 no later than Wednesday the 24^th of February. 

Hope to see you there.

Megsy.

Ride co-ordinator

Tamworth Bushrangers.