Minutes of the January 2010 Meeting

January 2010 meeting

Notes provided by Wendy Bejarano

1)

Thaw ride discussion: We need more PR people with more than 20 entries expected.

GMHA needs to be asked for parking permission and directions due to the new parking lot at GMHA. Also there is concern that the Budweiser team will be arriving soon.

2) Banquet Discussion : Krista Alderdice will be doing awards and has been in touch with Jo Steel for results.

Only 16 people have signed up and we need more entries. Doug will post more info this week on the web site followed by an e-mail alert.

We had no Juniors in 2009. We hope to see some in 2010!

3) Clinic : Horse shoeing and alternative health care put together by Melody Blittersdorf and the Vermont Farriers Association has run into a date conflict with the NEATO 50 mile endurance and a driving event at GMHA on May 22 and 23. We will ask if there is a possibility to reschedule but there are very few date the speakers have available.

More information will be available at the February awards banquet

4)Budget discussion: Looks like we made over $2000.00 this year but that is before the 2009 donations that have a not yet been sent. Barbara has the go ahead to send checks to

GMHA, NEF, Stelephane (sp) park

5) 3 day 100/60/25 drive : Managers Ellen Tully and Gaynor Coassin asked to drop the 3^rd day of the drive due to low attendance and no improvement in site for this year. Request was granted and the event will be a 2 day drive of 35 mile the first day with a 35 mile crt ride along and 25 miles more for the drivers on the next day. It was also noted that GMHA was trying to drop the drives from their CTRS . We need more driver to keep this fun sport going.

6)Kathy Hall showed us the VERDA Caps that will be available in 2 colors this year. She also presented insulated totes that every body like very much. They should be ready for the Awards Banquet

7) Betty Welles invited participants and volunteer to a pot luck March 21^st meeting for the 75th running of the 3 day 100 CTR at GMHA

8) VERDA winter meeting will change the menu to a pot luck after great success at the December meeting. This will save VERDA $100.00 per meeting. The first meeting in October or November will still be Pizza. All others will be pot luck

2010 Thaw Ride Results

RIDERS	HORSES' NAME	RIDE	SCORE
Walker, Courtney	Picaboo Street	January Thaw 2010	100
Kimberly, Jenny	Shyrocco Lyric	January Thaw 2010	99 1/2
Limlaw, Gene	Seegret II Success	January Thaw 2010	99
Bottesi, Marlene	Dixie Dee	January Thaw 2010	98 1/2
Hutchinson, Tom	Theatric	January Thaw 2010	98 1/2
Bean, Lindsey	Tektonic	January Thaw 2010	98
Winslow, Roxanne	Nikazem	January Thaw 2010	98
Walker, Connie	Hermiene Granger	January Thaw 2010	98
Townsend, Louise	Maine Lee Lydia	January Thaw 2010	98
Bejarano, Wendy	Ziggy	January Thaw 2010	97 1/4
Blittersdorf, Melody	Synthetic	January Thaw 2010	97
Thompson, Casey	Pride	January Thaw 2010	97
Phillips, Christina	Sir Douglas	January Thaw 2010	96 1/2
Bennett, Abby	Bie-Kin	January Thaw 2010	96 1/2
Ferland, Ruth	Jake	January Thaw 2010	96 1/2
Alexander, Lee	Bedrocks Handsome Fella	January Thaw 2010	96
Turcotte, Cathy	Mecca	January Thaw 2010	96
Jack, Sarah	Lazaar "Luke"	January Thaw 2010	96
Kobylenski, Ann	Lutka	January Thaw 2010	94
Brown, Celeste	DJJJ Star's Ace	January Thaw 2010	93
Gardner, Jeff	Gazelle	January Thaw 2010	91 1/2
Welles, Allen	Hawks Nest Trade Wind	January Thaw 2010	rider pulled
DRIVERS
Groves, Robin	Thors Toy Truck	January Thaw 2010	98
Wilson, Ginny	Danville Dudley	January Thaw 2010	96

Thaw Ride 2010

JANUARY THAW RIDE & DRIVE

2010

Perhaps it was a sign of better luck in 2010 or perhaps it was simply fate---there actually was a January thaw on the weekend that the ride took place!

The combination of excellent weather all fall and moderate weather into the early winter seemed to be just what folks needed to enter the Thaw Ride and Drive this year. We had the largest number of entries in recent memory and perhaps one of the largest Thaw events ever. There were 24 entries—2 drivers and 22 riders! WOW!!

With that number of horses we moved the ride back to the Kedron Stables this year. Many thanks to Paul, Chip and staff for hosting us overnight and throughout the day on Saturday. Trail Masters Robin and Wilson Groves created a terrific route that kept the ride on the sunny side of the neighborhood all day with the chili stop again at Sue and John Greenall’s farm.

Our vetting team of Jeff Oney and Linda Glock kept things moving along so we had everyone on the road before 10:30 a.m. With moderate temperatures (for January) all day there was no problem hanging out in the arena visiting either before or after the ride/drive.

This year brought another “first”. We decided to forgo the awards dinner at the Reading Town Hall. Instead, we set up the pot luck food in the Kedron arena so that everyone could eat while the vet-out process was happening. What an incredible selection of food!!! Paul Kendall again provided a fabulous ham and, as I stated last year, VERDA members are terrific cooks!! No one went hungry on Thaw Ride/Drive day. Of course, the fact that it wasn’t terribly cold made this experiment a success.

Awards were presented in the arena as soon as the results were available so people were able to get on the road before it got too late. Congratulations everyone! (and thank you, Sue).

I would like to thank all of the volunteers who make this event a success year after year. You all have made managing the Thaw Ride/Drive a pleasure. Opening your barns, cooking, shopping and giving up an afternoon or a whole day to help is truly wonderful and is appreciated by everyone.

Thanks too to all of the riders/drivers who came out this year. It was a great day and wonderful to have so many people and horses enjoying the Thaw!!

Happy Winter to all. See you in the Spring!

Janet Mayberry