NWHA National News November 2016 | Page 38

NWHA on the Trail Trail Rider Incentive Program (TRIP) This is a program designed for those who would rather spend a day on the trails than anywhere else. TRIP is for the weekend trail rider as well as those who spend several days a week exploring America’s trails. TRIP is open to any member of NWHA and any gaited horse owned by a member of NWHA, which means that, as long as the horse is owned by an NWHA member, it may accumulate hours with any rider or combination of riders. Best of all, this program is free! The annual high hour adult rider, high hour horse and high hour youth rider will receive an annual award. Annual awards are presented at the NWHA Membership Meeting. Awards for TRIP are based on hours in the saddle and are awards at the first 100 hours and every 250 hour increments thereafter. Time counts only when actually trail riding. There is no credit given for arena riding, showing, riding in parades or riding within ½ mile of the owner’s own house. Trail hours will be counted in ¼ hour (15 minute) increments, with the time rounded out to the nearest ¼ hour and with a ½ hour minimum per ride. If you ride less than ½ hour it’s not really a trail ride. NWHA sanctioned trail rides and Best of America By Horseback (BOABH) will count double the actual amount of time spent in the saddle. Hours accumulate from January 1 they December 31. In addition, TRIP will award a special distance prize to the TRIP member accumulating the highest number of hours at American Field Trial events. This will be a special award at the NWHA annual meeting. TRIP members need only note in their trail logs which rides are field trials in order to be eligible. Logs must be received (postmarked, emailed, or faxed) by January 7 each year to be eligible for the year-end awards. Accomplishments in the TRIP will be viewable on the High Point tracking page of the NWHA website for all participating horses. As such, if you provide your hours to the NWHA office several times throughout the year, they will be uploaded onto the results page so that you can track your progress throughout the year. NWHA National News 38