Home on the Range trail ride

The annual Blue Ridge Ranch endurance ride is scheduled for Saturday, Mar. 31 and begins at the Bar U Ranch and Warm Springs Ranch. The ride takes participants across three private ranches with no special permits needed.

The trail is comprised for rolling hills with bunch grasses, CRP land, rocky scabland and a portion of a common trail. The entire trail is to be marked with flagging tape on white fiberglass posts and riders are reminded to follow these markers at all times. Riders are also to be aware that there is one active railroad crossing during the ride.

Base camp for the event is a grassy, flat area that is adjacent to two sheep barns, which is used for the ride meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. on Mar. 30, and the awards. Water is provided in the camp and on the trail.

Participants are asked to park in rows at camp and all dogs must be on a leash at all times.

Pre-ride betting begins at 3 p.m. on Mar. 30 with the head vet being R.G. (Dick) Root.

Riders can participate in a 75, 50 or 25-mile ride, Arabian Horse Association (AHA) 50 mile, or in the trail ride. Start times are 6 a.m. for the 75-mile ride, 7 a.m. for the 50-mile ride, 8 a.m. for the 25-mile ride and 9 a.m. for all trail riders.

Entry fees for these rides at $120 for 75 miles, $105 for 50 miles, $95 for 25 miles, $25 for AHA 50 miles and $30 for trail ride participants.

Juniors receive a $25 discount from all of the rides except the trail ride.

Pacific Northwest Endurance Rides (PNER) ride manager discounts are honored at this event. With a 2012 PNER membership card, the participant receives a $5 reduction in entry fee cost.

A $15 day member fee is charged to all non-American Endurance Ride Conference (AREC) members except trail riders.

AREC members are asked to present their card at registration.

Those interested in participating in the event can fill out an entry form that is available on the Blue Ridge Ranch webpage, http://blue-ridge-ranch.com until the “trials and competitions” menu. Directions to the event can also be found on the webpage.

For more information about the event, contact the ride manager, Gail Williams, by phone at 509-952-1256 or by e-mail at [email protected].