FUNDRAISER
Grand Prize Drawing in December

2009 Back Country Horsemen of Idaho Calendars

The Backcountry Horsemen of Idaho are going to be selling $20 raffle tickets enclosed in a beautiful calendar as our state fund raiser. Each calendar comes with a post card that, when sent in, will be included in a monthly drawing for $500. Eleven lucky folks will win!

Then, in December, the grand prize drawing will be held. The prize is either a Bush Hog 4X4 ATV or Thuro-Built Slant 3 Horse Trailer. Only 2,000 calendars have been printed so odds are much better than a usual lottery.

Our Heartland Chapter is hoping to sell 100 of these calendars. Look for us at Ronnie's Market on Friday afternoons and Saturdays or call Anita VanGrunsven at 253-4456 to get yours!
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Christmas Party and White Elephant Exchange
The Christmas Party and White Elephant Exchange will be December 9th. This party is one of the highlights of the year because we have such imaginative gifts and such light-hearted members. In past years we have had a wonderful warm hat that was desired by many and stolen frequently, a Victoria's Secret Santa Costume, and a genuine Polaroid Camera from the 60's that actually worked! What will be the best present this year?

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Sat, Sept 10, 2008 - HEARTLAND HORSEMEN WORK ON ARLING TRAIL

A ready group of 13 Horsemen and a tool packhorse, armed with loppers, chainsaws, axes, etc. attacked the Arling Trail located a few miles south of Tamarack Resort on West Mountain near Donnelly. Some members of the Heartland Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen (BCH) became aware of trail maintenance work badly needed on the Arling Trail and shared that at a monthly meeting. Nearby residents Jean Revaul and Gretel Kleint did a ground review locating the trail and validating maintenance needed.

The historic trail likely began at the town site of Arling, which was inundated with the construction and filling of Cascade Reservoir, and provided access to the top of West Mountain near Burnt Wagon Basin (we suspect a good story behind that site’s name). Contact was also made with Ric Branch, a Midvale rancher permitted cattle in this area by the Payette National Forest. Branch affirmed heavy maintenance needed and provided help on the scheduled workday. Council Ranger District was contacted and welcomed help under an existing Volunteer Agreement they have with the Heartland Chapter of BCH.

The large work crew had two noteworthy incidents. A worker on the end requested the bar cover for the chainsaw. When the message got to Paul Kleint at the lead, he heard “Harvey Myers is drunk at the bar!” The other related to a wasp nest lead riders went over. The local paper captured the result well in their Indian Valley & Mesa News Column title; “Bridget Brest’s Britches Brutally Bitten By Bees!”

After a full day of brush cutting, large deadfall removal and tread work the group was treated to a large pot of chili back at Revaul’s house where the ride began.

Earlier this summer the Heartland BCH completed trail maintenance on trails near Council Mountain they have adopted for the last several years. The group also has some joy rides, not just work projects. Information about the group is available on their web site at: www.heartland-bch.org .

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Our First Annual Mountain Trail Challenge for Horsemen was held on June 14, 2008 at Becker's Whitetail Ridge Arena in New Meadows Idaho. There are some photos in our Photo Gallery. Take a look!
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