The guest ranch house provided an outstanding facility for management with bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, living room, huge covered back porch to serve meals, a covered patio for ride briefings, meeting and awards. There were electric hookups with water, pens for horses and also primitive camping facilities for those who didn't need a full hook-up.

Candy Bradford served as senior judge for the Sunday TTC event. Believe me, she came up with challenging, interesting obstacles. It was a real test of horse and rider horsemanship and trail ability. First we had to bridle our horses for Nancy Eakin, then a mount for Liz Scott, in the Horseman division, I had to do a broken arm mount. Fortunately there was a nice rock to climb up on else I would still be on trail if I'd really had a broken arm!! Next we trotted for soundness, then at 9:30 started on trail. Candy was posted not too far out of camp where, the Horseman division, was asked to trot a short distance around a corner, pick up a canter, identify the lead our horses were on, and stop next to a cone. As I was waiting for my turn, there were some "interesting" transitions going on at the front of the line, as it was a cool morning, and the ponies were fresh and raring to go!!

Liz was waiting not too far down the trail with an interesting backing obstacle with varying degrees of difficulty. The HM div. was asked to back down a steep bank and then up a steep bank on the other side, challenging, but very doable.

Next we came to Nancy and Alissa where we were asked to go off trail up a fairly long steep incline, stop at the top for a count of 5 and then down an equally steep curved decline. Again very doable, but required good control and a brave horse. We rode a loop only to come back to Nancy and Alissa where we were asked by Alissa to produce our maps and identify our location on the map. Then up a hill and back down where Nancy had a good view to check for body sway and trail negotiating skills.

A bit further down the trail Carla Jo was waiting with a scary, scraggly bush tied to a drag rope. I'm not exactly sure what everyone did here, but I know some dismounted and dragged the bush out to the side of their horses, the HM division had to drag the bush backward. I wasn't quite sure how Holly would react to that scary bush coming toward him as he backed. He thinks those gray, spiky things are horrible horse eating monsters beside the trail much less coming toward him. However, he listened well, and trusted I wouldn't let the bogger get him, and did a nice job of dragging it the required distance. Next Carla Jo asked HM div to side pass over a long wide rock ledge with off-set rocks, in a stream, that required a little maneuvering . Again this for HM division. The other divisions had a sidepass over a long stick. Tricky, but again doable.

Inspite of trusting me on the bush, Holly wasn't convinced, for a moment, the rain coat coming out of the cliff at him wasn't going to get him. As I pulled it off the cliff to drape it across his withers and carry it to Candy, at the next obstacle, he did a nice controlled about on the haunches when I picked it up. I think he was a bit embarrassed to see it was only a raincoat when he completed his "light, about on the haunches maneuver". I've picked up rain gear numerous times on him, but I think he wasn't paying attention to it being there and when it jumped at him from the off-side, for just a moment, it startled him. Rider error, I should have made him more aware it was there, by having him touch it before I picked it up.

We were then asked to take a few steps down the canyon wall and have our horses touch the cliff wall with their noses close to a short ribbon tied there. That was easy for most, as I think the horse's natural curiosity about the wall and the ribbon aided here.

An extra credit, optional obstacle was next. We were asked to dismount onto a rock from the off-side, plant our feet and not move them, as we asked our horses to turn around and position themselves for an on-side mount. Candy had demonstrated the method for doing this the evening before, so I think it was pretty easy for most.

Next we rode on down the stream in the canyon to where Liz was waiting. We were told to ride onto a long rock ledge, down the ledge, step down a short rock drop-off, make a U turn and come back off the ledge. Pretty uneventful for most that I saw, but again it required good cooperation between horse and rider.

Back in camp we were offered another optional, extra credit obstacle. Candy asked us to stand on a small scrap of cardboard at the end of a rock obstacle, not move our feet and SEND our horses forward over two large side-by-side rocks, turn the horses immediately and ask them to come back over the long rock barrier. The rocks were about 18/20 inches in height I'm guessing and created a barrier 3/4 feet in length. Again, tricky, but very doable for almost any horse that has been taught to lounge, and change directions quickly.

There was an interesting judges Q&A session while waiting for awards, which were ready before the Q&A session was finished.

I loved the trail and the challenge of all the obstacles, but would sure have liked more miles on these lovely trails. I highly recommend this ranch as a great place to ride for a day or to enjoy a riding vacation. Look them up at www.polecanyon.com .

I judged the STC, so I can't give a blow-by-blow on that event. I judged a downhill from a hidden location, a U turn back into a stream and an in camp obstacle where riders were either asked to back horses into a pond in hand or SEND them into the pond for a short circle much as if they were lounging and the water was half of the lounging circle.

Carla Jo Bass and Midnight were named Supreme Challenge Champion team. Carla Jo said the 22 mile Level One trail rivaled any she had ever ridden for difficulty. It was a tearful moment when she and 24 yr-old Midnight were named STC team champions.

This area of West TX has some great Horsemen and Women. The area riders participating, although new to the sport, did very well. Linda Harris, from the immediate Panhandle area, had the highest score in Training Level, if I'm remembering correctly.

No one wanted to take on the 30 mile Level two division, so there were only training level and Level one competing.

Overall, it was a very successful event. As I said in the beginning, the BEST ride I've attended in years.

Linda Courts