Annual Meeting
The annual membership meeting for Rockbridge Hunt is scheduled, as always, on the second Wednesday of May at 7 pm.
Nominations will be accepted from the floor. The current slate of officers proposed by the nominating committee is:
President - Carol Atwood
Secretary - Judy Mundy
Treasurer - Blair Jones
MFH - Cindy Morton
Stewards are elected to 4 year terms - (not an insignificant investment of time!) but there are no steward positions this year.
If you can not attend, please PLEASE send to a hunt member your proxy vote. Last year it was durn close to not having a quorum, which would mean we’d have to do it again.
Proxy
I, __________________________________________ hereby assign my vote at the May 12th 2004 annual membership meeting to:
Signed:
Date:
__________________________________________________
Work Days
We are telling you now so you can plan ahead. Please plan to attend at least one of these work sessions, if not several. And remember to check the huntline before heading up/down the road.
Saturday morning, August 7
Sunday afternoon, August 15
Sunday afternoon, August 22
Sunday afternoon, August 29
We will also organize some trail trimming sessions throughout the summer. Check your email. As usual, if you want to work on a section of trail at your own pace, on your own schedule, just let Cindy know. If you know of a particular section that annoys you, speak up, and better, step up and have at it. Need ideas, those can be supplied too. Want to donate a gate? Several new gates are needed.
Full Moon Trail Ride
Date: July 31
Location: Broadview Farm.
Time: Well, I’d guess kinda late! More details to come later from Kathy Eichelberger. Check the Hunt Line.
I have heard rumor or organized trail rides in June and August; check the hunt line.
Hunt Ball Thanks
The following businesses and individuals have be kind enough to donate to our Hunt Ball silent auction. When you visit these businesses, please let them know that their donation is very much appreciated.
| Martinque, Roanoke
| The Farm Store, Troutville
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| Dominion Saddlery, Lexington
| Hands on Pottery, Forrest
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| Mostly Sofas, Roanoke
| RSVP, Ltd., Roanoke
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| Gloria Rangel, Pilates, Lexington
| Fancy Hill Farm, Natural Bridge
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| Rockbridge Farmers Co-op, Lexington
| Saddles-n-Stuff, Daleville
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| Southern Inn, Lexington
| Virginia Born & Bred, Lexington
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| Spring Creek Country Shop, Fairfield
| Milenka Katic at Artists in Cahoots, Lexington
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| The Cocoa Mill, Lexington
| Bit-n-Bridle, Staunton
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| Oil Exchange & Lube, Lexington
| Present Thyme, Roanoke
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| Millie & Company, Ladies Clothing, Salem
| Rockbridge Interiors, Lexington
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| Market Station One, Fairfield
| Jan Sweet Tack Repair, Bent Mountain
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| Fitzgerald Lumber, Fairfield
| The Pink Cadillac Restaurant, Natural Bridge
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| Fabricare, Roanoke
| The Daily Grind, Lexington
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| Sandy Anderson
| Carol Atwood
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| Jim and Susan Bailey
| David Bolen
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| Chris Bowring
| Rita Mae Brown
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| Col. & Mrs. L. E. Browning
| Fred and Barbara Burks
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| Joe Conner
| Frank and Lois Farmer
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| Mark and Judy Gustafson
| Bernard and Candi Hylton
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| Lee and Laura Jarvis
| Blair and Erica Jones
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| Ann Layman
| Diane Long
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| Merrie Gale McNemar
| Joe and Pam Moskal
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| Terry Poff
| Beverly Purswell
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| Barbara Rowe
| Charlotte Sandy
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| Terry and Cynthia Secker
| Wilson and Lola Shepherd
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| Brenda Simmons
| Jean Taylor
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| Ann Telnaes
| Andy and Joy Watkins
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| Eleanor Wright
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Spring Hunter Pace May 15th
(rain date 16th)
Plans are quite underway for our spring hunter pace with riders parking on Pete Whitlock’s property and serving lunch on Barbara and Fred Burk’s generous lawn. Sarah Wood has put together and mailed the flyer which you should have received, Erica Jones with help from Blair is plotting lunch, and others have been drafted. Please make copies and spread the flyer around to other horsie friends. If you don’t want to ride, various volunteer jobs will be available beforehand and that day. Beforehand: marking trail; contact Fred; salads, deserts, drinks- contact Erica; setting up and taking down - contact Laura Jarvis. That day we need timers, scorers, and kitchen help. Contact Laura.
