January 2013 Volume 39 Number 1 A Publication for the Members of the OETRA O E T R A S 2 0 1 2 C h r i s t m a s Pa r t y I t s a Wra p! By Julie Cameron This year there was no threat of snow, sleet or ice and we had a full house for our annual Christmas Party held December 2nd at the Masonic Lodge in Seminole. I was happy to see several of our newest members, Darren and Theresa Meeks and Dana Hartley. In addition to the regular club business we also got to help Mary Ben Marshall celebrate her 90th birthday! Hughes! In March, OETRA received another wonderful donation, this time it was from Grant Hodges. For some time Grant has made buckboard signs like that found in the Lonesome Dove movie using wood from the 101 Ranch bunkhouse. We first showed the sign at the Spring Ride at Bell Cow Lake last April and announced that we were accepting sealed bids. The sign traveled around to all our rides and was advertised in our newsletter for months. The envelopes were all opened at the party and the high bidder was announced. Congratulations Rocky, the sign will look great in your home! Then, at the Labor Day Ride, Lesa O Hair told me she had a few things to donate and asked if I had room to take Eva Lambert presents a birthday cake to a very surprised Mary Ben Marshall. Although I don t know how it s possible for the food to get better each year, it sure seems that it does. Not only was there plenty of fried chicken and ribs for everyone, but our incredibly talented cooks outdid themselves again on the side dishes and desserts. Many thanks to Betty Daily, Janene Harper and crew for all their hard work organizing and setting things up. I d call 2012 the year of donations. It all started in January when Ken and Wanda Christensen notified Teri Wyatt that they wanted to donate a scooter as a fundraiser for our club. After six months of ticket sales the winning ticket was selected at the party congratulations to Marcie Marcie Hughes of Okarche looking great on her new scooter just in time for Christmas! Rocky Woolman, ready to hang his new treasure. them home. Those few things took up the entire bed of my truck! Prior to Lesa s donation I thought our silent auction was going to be pretty small this year. As it turned out, some of you brought even more things to the party and our auction grew so big it spilled off all the tables! What fun we all had trying to win that special item. Over $3,200 was raised from the scooter raffle, the Lonesome Dove sign and the silent auction combined. You re all been so amazingly generous in your donations and in your bids and purchases, this will go a long way toward ensuring our trail projects will be continued in 2013. A great big THANKS to everyone who helped with the setup, the raffle, the silent auction, cleanup or in any other way. I m proud to be part of such a great group. More pictures on pg 4.
www.oetra.com PRESIDENT Teri Wyatt 2009-2013 405 250-5558 Edmond, OK tnwalkinghorsegirl@yahoo.com VICE PRESIDENT David Smith 2013 918 230-0792 Oologah, OK sky3918q@aol.com SECRETARY Larry Zeller 2009-2013 405 826-4374 Jones, OK larry@okiepups.com TREASURER Julie Cameron 2013 405 359-5689 Guthrie, OK lazyjfarm@sbcglobal.net BOARD MEMBERS Phil Milliken 2013-2014 417 464-9394 Clever, MO psmilliken@gmail.com Janet Newport 2012-2013 918 617-2333 Eufaula, OK jfigsnewport@gmail.com Rocky Woolman 2012-2013 719 251-3040 Antlers, OK rwoolman@yahoo.com Jeanette Zeller 2013-2014 405 414-2401 Jones, OK jeanette@okiepups.com NEWSLETTER EDITOR Julie Cameron 405 359-5689 Guthrie, OK lazyjfarm@sbcglobal.net From the President Happy New Year! I hope this newsletter finds you healthy and happy, and looking forward to another year of riding your favorite horse with your favorite friends. Because of some people who worked hard at garnering or donating some great items, we made some serious cash at the Christmas party! It was a lot of fun, and I think everyone enjoyed the silent auction, whether or not they won! I want to personally thank Julie Cameron for gathering up a lot of those items, and PD and Lesa O Hair who brought several items to donate. A very special thanks to Grant Hodges who made and donated the Lonesome Dove sign, and Ken and Wanda Christensen for donating the