US-ETC

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Candace Bourne` jeffeca@vetmed.auburn.edu
Good afternoon!

I am Candace Bourne with the United States Equestrian Trails 
Conference (US-ETC). Please read the following article about 
US-ETC. AS you read it, have in mind that we are looking for  
Directors in Regions 1,2,and 4  (Region 1 is Idaho, North Dakota,
 and Montana; Region 2 = Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, and
 South Dakota; Region 4 is Nevada and Utah.) At present, here are
 the regional directors: Region 3 = Valerie Cole, Regions 5 = 
Toby Horst, Region 6 = Karen Bragg, Region 8 = Candace Bourne, 
and Region 9 = Yvette Rollins. I would appreciate your advice on 
 possible candidates that you would recommend for the remaining 
positions. 

a few notes on our beginning...........

The first public "airing" of this idea came at the Southeastern 
Equestrian Trails Conference(SETC) 2000 which was held at Clemson
 University May, 2000. A Monday night panel session included, 
Dr. Gene Wood, Clemson University Extension Trails Specialist and
 founder of SETC; Dr Mylon Filkins, Back Country Horsemen of 
America; Kandee Haertel, ELCR; and Jerry Fruth, AERC Trails 
Chair. The panel presentation was on the need for a national 
equestrian trails advocacy group. All of the panelists agreed 
with the need but none thought their organization should take 
on the whole picture. They are definitely in support of the 
concept and have been kept "in the loop" with our progress.  
We will have affiliate memberships available and I feel confident
 that these organiaztions will become members to lend their 
support under this umbrella organization. 

After the "airing" at SETC in 2000, Jerry Fruth and DR Greg Jones
 in Kentucky began working towards the formation of the 
organization.  US-ETC is still in the formulation period. All 
efforts are on a volunteer basis right now and funding is an area
 that we need to begin pursuing agressively. We are still discuss
ing our bylaws for ratification and there is much more we need to
do before we can say we are truly up and running. I have been on 
board since this past fall. We have had 2 meeting which have been
 working sessions and our next meeting is in Sacramento, CA at 
the Western States Summit. A lot of our conversation has been via
 e-mail with a variety of people from across the states. 


Thanks,

Candace Bourne
PO Box 388
Notasulga, AL 36866
334-257-1905 (H)
334-844-2697 (W)
jeffeca@vetmed.auburn.edu
*************************************
US-ETC, GET ON BOARD!
by Candace Bourne

We have long needed a unified national voice for equestrian trail
advocacy.  Other trail user groups have advocacy  organizational
support. The hikers have it in the American Hiking Society.  The 
OHV’ers have it in the Blue Ribbon Coalition.  Mountain bikers 
have it in the International Mountain Bike Association. These 
organizations go to bat for their constituents in all aspects of 
their trail use....locally through education and organization and
all the way to nationally through lobbying in the political arena.
 Well our time has come. This organization is in its infancy but 
has the potential of being the answer to  our needs in many ways. 

In a nutshell, the purpose of this organization is the 
preservation and promotion of equestrian trials in the United 
States.  Focus will be on education of equestrians and equestrian 
groups (endurance, saddle clubs, trail clubs) at the local level 
in how to work with public agencies with regard to equestrian 
trails and how to handle positive and negative situations, such as
 new trail development and  trail closings. As logic would 
dictate, actions or problems would be handled at the local level 
with local involvement and US-ETC would only be a source of 
guidance until all efforts were exhausted at that local level. 
Then US-ETC could come in with a national effort by way of letter
 writing campaigns, dialogue at the regional or national level, 
and, if necessary,  legal assistance.

As it stands right now, US-ETC is divided into 8 regions 
following the lines of the USFS regions with a director for each r
egion.  Each Regional Director will recruit a Trails Advocate for 
each state within the region. The Trails Advocate will be 
responsible for building membership within the state, monitoring 
trails issues within the state, bringing issues of concern to the
 Regional Director and promoting the agenda of US-ETC. The 
mission statement and by-laws are being finalized and will be 
ratified by the BOD when all those positions have been filled. 

As Director for Region 8 and as this is a work in progress, I 
welcome questions and any constructive comments. Once it is up 
and running, US-ETC will be vital in maintaining and expanding 
trails. I urge you to support this effort. 

GET ON BOARD US-ETC.....THIS TRAIN IS MOVING!!!