even though ACTHA gives lavish prizes like our truck awards and trips to Australia the average rider accepts judging as a path to becoming safer and more competent “team”. The improvements we and they see over time are astounding. Not because we instruct, simply because we provide the playground for them to either experiment or employ a teacher’s advice. It’s like Pat Parelli once commented. “ACTHA is a playground and we (the teachers of all things horses) the coaches”.
3-The open division allows the advanced team to strut their stuff and through ACTHA's fun POP prizes open riders are blind joined with pleasure riders to compete for total combined score fun jackpot awards.
The list goes on. Suffice it to say that the many member and non member divisions has something for everyone… we even have in hand
In this endeavor we call ACTHA, as a founder and one person who truly embraces the intention behind the rules, let me state that the safety of horse and rider was and always will be paramount.
We are succeeding in making this a sport that is recognized by the horse community as fun and challenging yet is inviting to the novice horse person as well as the expert. This is a tall order, however we have met the challenge. To wit:
1-Every entrant has the option to join the fun but not compete! Simply come along for the ride. Of course once they observe the fun to be had most sign up to at least attempt the obstacles next time… judged or not judged… it's participation that counts.
2-The next step is you ride for the prizes an accept the education that comes with being judged. But
The Endeavor
Editorial by ACTHA's Tom and Carrie Scrima Carrie, who co-founded the American Competitive Trail Horse Association in 2008, and husband, Tom, who serves as CEO of the now non-profit association. Carrie is a life-long, avid horsewoman, together the couple advocate trail riding as a conduit toward the preservation of equine employment, which has become their life pursuit.
Tom and Carrie
Scrima of ACTHA