scooter. What a great gift the Hodges and Christensens gave to the club; I so appreciate their generosity. I want to thank the outgoing Directors - Eva Lambert served as our Treasurer for several years and did a tremendous job. And Tracey Brauer who served on our Board of Directors thanks so much girls! Thanks to Mary Ben Marshall who retired as Pleasure Ride Chairman after serving this club for many years. Phil has volunteered to serve in her place. And now I need to thank our new 2013 Board - David Smith who offered to take the position of Vice President, Julie Cameron who will now be the Treasurer. Jeanette Zeller, who was my faithful VP for three years, will stay on the board as a director, and an old friend who s back to help us Phil Milliken. These people will volunteer a lot of time and effort to work for this club and its members. So what s on the 2013 agenda? My first priority is to finish the corral project at Robbers Cave. The Executive Board will decide in January as to how to go about that, but my recommendation will be to leave the west side of the main road without corrals, and instead add new posts. This has been a request from several members, because not everyone wants a corral, and the west side really doesn t have the room for corrals near the creek. The loop under the trees and the east side of the main road will be completed this year, each campsite will have two numbered corrals. My second priority is to improve the by-laws. We would like to change some of the by-laws in order to expedite decisions. Some of the language is vague which has led to confusion and lengthy discussions that have taken time away from the more important matters of the club. Your BOD s will be meeting in January to set the ride schedule, work weekends, and come up with some new ideas. We would appreciate your input. And the most important thing let s ride! Happy Trails, Teri HOSPITALITY CO-Chairmen Lesa Ferster Lesa O Hair MEMBERSHIP Co-Chairmen Deanna Fields Eva Lambert PLEASURE RIDE CHAIRMAN Phil Milliken WEBMASTER Terri Folks 405 348-1397 Edmond, OK trfolks@cox.net Renew Your Membership to OETRA Today! Membership fees are due by February 1. After March 15th your membership will lapse and you will not receive your newsletter. If you get the newsletter by email, you ll receive a renewal reminder. If you get the newsletter by U.S. Mail, check the date by your name on your mailing label. If it says PLEASE RENEW we have not received your renewal! Use the form on the back page to renew today! 2
OETRA Membership Drive Invite your family and friends to join OETRA get a chance to win some great prizes! When you recruit a new member, ask them to print your name on the membership application form when mailing it in with their payment. Your name will be placed in the drawing for prizes which will be held in April (exact date TBD) at the Spring Mary Ben Marshall Trail Ride at Bell Cow Lake in Chandler, OK. You do not have to be present to win a prize. For each membership you recruit you will receive a ticket for the drawing. The more you recruit the greater your chance to win, one prize per person. Top recruiter will have first choice of prizes, and a one year OETRA membership. New members will also be entered into a prize drawing. Prizes Include 2 Nights Equestrian RV Camping at the following locations: Duncan Lake, Duncan OK Gloss Mountain Outfitters, Cherokee, OK Grasslands Bed and Bale, Decatur, TX Heyburn Lake, Kellyville, OK Horse Heaven Ranch, Talihina, OK Huckleberry Stables, Pineville, MO Robbers Cave State Park, Wilburton, OK And... Why Don't Horses Have a Gallbladder? Add this to your collection of useful horse factoids that (surprise!) you actually needed to know: Horses don t have a gallbladder because horses are designed to eat constantly. We humans, on the other hand, eat few, relatively large meals. Our gallbladder serves as a storage pouch for bile the emulsifying agent produced by the liver that is needed to start fat digestion. When we eat a large amount of fat at one time, the gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine. If we didn t have a gallbladder and indulged in a high fat meal, we might experience indigestion. Horses, on the other hand, are trickle feeders