The 2017 Competitive Trail Challenge
New location! Wild and crazy theme!The Ride
If you love riding mountain trails and testing your horseback skills, this event is for you!
This is our largest fundraising effort each year. Please join us at our new location in Teton Saddleback Vistas, Driggs, for a day of riding, food & fun! ALL proceed benefit our horse rescue – we currently have 20 horses available for adoption, with others on the waiting list!
Help us give hope for the horses.
The CTC consist of 5 to 6 miles of trail with 6 judged obstacle stations with open, pleasure, and youth divisions.The riding competition is not a race, or a timed event. It’s a ride. However, each one of the 6 obstacle stations is timed, and expected to be completed within a certain time. These rides are set up to be fun and enjoyable with bits of challenge mixed in.
There will be 6 obstacle stations, placed an average of one mile apart (each with a Judge & Assistant). The obstacles can range anywhere from opening and closing a gate, then trotting over a series of poles ending with a 360° turn on the haunches to crossing water (no swimming required) and going up and back down a steep embankment. If you have competed with us in the past, you know the obstacles will be unique! But all obstacles have been researched and ridden by at least one of the HAPI Trails Crew, so we know they can be done – they are just not your average ‘trail obstacle’. We like to keep things fun, exciting, challenging, but safe – each obstacle has options for safety. We ALWAYS ask for safety first!
On the day of the ride, competitors will receive a Competitors Packet, along with the list of obstacles.
The judges will be looking for things such as: communication between horse and rider, smoothness/collectiveness, completion of obstacles within the time allotted, and various other skills based on the specific obstacle to be announced.
You will be riding with your group of 6 riders or less, but you can move at your own pace. You don’t want to push your horse too much and come up lame at the end of the competition – that could result in a disqualification. There will be a vet on call (Dr. Summer Winger), and there will be 3 ‘Safety Riders’ on the course at all times
ON LINE REGISTRATION AND SIGN UP IS NOW CLOSED.
WE HAVE ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RIDING WITH US AND HAVE NOT ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR A RIDE TIME, PLEASE ARRIVE ON LOCATION BY 8:00 AM FOR MORNING REGISTRATION, WHICH WILL CLOSE AT 8:45.
THERE ARE NO AFTERNOON RIDE TIMES AVAILABLE.
AND YES, WE HAVE A FULL COURSE THEME AGAIN THIS YEAR!
WILD WEST MOVIES!
What is more fun than riding your horse?
Riding your horse in costume, of course!
We’ll be dressing the part and invite you to do the same!
How to Sign-up!
1. Sign up for your RIDE TIME first.
The event fills up quick! We want to make sure you can get a time, before you sign up!
2. Determine your Division: Open, Pleasure, Youth or Buddy.
3. Then complete the Registration and Payment.
We are asking for all payments prior to Wednesday, September 20. If we have not receive your payment either online or by mail, we can not hold your place. (if you’ve ridden with us in the past, you know we will help in any way we can! We also know the online payment doesn’t always work!)
4. Inquire about horse boarding, camping or lodging.
Friday Night Fun!
September 22nd • $10 Food & Drink
Join us at 308 Teton Saddleback Vistas Drive, Driggs from 5 to 8pm!
The weekend will begin on Friday from 5 to 8pm, where competitors will have the opportunity to practice obstacles. We will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and provide beverages. We are asking for $10 for the dinner – all you can eat! Camping is available as well as horse boarding, space is limited, click the Stall/Camping button to reserve your space.
Saturday Competition
At the new HAPI Trails headquarters in Teton Saddleback Vistas!
We will have coffee and breakfast snacks available starting at 8am. Lunch will be catered – TDB – but it will be good!
Saturday starts early with the first Mandatory Rider Briefing at 9am, and the competition getting a two-team shot-gun start at 9:40!
The second Mandatory Rider Briefing will be at 11:45. This briefing is for teams that begin at 12:20 and later. The group at 12:20 MUST be ready to ride directly from the briefing.
GROUPS ARE LIMITED TO 6, no exceptions.
The Divisions
Ride in the Division you are most comfortable with – Challenging or enjoyable it’s up to you!
Open Division
Really want a Challenge!- Obstacles will be more difficult, the completion times are shorter the judging is more precise. Awards will be ribbons & prizes.
Pleasure Division
Just have fun!- Less difficult obstacles, completion times are longer and the judging is not as tough. Awards will be ribbons & prizes.
Junior/Youth Divison
Yee Haw!- The obstacles are much less difficult than the Open and Pleasure divisions and allowances will be made for safety reasons
- You may get off and walk them through and obstacle. In which case, dismount and mounting will be judged (if you need help, you may ask the Judges Assistant). Safety First!
- Under 14 years old.
- Juniors must wear a helmet and MUST be accompanied by an adult rider.
- One adult may supervise up to 3 junior riders
- Each junior MUST provide written authorization from their parent and/or guardian consenting to same.
- A junior rider may opt to ride in the Pleasure or Open division if they pay appropriate fees for that division.
- Awards will be ribbons & prizes.
Buddy Rider
Wanna watch the fun!- A Buddy Rider rides the trail following the rules just like a competitor, but does not participate in the obstacles.
- Buddy riders are not judged.
- A buddy rider may be a friend of a competitor, a person who wants to check out the competition before they decide to compete or someone who wants to take the opportunity to give their green horse exposure.