Riding on private property
Hunt members are asked to keep in mind the fact that most of the land we hunt on is privately owned. We are a part of “Hunt Inc.” and we DO have “hunt owned” turf that we can ride on, anytime of year; assuming that you are on the commonly owned portion and not individual pieces. But the vast percentage of our hunting turf is privately owned.
If you are like me and a good number of other members, you might not have a clue what part is the Hunt Inc. “commons” and what parts are not (and there are private parcels within Hunt Inc. without any dwellings on them). Then there is the issue of adjoining privately owned property. For instance, Estabrooks (with the pear farm along Rt. 11 for those of you like me) has recently expressed concern about hunt members wandering onto his property where he has been drilling deep, narrow holes and surely does not want to see any equine broken legs. The upshot of all this is that you absolutely need to get permission to ride on private property which happens to be in hunt territory. If you don’t know where the boundary lines are, you need to either ride with someone who does or find somewhere else to go. Please!
June Hunter Show
Joan Alberti is running the horse show. Carol Atwood is collecting sponsors. Carol Atwood is looking for someone/group/business to do food. Show questions: Joan: 540- 992-1069. Carol : 463-1000.
Obituary for Guy Burkholder
(From the Roanoke Times.) Guy Eugene (Red) Burkholder, 86, of Roanoke, Virginia, died Thursday, March 12, 2004. A native of Bellwood, Pennsylvania, Burkholder served with distinction as Hollins College's director of riding from 1959 to 1985. Under his leadership, the Hollins riding program grew from 30 to 80 riders and achieved success on both the state and national levels. Burkholder's love of horses began when he was a child and flourished after high school when he joined a Pennsylvania National Guard horse cavalry unit. When the unit was mechanized at the outset of World War II, he transferred to the army's Remount Service in Nebraska, where he trained horses and mules with some of the nation's finest horsemen. He went on to serve as director of the riding program at Randolph-Macon Woman's College for eight years before coming to Hollins. Burkholder was inducted into the Southwest Virginia Hunter/Jumper Hall of Fame in 1994 and in 1999 won the Virginia Horse Shows Association's prestigious Susan H. Hagan Award for lifetime achievement as a horseman. In 2002, he was honored for his contributions to the horse business in Virginia with induction into the Virginia Horse Shows Association Hall of Fame. He served as master of foxhounds for the Bedford County Hunt Club and field master for the Rockbridge Hunt Club, where he was named an honorary lifetime member. Burkholder was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Helen Burkholder; and two brothers, Thomas Burkholder and Lemont Burkholder. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Guy Burkholder Building Fund for the Hollins University Riding Center, P.O. Box 9629, Roanoke, Virginia 24020.
Minutes of the 2003 annual meeting of the Rockbridge Hunt
The annual meeting of the Rockbridge Hunt was held at the Tex Tilson Lodge on Wednesday, May 14, 2003. The meeting was called to order by President Carol Atwood at 7:10 PM. Wilson Shepherd, the outgoing Secretary, read out the names of the 16 proxy members and also the names of the persons who would represent them at the meeting. There were 20 active voting members in attendance. President Atwood asked that the minutes of our last general meeting be approved . MFH David Bolen made a motion to accept them and Dick Ford seconded the motion. The motion carried without objection.
The financial results of our fiscal year ending this month were reviewed and discussed. Cindy Morton explained the drop in dues by saying that we lost 9 dues paying members and only replaced them with 3 new members. It was noted that the Activities income had declined $3,251 from the prior year. Fred Burks explained that part of that decline was due to the rainout of one of our hunter pace events. The results indicated basically a break even year.
David Bolen, in making his Master's report, started by saying that he declined to run for that position again in the coming year as 12 years in a row was enough. He thanked all of those members who had given him such fine assistance during his administration. In closing his comments, David mentioned that it was necessary to find some other insurance company since the one that we have been using for years had decided to stop insuring sports related organizations. We have until July to find a new company. It was recommended that we investigate obtaining coverage from the MFHA insurer. Cindy, our co-master, reported fewer injuries during the hunting season, She commented on the quality of help that she has received from our members. She also commented on the quality of our new members from this year, but we always need more additions to our membership roster. She said that we would be having an introductory program again this fall to encourage new members to join.
Lauren Keating was asked to present the list of nominees for the officers in the coming year. The nominees were: Cindy Morton for Master; Carol Atwood for President; Katharine Conner for Treasurer; Blair Jones for Honorary Secretary; and Fred Burks and Paula Ursoy as Stewards. There were no nominations from the floor. The nominations were closed, voted upon and approved by those present.
