Competitive Trail Riding with North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) Are you looking for a little adventure? Give competitive trail riding a try. The North American Trail Ride Conference is a governing body over competitive trail riding (CTR). In this episode, I talk to Sarah Rinne, NATRC's Executive Director about the sport. Involved with the organization since 1988, Sarah is a wealth of knowledge. The NATRC sets rules and has guidelines for trail rides. Sanctioned NATRC rides judge riders on horsemanship and horse care. Their competitions place an emphasis on rider and horse safety. The conference establishes levels so riders can compete with others of similar ability. All horses, including mules, are eligible to take part in every ride. A competitive trail ride is not a speed event. Riders have to manage the course and speed to arrive at checkpoints within a certain time frame. Horses have mandatory breaks and veterinary checks to insure they are fit to continue. Riders can also expect to be judged negotiating natural trail obstacles during a ride. Links to Competitive Trail Riding Heard in this Episode NATRC Event Calendar Public Facebook Page for the NATRC NATRC YouTube Page with lots of good information Email for more information on the Old West CTR in Tehachapi September 4 & 5 OldwestCTR@gmail.com       Join Us on this Journey We want you to be a part of the show. Tell us about your horse. Share your challenges, triumphs, or just everyday items that make horse ownership unique. Create an audio file using the memo app on your phone. Or contact me and we'll set up a time to talk on Skype or phone. Perhaps what you have to share can help someone in THEIR horse journey. You are an enormous part of why we do a podcast. We really love getting your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show. Email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com Thanks for listening. John & Ranae Episode #189 Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link. Checkout My John Harrer & Horses YouTube Channel