they are supposed to continuously graze on forage, all day and all night long (virtually all the time, with a few minutes of napping here and there). The small amount of fat that they eat is easily managed by the liver. Therefore, there is no need to store bile in large quantities. In recent years, however, fat has been shown to be an alternative to high starch diets, since it is more concentrated in calories. There was initial concern that large amounts of fat would not be sufficiently digested. However, the horse s liver has the ability to compensate. This adaptation takes several weeks; therefore it is best to slowly increase fat levels. Dr. Getty is an internationally respected equine nutritionist. Article is reprinted with permission. OETRA Merchandise Order from Carolyn Black Call 918-639-1642 or email catbalou0012@yahoo.com T-shirts, long & short sleeved; Hoodies, pullover or zipper; decals and license plates available. By Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D. Trail Blazer Magazine Subscription ($35 value) 2014 Membership to OETRA Complete rules and membership forms available at www.oetra.com Let s GROW!!! The Elliott Barker Girl Scout Camp in Angel Fire, New Mexico is needing good, reliable, older trail horses to be used to teach girls scouts about horses when they come to the camp. If you have a horse that might be useful for this purpose and are willing to donate it to a really good home please call Michael Dean at 505-603-9646. Treasurer's Report 11/21/12 to 12/24/12 Beginning Balance $6,992.90 Income Dues 970.00 Silent Auction 1.505.25 Scooter Raffle 1,205.00 Donation 10.00 Expenses Newsletter 268.51 Christmas Party 377.54 Dues overpayment refund 25.00 We site 38.28 Ending Balance $9,973.82 3
C h r i s t m a s P a r t y M e m o r i e s Anyone else notice that Mary Moore is always smiling? L-R New member Dana Hartley meets long-time members Pat & Ted Henderson and Ivone Nail. Keta Pope and Laurie Hogan, catching up on the latest news. Mike & Deanna Fields greet new members Theresa & Darren Meeks. Eva Lambert and Larry Zeller handled membership renewals and voting ballots as members arrived. Maxine Yeager was first to arrive. Terri Folks and David Smith. Terri spent time interviewing previous officers and long-time OETRA members for the upcoming OETRA 40th anniversary. 4
My Bucket List Caprock Canyon By Terri Folks tank and my air conditioner plus charge up my cell phone. It cooled down in the evenings. It was a little weird being in a very dark trailer at night but I got used to it. There is a bathhouse you can drive to and you must haul out all of your trash. There are only 25 miles of marked L-R Kathe Wells, Linda Record, Lynne, Terri Folks, Carol and Tommy Brown trails but you can also ride on ranch land if you like brush popping and I would suggest you take your GPS. It is also part of the Caprock Canyon trailway system and you can ride along old railroad right of way for many miles. I can see why my friends try to ride there at least once or twice each year. It is truly breath-taking. Just remember that in addition to your Coggins papers, if you are traveling out of state, you need to get a health certificate from your vet. http:// www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/ caprock-canyons Next up on my bucket list was Caprock Canyon near Turkey, Texas, the home of Bob Wills. It is so remote; there are not even any radio stations nearby! It was a five-hour drive for me from north Edmond. Coming across I-40, the wind was brutal going and coming across Oklahoma. As soon as you enter the grounds of the state park, you can immediately see the beauty of the area. It was unlike any other place I have ever ridden in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. I felt like I was in Arizona or New Mexico. The campground is primitive but it does have a non-potable water hydrant shared between each site, two pipe horse pens per site and each campsite is wide enough for two rigs. Through the years, I have been preparing for Caprock but never took the plunge to go. I had previously bought a generator and an RV propane heater (Mr. Buddy) since my trailer was total electric. I already had a camp stove and grill, plus a propane lantern. I