The Mane Event: Touring Nature Preserves on Horseback!
September 16, 2022 | Topics: Events
Caledonia Conservancy holds its annual Mane Event during Wisconsin Land Trust Days
By Sandy DeWalt
Photographs by Eddee Daniel
The horses, along with their owners, began to arrive in trailers even before the 9:00 am start time on a beautiful Saturday morning in late August. By mid-morning the field on the Neubauer Farm set aside for trailer parking was filling up and many riders were already out on the trail. Riding groups set out with staggered starts between 9:00 am and 1:30 pm, taking two to three hours to complete the twelve-mile course.
It was a perfect day for The Mane Event! This was the 20th annual equestrian ride hosted by Caledonia Conservancy to help support the land trust. The Conservancy has preserved over 300 acres of natural area with equestrian and hiking trails on all of the properties.
The Neubauer Family hosted the event, billed as a “scavenger hunt on horseback,” at their farm at 5551 Short Rd, Racine, Wisconsin. Sixty-one riders participated, including neighbors as close as Caledonia and visitors from as far as central Wisconsin and northern Illinois. They enjoyed a fun day outside, departing from the farm and riding the beautiful trails on Caledonia Conservancy and private land in search of hidden scavenger hunt items. Conservancy properties included on the course were King’s Corner, Tabor Woods, and the Short Road Trails.
After the ride, an optional obstacle course allowed riders to introduce their horses to a variety of creative challenges. Ribbons were given to the riders that completed the course the fastest with the most points. Raffle tickets were awarded for pictures of the scavenger items found, and riders could use them to enter drawings for 17 lovely prizes. Riders had to use a saddle and wear a hard hat to compete in the ride. The event was open to the public.
Caledonia Conservancy is proud to host this event in conjunction with the fifth annual Wisconsin Land Trust Days celebration, a series of outdoor activities and family-friendly events that take place every year in August and September. The celebration is organized by Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts. This year, 21 land trusts will host nearly 40 events throughout the state. A full list of Wisconsin Land Trust Days events is available at HaveFunOutside.org.
An album including additional photos of this event can be seen on Flickr.
About Caledonia Conservancy: Caledonia Conservancy is a non-profit organization committed to preserving land for future use and building a sustainable community through conservation, stewardship, education, outreach and partnerships with community organizations and government. The Conservancy not only connects people to nature, but it also connects people to people with common interests. Many lifetime friendships have been formed by people involved in the organization. The events we host through the year become a festive gathering among friends. Learn more on the Caledonia Conservancy website.
About Wisconsin Land Trust Days: Wisconsin Land Trust Days is a statewide promotion sponsored by Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts. Wisconsin Land Trust Days brings attention to its member land trusts and the important work they do to protect Wisconsin’s natural resources in the communities they serve. Gathering Waters also helps land trusts, landowners, and communities protect the places that make Wisconsin special by advocating for funding, providing land trusts with resources, and creating a network of peers for collaboration.
Sandy DeWalt is chairperson of the Mane Event and stewardship chair/ volunteer with Caledonia Conservancy. Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks and curator of A Wealth of Nature. Both Caledonia Conservancy and Gathering Waters are project partners of A Wealth of Nature.