Claude Abrams was seventy-six years old and Reese Nielsen was only four when but they sat down for breakfast a Brushy Creek State Recreation Area south of Fort Dodge, Iowa. They both had a great time.
Abrams and Nielsen represent the difference in age groups of the riders who participate in the annual Calhoun County Trail Ride.
Abrams, of Fort Dodge , said he has forgotten how many rides he has attended. But it was Nielsen's first ride. He rode with his Grandmother Jane Nielsen, of Gilmore City, Iowa .
"This is fun," Reese said.
More than one hundred equestrians came from as far away as Wisconsin for the event.
"Someone asked me why I come from Hayfield, Minnesota, for this trail ride, and I tell them this is the best organized ride we have ever been on," said Dave Robson.
"Our son comes from Madison, Wisconsin, " Rosbon's wife, Nola, added.
Many riders praise Martin Hildreth, a Rockwell City, Iowa, businessman and horse breeder, for the success of the event.
And it doesn't hurt that Hildreth brings along a 60-foot semi-trailer truck packed with refrigerators, freezers, stoves and all the other things which take the "rough" out of "roughing it". It even has a generator that Hildreth claims could run a small town, if needed.
"Look at this food," one rider said, pointing to a heaping plate of biscuits and gravy, and bacon and eggs cooked to order. "This is better than you get at home."
"This is great family fun," Hildreth said, "and we have every walk of life represented, including the Iowa Highway Patrol, attorneys, laborers, salespeople, farmers and septic tank pumpers."
"Look at Claude Abrams, he must be eighty years old, his horse is thirty and his pickup truck is fifty." Hildreth laughed. Hildreth later learned that Abrams is 76, his horse Molly is 24.
"Well that's pretty old for a horse," Hildreth said.
Hildreth cited Maynard and Aleene Maguire and the late Pete Anderson, all from Rockwell City, for making the ride a success. He also praised his wife Peggy, who, despite losing a toe in a lawn mower accident, was helping.
"These people work their buns off. They are wonderful people, and we couldn't do it without them."
The Calhoun County group evolved from Iowa 's Sesquicentennial celebration eight years ago when many Iowa communities circled their wagons and gathered in Des Moines .
"We were gone several days on that first one, and we even arranged for a portable Post Office so we could get our mail delivered to us every day on the trail," Hildreth said.
Hildreth said they went to Deadwood, SD, and got caught in a fire which came close to destroying their equipment, and even taking their lives.
"That was close," he said. "We got out of there just in time."
He also recalled the time near Farmhamville, IA, when a storm knocked down all their tents and blew away anything which wasn't anchored.
"These are great people. You could fix a peanut butter sandwich for supper and they would say it was the best sandwich they ever had," Hildreth said.
Peanut butter was not on the menu, however. For dinner they had salad, fried chicken, baked beans, baked potatoes, and bars for dessert.
Ed Rossmanith's horse expressed the feelings of most of the riders. Rossmanith of Rolfe can make his horse smile by tickling his upper lip.
Marty RicKard Bio
Marty RicKard attended William Penn College , Iowa State University and University of Southern Mississippi , from which he holds a BS degree in journalism and photojournalism. He also has a Masters Degree in photography, in addition to the Craftsman, CPP, and A-ASP degrees. Marty spent two years as a technical writer for White Motor Company, and has worked for the Charles City Press, Mason City Globe-Gazette, and Davenport Times-Democrat. He was co-owner of the weekly New Sharon Star, where he was twice named Iowa Master Columnist for his article, which was syndicated in twenty Iowa newspapers. For more than a decade Marty's regular column appeared in the Professional Photographer magazine. He has been published in many other magazines and newspapers, including Writer's Digest, Writer Advice, Golf Digest, Resource Magazine, Picture, Range Finder, and Darkroom. In addition to his writing credits, Marty has won numerous photography awards, has lectured in 48 states, and has traveled internationally as lecturer, and judge. He was one of thirty from the U.S. to participate in the first cultural exchange with China in 1986. He currently is a regular columnist for Lens Magazine, and a full-time writer of fiction and poetry. He is the author of two poetry books and one volume of short stories. He is an entertaining speaker.
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