also bought some battery-operated lights for the inside of my trailer (no, I don t have trailer batteries.) I don t have a propane fridge so I had to use an ICE CHEST! I haven t used an ice chest in years since I have a fridge in my trailer. I froze EVERYTHING I could freeze, including three gallon water jugs. This really helped keep my food longer. I had to bring three ice chests to get everything to fit. It was going to be hot (after freezing at the Grasslands) so I knew water would be very important and having LOTS of it available. Again, I caravanned with Linda Record and joined Camellia, Kathe and her friend, Lynn, Carole and her husband, Tommy, as we met up at the horse camp. Riding out of camp you are overwhelmed immediately by the jawdropping beauty of the canyon. I just couldn t believe where I was riding with my trusty steed, Jose Cuervo. The first day of riding, the weather was perfect. By Saturday, the temperatures had climbed to 97. It was HOT and there was NO water on the trail. Linda and I found a water puddle for our horses but the rest went thirsty until we got back to camp. We took it pretty easy on the horses due to the heat and they were starting to hair up for the winter. Most of the riding is easy and the trails are well marked. There are some steep up and downs where the horse has to step or jump over rocks placed on the trail to hold the dirt in place. If your horse has tough hooves, you probably won t need shoes. If he or she is tender-footed, there are some rocky places so you might need boots or shoes. I fired up my generator in the afternoons to run my hot water Terri Folks on Jose Cuervo, enjoying the fabulous view 5
S t e r l i n g, M y U l t i m at e Tr a i l Pa r t n e r By Arlene Gitana I wanted to tell a story about a great trail horse most of you know as Sterling. He is a big black Missouri Fox Trotter with a big blaze and 3½ stockings. He came from an old man in Arkansas who unloaded him as a young horse at Cedar Lake and a man by the name of Ron Porter from El Reno, OK happened to be there. Ron told me that as soon as that horse came off the trailer, he knew he had to have him. Well Ron bought him that trip, put his famous Porter brand on him and rode him for several years all over the states. Then a lady from Guthrie that most of you also know, Tiffany, bought him from Ron and rode him a lot more places for several years. A couple of years ago, I got the opportunity to buy this big black horse from Tiffany Whited and he has truly changed the lives of our family and friends. I have ridden him hundreds of miles, in all kinds of weather, terrain, sometimes with my grandson on the back, one time with another adult up some steep hills to save the life of a very tired horse and a few times with no saddle and just a halter. I have ponied green horses from him on the trail and babysat other young horses which literally put their head on his behind while following. He has done parades, walked the streets of Guthrie, OKC, Yukon and the OKC Stockyard Main Street as a United States Marshals Posse horse and been loved on by hundreds of visitors there. He paid tribute to Ron Porter as a lead horse for Ron s funeral hearse to his final resting place this past year when Ron passed away. I recently returned from a 10 day stay at Cedar Lake. I took Sterling with me and we rode seven straight days doing a different trail each day. One day we even rode by ourselves a short distance, a couple of days with 5 and 6 other horses and then a few days with just another horse. We encountered hunters sneaking in trees, deer, turkeys, and sometimes other riders. It was the greatest 7 days I can remember.. me, my Sterling and the most beautiful trails I have seen. I pay tribute to this wonderful, loving creature who does anything and everything I ask and never pops an attitude or fails to just go on and take care of me. I hope all of you get the chance to own such a wonderful animal and stand by the saying nothing is better for the inside of a person than the outside of a horse. He will be 16 this coming year and I hope our adventures have only just begun. But for sure I know it will be us taking care of each other. Tracie Collins Tulsa, OK 918.402.8813 Laurie & Pete