Back Country Horsemen of British Columbia

Calling all BCHBC Members!   Our 2014 t-shirt series (pictured above) are all sold out, but they were a big hit.... so we're planning on making new ones for 2015.   Here’s your chance to get creative and win a free BCHBC T-shirt! Send us a slogan that you feel describes what we are all about and, if selected, YOUR SLOGAN will be featured on a custom designed 2015 BCHBC t-shirt. Can be catchy, edgy, or classic. Have some fun!   Entries must to be received by Dec 31, 2014. To email entries to Juanita Gibney, click here.

Aldergrove Chapter is an enthusiastic mix of about 90 members from all over the lower mainland. Our members range from people happy to participate in a day ride to hard core packers itching to head into the back country for a week or more. There are a lot of “out of the box” thinkers in our club and we try to accommodate all the needs and wants of our membership.Pretty much every month Aldergrove hosts a day ride. We have ridden anywhere from Campbell Valley Park to the Fraser River in Deroche on these rides. Rides usually involve a campfire and lunch. Our annual rides include The Whine Ride, The Cordial Ride, The Remembrance Day Ride and The Jingle Bell Ride. These need inventive names because the weather is often abysmal and we try anything to entice people into participating.During the good weather we have several Rig Rides which people trailer…

Volunteers and dignitaries at the July 2013 Grand Opening of the Memekay Horse Camp in Sayward. The first BCHBC Chapter on Vancouver Island was formed in Nanaimo in 1996. Many of its then 100-plus members, however, lived in the Comox Valley and surrounding communities, so commuting to meetings was a challenge. As a result, in 2002 the Vancouver Island chapter was moved to the Comox Valley.Additional chapters were eventually started in Duncan (South Vancouver Island), Port Alberni (Alberni Valley) and, most recently, Central Vancouver Island (Nanaimo). Our original group changed our name to North Vancouver Island and we draw our members from Parksville north.NVI meets at the Grantham Hall, on the North Old Island Highway, the third Thursday of each month (September – June) at 7:00 p.m.Our regular monthly meetings feature guest speakers on a variety of equine health, care and training topics, and trail riding. We also have other…

      The Yarrow Chapter of BCHBC is located in the Fraser Valley about an hour east of Vancouver, nestled in under Vedder Mountain.   It originally consisted of many members of the Yarrow Riding and Driving Club.  Yarrow currently has 68 members and draws its membership from the area between Mission and Hope BC.  We have members from as far away as Summerland and Naramata.  In the past we have even had members from Regina and Arizona.  They believe in what we are trying to do. The Yarrow Executive sits down at the beginning of every year and plans the schedule of events for the whole year.  Revisions are sure to happen but this is where we start.  Many people have to plan holidays well in advance so this is one way we try to accommodate our members.  Our executive meets the first Wednesday of every month at either…

On Sunday, November 9th, the Merritt Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of BC, along with some riders from the Nicola Valley Riding Club and some local ranchers, came out for our first annual Christmas Toy and Food Bank Ride.   We had 14 horses and riders, another half-dozen volunteers, and lots of people popping by to drop off toys and food bank donations. We started out at the Nicola Valley Rodeo Grounds (Home of the 2015 RV).   We had a hot dog sale by donation and, thanks to Hidden Valley Rustic Horse Camp for donating all the hot dogs and buns, the hot dog sale by donation raised $208.   I think for the first year, and only just over a weeks notice, it was pretty successful. Next year I want to challenge all Chapters to do the same in their communities.   Kelly Allen - Merrit Chapter

Yarrow Chapter - submitted by Rose Schroeder Let me tell you a story... a Toy Story! Like every good story, it has to happen at a place. In this case, it happened Nov 2, 2014 at the Cultus Lake Horse Trail. I also need to describe the characters: 15 men, women and youth belonging to the Yarrow Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of BC. There was "Big John" giving out bear hugs, riding his long eared mule Bobby Sue. Suzy, bless her huge heart, that trailers the teenagers we enjoy having along. They each ride a different coloured horse. Donna was there with her horse friend Echo. He watches her like a hawk. She has a pocket full of treats for any horse that smiles at her. Ed and his horse, both are the strong, silent type that just does what they're told! Kara and trusty Rusty: a perfect match…

The month of October saw Back Country Horsemen of BC prominently featured in the media. In addition to our regular feature in Saddle Up! Magazine, we were grateful to have articles in the following publications:   October 23, the Merrit Herald ran a story about how the BCHBC members from across the province worked together to upgrade the Lundbom Lake horse campsite. Click to read the whole story.   October 29, the Comox Valley Record featured a story submitted by one of our members that highlighted how the North Vancouver Island Chapter works with the local Regional District for trail planing and maintenance. Click to read the article.   October 31, the Aldergrove Star published a well-researched piece about the creation of Back Country Horsemen or BC and some of our projects. Read all about it!   We are always grateful for any media exposure that helps us introduce our organization to the public....…

In 2014, the Shuswap Chapter of BCHBC grew from only six members to 30! It covers the geographic region from Salmon Arm and the surrounding towns of Enderby, Tappen, Sorrento, Chase, Canoe and Armstrong. Monthly dinner meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, 6:30 pm at Yan’s Restaurant in Salmon Arm. The chapter was formed in 2000 by a group of about 15 friends. Hans Dankel was our first chairperson as he knew ‘Roberts Rules of Order’ and had previous experience at chairing groups. The chapter was started in hopes of finding and improving trails in our area. In the early years the Shuswap Chapter played a significant role provincially in both marketing and administrative changes. Hans Denke brought his marketing background to Backcountry Horsemen. During the first years we printed T-Shirts, posters and, with the provincial executive’s approval, developed the logo, brochure, letterheads and membership forms…

The SVI Chapter serves the southern part of Vancouver Island, with members from Victoria, Sooke, Metchosin, Saltspring Island, Shawnigan Lake, Cowichan Valley, Duncan, and Chemanius. The Chapter meets on the third Friday of each month, with a 6 p.m. Potluck and 7 p.m. meeting, locations across the region. Originally there was only the North Vancouver Island chapter, serving all of Vancouver Island. The South VI Chapter was created in 2007 and is now one of four chapters on the Island. While a separate chapter, the SVI group maintains close connections with others and many SVI members started off with the original “Vancouver Island Chapter”, now North VI. SVI is fortunate to have many local parks and trails throughout the area, which provide day riding: the Galloping Goose, Matheson Lake, Horth Hill, Gowlland Tod, Cobble Hill Recreation Area, Hemer Park. The rebuilding of the historic Kinsol Trestle now allows equestrians to…

An Update on the Lundbom Lake Work Bee By Rose Schroeder, Yarrow Chapter, BCHBC    My first thought was: maybe we shouldn't be calling it a work bee because when you're doing something you enjoy, it doesn't feel like work. When it supports your passion, in my case trail riding, I'm happy to BEE there! So it was with our first ever Back Country Horsemen of BC (BCHBC) Provincial Work bee, the Lundbom Lake Improvement Project. Lundbom Lake is a recreation destination south of Merritt, managed by a Recreation Sites and Trails Officer, which is part of MFLNRO (Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations). A camp host operates the actual campsite seasonally.  Many types of recreation are encouraged here including horseback riding.  It's probably the busiest equestrian camping site in BC. Over the years, BCHBC has done scads of work bee projects all over the province to keep…