Cindy Morton proposed that David Bolen be made an honorary Master of our hunt. Everyone at the meeting agreed with that proposal and it was carried.
President Atwood asked for comments on the proposed budget for the coming year. Fred Burks explained that it appeared somewhat different this year due to the move of the David Conner family from our huntsman's house to a new home that he is having built. We will be rolling over our present mortgage, as it is about to be paid off in the coming year. The hunt will borrow $50,000 to be used in refurbishing the huntsman's house and to make minor repairs to the lodge kitchen and bathrooms. The huntsman's house will be put up for renting as soon as work is complete on it. The income from this rental will be passed on to David Conner as a substitute for living rent free at the hunt. He will continue to be the huntsman for the Rockbridge Hunt and given a 3% total increase in compensation. President Atwood asked for a motion to approve the proposed budget for the following fiscal year. Cindy moved for approval and Fred Burks seconded the motion. The membership approved the motion.
Hound Report - David Conner reported that we now have 36 good working hounds. We have no puppies and are just waiting for more down the line.
President Atwood alerted the membership that she would like to have the hunt put on a history party later on in the new year. Asked everyone to dig out your old photos of previous hunts.
Dick Ford reported that the trail for the hunter pace scheduled for this weekend has been laid. Esterbrook requests that all gates into his property be left closed at all times.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:47 PM.
Respectfully submitted by,
Wilson E.D. Shepherd
Honorary Secretary
(edited by Blair Jones)
Plea for Help from the Horse Center
I’m writing to members of the Rockbridge Hunt on behalf of the upcoming Horse Trials and 3-Day Event at the Horse Center in Lexington. We are looking for volunteers to help with the Spring event, May 20-23. It would be a pleasure to work with you to determine which days and activities might be suitable. We especially value members of Hunts and Pony Clubs because they know horses and will come out in all kinds of weather!
Each organization that fields at least 6 members for a day receives a donation of $20.00 per person to the group’s treasury. People who come as individuals receive a VHT polo shirt or a $20.00 certificate for other equestrian activities sponsored by VHT. Please note: we welcome young people, but workers must be at least 15 years of age and a youth group must be accompanied by at least one supervising adult.
To express interest, please go to and click on "CCI Volunteering," then fill in the form at the bottom of that page. In the remarks block you should put what days you might be available and which specific jobs may be best for you. Or you may contact me by e-mail or telephone sanunneley@earthlink.net or 540-463-7938.
All the best for your spring riding, and let's hope for good weather on our big weekend!
Sally Nunneley, Coordinator for Volunteers for Virginia Horse Trials
Bedford County Hunt Hunter Pace and Point-to-Point May 8th
Pace and races will be held at Wolf Branch Farm, Forest (the intersection of routes 221 and 811). The Hunter Pace covering the WBF will be that morning. The BCH Open will be restricted to horses hunted or evented.
The new Team Challenge Relay jumping race will feature non head-to-head course jumping relay-style by four rider teams. Many non-horse racing activities take place too: terrier races, hound parade, stick horse race for kids and an appearance by Thomas Jefferson (part of the proceeds go to support Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest).
The Point-to-Point this year will include the "Tempting Treat Festival." Therefore we are soliciting individuals, clubs, businesses, or organizations that make tempting treats - whether desserts or candy or other tasty items - to exhibit, offer samples, and sell their product.
What's in it for you? Free promotion. BCH will list participants in the race brochure, promotional posters, and other marketing material. Participants can leverage the opportunity by offering coupons or other promotional items. For instance, participants can offer gift certificates for drawing winners. Free space and accommodations. BCH will provide tents and tables. If your treat is tempting - you may sell quite a few!
Racers and spectators will receive "passports" entitling them to a reasonably sized sample from each exhibit. Additionally, anyone is free to wander the festival area to eye the goodies and buy as they please. We are asking participants to staff their tables from 1 to 3 p.m., although you are welcome to come earlier and stay longer.
Want to sign-up? Great! Please contact Karin Sherbin at 434/534-8118 or karin@poplarforest.org. The sooner the better, as space is limited and we are already creating our promotional material.
PC News
Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club had these members to their ratings this spring and passed at the level listed. Examiners doing the ratings were Vicki Byrd, Diane Hinch and Jessica Buchanan. Passed: Weby Branscome - D1 Josh Aulbach - D2; Rebecca Tilson - D3; Arielle Podlejski - C1; Jenny Shultis - C1; Kara Aulbach - C1; Grace Fowler - C2; Carrie Fowler - C2; Lorin Falls - C2.