Cox Cushing, OK 918.399.2077 Welcome New Members Denise Riat Edmond, OK 405.775.3418 Bill & Sharron Scott Stillwater, OK 405.747.7490 You can now give a gift of OETRA membership. The application form and certificate are available on our web site www.oetra.com. Sam & Sharon Duncan Bristow, OK 918.367.5193 Peggy Fernau 405.258.7328 Chandler, OK Charles Manning Sanger, TX 940.390.9188 Susan Mattox Bristow, OK 918.367.2925 Carolyn Price Okemah, OK 918.623.6722 Delbert & Cheryl Stanley Hulbert, OK 918.822.7049 Fred & Sharon Vinson Norman, OK 405.329.8060 Les Weston Ft. Gibson, OK 918.478.4802 Margaret Wheeler Bethany, OK mwspirit22@yahoo.com Calling all cooks!!! Everyone knows that OETRA has the greatest cooks in the state! We are creating a cookbook for our club s 40th anniversary in 2014. To have your recipes included please bring them to a ride or email them to recipes@oetra.com. 6
Pleasure Ride & Events Calendar P h i l M i l l i ke n, C h a i r m a n ***All Oklahoma Rides Require Negative Coggins Within 12 Months*** JAN 19 Eagle Watch by Horseback at Kaw Lake, Ponca City, OK Leaving from Sarge Creek Campgrounds at 10:30 AM. Presentation about eagles prior to ride. JAN 19-20 2013 AERC Central Region Convention/Party, Quality Inn and Suites, 3031 Military Blvd, Muskogee, OK (same place as last year, just new name). Rooms -$84 King $89 Double Queen (mention AERC when you reserve prior to Jan. 1 by calling 918-687-9000 to get this rate). No other preregistration necessary. FEB 8-10 Equifest of Kansas at the Kansas Pavilions in Wichita www.equifestofks.com FEB 18-23 Cedar Lake Work Week, Heavener, OK Come help trim, clear and clean up the trails at Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp in the Winding Stairs Mountains. Camping is available at no cost to volunteers. Be sure to bring your tools loppers, saws, shovels, chain saws etc. Potluck dinner Saturday evening. Chair: Teri Wyatt tnwalkinghorsegirl@yahoo.com 405.250.5558 MAR 8-16 Robbers Cave Work Week, Wilburton, OK Come for one day or all to help with trail work and camp cleanup. Camping is available at no cost to volunteers. Chairs: PD and Lesa O Hair918.465.5535 eatupwithgait@yahoo.com April 5-7 Sportsman Lake Work Weekend, Seminole, OK Bring your loppers and saws. 12 electric sites with room to double up in some. Lots of space for primitive. 20 pipe corrals and numerous picket poles. Free camping for participants. Hot dinner provided Saturday night at pavilion. An approximate count would help with planning and meal prep, so, if you can, contact Deanna Hamilton deannahamilton@ymail.com or 405-382-1435 to let us know you plan to join us. Nov 23 Toys for Tots Benefit Ride, Bell Cow Lake, Chandler. Sponsored by The Keystone Regulators, ride starts at 10 AM, cost is 1 unwrapped toy for boy or girl. Lunch will be provided after the ride. Contact Richard Moss at 918-706-7897. E q u e s t r i a n T r a i l A m b a s s a d o r s Arcadia Lake, Edmond, OK Terri Folks, 405.348.1397 trfolks@cox.net Gill Barnett, 405.844.3025 painthorses@cox.net Bell Cow Lake, Chandler, OK Scott Nelson 405.258.2839 / 405.312.4510 Cedar Lake, Ouachita, OK Teri Wyatt, 405.250.5558 tnwalkinghorsegirl@yahoo.com Duncan Lake, Duncan, OK (Also Waurika Lake, Comanche Lake & Veterans Lake) Camellia Foster, 580.251.5824 camelliafoster@hughes.net Heyburn Lake, Kellyville, OK Carrie Guerrero, 918.697.1436 thereliablehorseandpetsitter@cox.net Kaw Lake, Ponca City, OK Rick Boyd and Lori Young 580.716.7425 lori@loriyounglaw.com Lake Carl Blackwell, Stillwater, OK Charlie Kaupke ckaup@sbcglobal.net Meeker Lake, Meeker, OK Nixie Coffman, 405.279.2835 nixiesfolly@aol.com Oologah Lake, Oologah, OK Merry Lovelace, 918.289.4409 merry.lovelace@yahoo.com Prague Lake, Prague, OK Phillip Gordon, 405.213.3413 gfarmsllc@yahoo.com Robbers Cave State Park, Wilburton, OK PD and Lesa O-Hair PD 918.465.6624 Lesa 918.465.7447 eatupwithgait@yahoo.com Sportsman Lake, Seminole, OK Deanna Hamilton, 405.382.1435 deannahamilton@ymail.com 7
January 2013 Join our Facebook group under Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association. Post your comments and ride photos! Stay connected To become part of our OETRA members only Yahoo Group, please email trfolks@cox.net 8