Welcome to NATRC Region 1
Unfortunately, our most important news is also terribly sad: Vicki Boicelli, a stalwart of our riding cadre died recently. Her absence will change the atmosphere of all our rides. Linda Thomason wrote the following remembrance:
In Memory of Vicki Boicelli
It is with a heavy heart that I am notifying you of the passing of one of NATRC Region 1's own. On March 15th, Vicki Boicelli passed away. Most of you know her from the Round Valley Ride which she helped her husband Gene put on for 14 years. Vicki was involved with and in love with horses and dogs from an early age. It was a love that never wavered. She bred Connemara horses and crosses on her property near Clayton and the NATRC records have many photos of her with her handsome white Connemaras.
After competing in some of the CMDTRA rides, in 2010, Gene convinced Vicki that they too could put on a ride. At the time they were riding together in the hills above their house and Vicki said that she almost gasped! She had managed and worked several events at CMDTRA and knew how much work was involved. She also knew that if Gene volunteered, she was volunteered.
We know that through the years of the Round Valley ride, Vicki was the rock behind Gene and helped keep the ride on track. I had the privilege of working with them as the ride secretary for 12 years and saw how hard they worked to make the ride enjoyable for the riders and volunteers. Gene may have handed out the popsicles to the riders but Vicki made sure they were purchased and in the freezer. Yes, there were years we wilted in the heat, and the trails were not the easiest in the Region, but through it all they kept it going. Many of you remember hearing taps at night and revelie in the mornings and groaning at both. It was one of their ways to make the ride personnel. When I think of Vicki, I see a smiling lady with one or two Irish setters at her side or a sturdy white horse beside her.
Vicki's daughter Gina Shaman is hosting a memorial at her house in Clayton on May 5th at 1pm. There will be a taco feed to honor Vicki's love of Mexican food. All are invited to attend and celebrate Vicki. Gina has asked if NATRC members would write down (preferably in your own handwriting) any stories involving Vicki and either deliver them in person at the memorial, or send them to her, as she is compiling a book for the family. Gina's address is
6001 Morgan Territory Road, Clayton, CA 94517
Happy Trails Vicki, we will miss you.
After that news . . .
NATRC Region 1 consists of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, Alaska and part of Nevada. So, if you love trail riding, would like to meet more people who share your passion, and you live in Region 1, or are within commuting distance - come join us!
If you'd like to interact with NATRC riders (and prospective NATRC riders!), take a look at our Facebook page and join our CTR discussion group on Facebook. The conversations are wide-ranging and the participants run from trail riding newbies to old hands.
Our goals for our website are to keep our members informed about NATRC Region 1 activities, and to keep us all motivated to get out and ride. So, if you're looking for the next NATRC ride, go to the Ride Schedule page, where our 2024 rides are listed along with contact information to get signed up. If you want to get in touch with fellow trail riders even before you join us for a ride, take a look at the Region 1 CTR (Competitive Trail Riding) discussion group on Facebook. And if you're stuck at the office and trying to remember how you feel when you're riding, check out our Stories & Articles page, where we have links to
- Region 1 ride stories,
- "Reprints" of interesting articles,
- Tips for first time riders,
- Archives of Leadline, the Region 1 newsletter, and
- PDFs of NATRC documents that riders might want to refer to, such as the Rule Book, and
- a link to the Membership Form!
And if you've just discovered NATRC riding, and are wondering if it's the right thing for you, that same Stories & Articles page has a "New Riders" section to provide answers to some questions, links to information for first time riders, and first-ride stories on the web.
Come Ride with Us!
Region 1 News
2023 Award Winners
Lists of our various award winners from the 2023 ride year can be found in the awards lists. Winners in the various categores are there, as well as the winners of our special awards, the Bob Smith Award for High Point First Year Novice or Competitive Pleasure Horse (Gold Dust and Diamonds / Sheri Smith), and the Pat Ersepke Award for High Point Novice Horse/Rider Combination (Daris Amir / Robin Dreshler). Go see who else won!
Eel River Date Change
The Eel River ride, initally scheduled for June 15-16, has been changed to June 8-9. See all the ride dates on the Ride Schedule page.
Blast from the Past!
Here's an article from the March, 1978 Leadline, with a little history of our organization - I liked it a lot - take a look!
Joan Throgmorton Rememberance Page
Joan Throgmorton passed away peacefully February 3, 2023. Joan and her husband, Bill Throgmorton, DVM, were instrumental in promoting NATRC when it began in the 1960's. Through the years, Joan was secretary, newsletter editor, judge, trail ride manager, and competitor. A strong advocate for horses and trails, she not only blazed trails, she maintained those trails. Joan was responsible for involving junior riders, including her own daughters, who each won the President's Cup. Joan's work, dedication, and sharp sense of humor will be greatly missed.
Jec Ballou's Presentations from the 2023 Convention
Jec Ballou, author of several books on how to create and maintain horse fitness, did two presentations at our National Convention in Sacramento on February 18: Conditioning the Distance Horse and Rehab for Horses, and she let us put them up on the website. If you were at the presentations, these should be good reminders for how to get ready for this ride season. If you weren't at the presentations, they'll still be helpful - and, hopefully, encourage you to come to convention next year!
Need a (FREE!) Cookbook?
Carol Ormond recently found a Region 1 Cookbook, which she and Jamie Dieterich cleaned up and turned into a pdf. Take a look: it's got NATRC info, cooking tips, and actual recipes.
A Couple of Interesting Articles . . .
One of our old Leadlines has a breath-taking article from Nancy Kasovich about the two terrifying fires she survived; one in 1964 and 2017. She includes teeth-clenching descriptions of getting out safely, and tips for how to do it, if it happens to you. With summer coming on, it might be worth taking another look at.
And Linda Thomason has given us a list of barn-preparedness tips in her article Barn Fire Prevention. In addition to tips, she also included her sources, where you can go for more info. Thanks, Linda!
Check Out the Resources section of the NATRC National website
There are lots of interesting things on the national site: a set of past webinars on conditioning, judging . . . pretty much all aspects of our sport. And they're planning to have more webinars this year, and events such as virtual mileage challenges and virtual obstacle challenges that you can sign up for and participate in virtually. Watch for announcements on the Region 1 CTR (Competitive Trail Riding) discussion group.
See you on the trail!