BCHA Monthly News & Updates


Corrected and Updated March 2024



"HIKE THE HILL" Washington D.C.


Randy Rasmussen and Mark Himmel working for all BCHA members.

More Details Coming Soon!




9 DAYS TO REGISTER




2024 National Board Meeting

March 24th - 27th, 2024


Room Block is Full


Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center

800 N Poplar - Casper, WY. 82601

CONFERNECE REGISTRATION HERE

PUBLIC LANDS

Our partners, the American Horse Council (AHC) and the AHC Foundation, recently released their highly-anticipated National Economic Impact Study of the US Horse Industry. AHC conducts the rigorous survey roughly every five years. BCHA is one of many organizations that provides financial contributions to assist the extensive research necessary to produce the report. The latest results highlight the significant and growing contributions to the US economy that result from the multi-faceted equine industry.


AHC’s report includes a comprehensive overview of economic benefits and trends within the recreation sector, which the report describes as “the largest sector of the horse industry”—larger than the US competition and racing sectors. The report will serve as an important frame of reference for AHC, BCHA and partners when shared with elected officials, state and federal land management agencies, and the tourism industry.


Importantly, the report notes that trail riding is enjoyed by 9.8% of the US population, or by about 13 million households. The vast majority of trail riders, 87%, utilize public lands. According to the report:

“The recreation sector supports more than 277,000 direct jobs and adds $14.5 billion in direct value to the national economy. These direct impacts drive a further $22 billion in added value to the economy and more than 189,000 jobs from indirect and induced effects.”


Click here to view highlights of the report or to order a copy. Note: The cost of the report is $100, although BCHA has been furnished a single copy as a result of our ongoing financial support of the survey. 


American Trails recently announced the launch of its inaugural 2024 North American Trail Sector Survey, in partnership with Trans Canada Trail. The results of the survey will inform the trail community across North America about the current health of trails, trail systems, and trail organizations, identify pressure points and obstacles for growth, and arm advocates with the data they need to make the case for trails in their region. Survey responses will be tabulated and distributed to all respondents and made available on the American Trails and Trans Canada Trail websites.


If you manage, build, maintain, or plan trails, please take the half hour necessary to complete this important online survey. Responses are due by March 31, 2024 (by 4:59pm Eastern). 


Click Here for Survey




SADDLE UP AMERICA

EQUESTRIAN LEGACY RADIO NETWORK

HOST GARY HOLT

 

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW HERE!





BCHA's Director of Public Lands and Recreation 

joined host Gary Holt last Thursday for another airing of SADDLE UP AMERICA! Listen as Randy summarizes the Economic Impact Study of the U.S. Horse Industry as issued last month by American Horse Council and learn about its relevance to BCHA advocacy efforts with elected and agency officials.

 

If you wish to listen only to the BCHA interview, scroll the dial to minute 64:20. Otherwise, listen to the entire show and enjoy Gary’s musical guest, Carlos Washington, and Heather Sutton with True West Campground and Stables in Big South Fork, Tennessee.

BCHA encourages all members to use the E-Bike Reporting Form and the Horse Camp Incident Form when they see problems.


E-BIKE REPORTING FORM


HORSE CAMP INCIDENT FORM

CHAPTERS


Team Work makes the Dream Work

By Becky Hope and Dani Wright, Eugene Chapter                                                                                  

During the second week of January 2024 the Springfield-Eugene area got hit with two days of continual temperatures below 25 degrees. With unrelenting rain, a continual layering of ice covered everything. There were many reports of 1-2” of ice burdening trees, power lines and roads.  Power lines and poles, limbs, and whole trees came down everywhere. Many lost fences and more. Some residents had no power for more than a week, and many others were without as long as two weeks.  Many will be cutting and cleaning up tree debris for months.  But humans are very good at coming to the rescue and many hunkered down and got to work.  

Like many others, Becky and Matt Hope had an initial emergent need to get power back to their fence lines and water.  Friends arrived to help cut trees off fences. Everyone had work to do at home.  


Read Full Article Here...

HORSES AND TOURISM ARTCLE

By Jacci Perry Ryan 


CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

2024 Equisure Equine Insurance

TIME TO RENEW YOUR EQUISURE INSURANCE OR SIGN UP FOR THE FIRST TIME

$1,000,000 Coverage for $20 Individual or $40 for a family.


CLICK HERE FOR FAQ



CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION

Keeping Trails Open for All
BCHA OPERATIONS DONATION HERE
CHAPTER SUPPORT GRANT DONATION

SHARE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS!

Does your chapter have a trail, project or great story you would like to share? Please send them to michellewade@bcha.org. We will do our best to include them here.

  • Limit pictures to 2
  • Provide description: project, place, purpose, etc. No more than one paragraph.
  • Please include the name of person and chapter submitting the pictures.

2023-2024 BCHA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Mark Himmel

Chairman

Craig Ferdig

Vice Chairman

Kathy Young

Treasurer

Sherry Copeland

Past Chairman

Craig Allen

Director

Jim Allen

Director

Dan Key

Director

Tom Thomas

Non-Director

Greg Schatz

Non-Director

ADVERTISERS


OTHER LINKS

Newsletters: To catch up on historical newsletters or to read the upcoming newsletters please go to https://www.bcha.org/blog/newsletter/
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