Join us for the Birds Hill Park Endurance Ride May 13 & 14, 2023!
Online Registration: Register Here
May 13 & 14 – Birds Hill Park
DRM’s Birds Hill Park Endurance Ride will once again be setting up camp at the Folk Fest grounds at the east gate of Birds Hill Provincial Park. Provincial Park passes will be required.
This is an AERC sanctioned 2-day ride and will offer 25-mile Limited Distance and 50-mile Endurance Rides. Proof of Negative Coggins is required for all horses in Camp. You will include a copy/photo with your online registration.
Horses are subject to vet checks prior, during and after each ride.
Prizes will be awarded for 1st Place Finish, Best Condition, High Vet Score and 1st Place Junior for each distance on each day. A Turtle Award will go to the SLOWEST completion in each distance on each day.
In addition, intro rides of 10 or 15 miles will be offered each day. This is a great way to try out the sport and any reasonably in shape horse should be able to complete the ride. Horses will have a vet check at the beginning and completion of the ride. These rides are for experience only and have no time limits and no placings.
Directions to BHP Ride Camp:
From Hwy 59 and Hwy 44 Uncontrolled Intersection:
Head east on hwy 44 to PR 206. Turn south on 206 to the east gate of Birds Hill Park. Ride camp will be on the south side once you go through the park gates. Signs will be posted.
From Hwy 59 and PR 313 (Garven Road) Controlled Intersection:
Head east on PR313 to the round-about. Take the north exit from the round-about onto PR206. Head north to the east gate of Birds Hill Park. Ride camp will be on the south side once you go through the park gates. Signs will be posted.
Schedule:
Friday May 12, 2023
Ride camp will be open at approximately 5pm for those wishing to haul in the night before.
Ride camp will be primitive camping with no electrical available. Water will be provided for the horses, but you must bring all your own supplies, in addition to your own containment for your horses. All manure must be removed from your site and taken with you. Generators will not be allowed during quiet hours of 10 pm to 7 am.
Saturday May 13, 2023
Vet will be Dr. Jenna Noordenbos
0700 Vetting begins. Priority in order of distance, ei, 50s then 25s then intro riders 0730 Ride meeting for 50-mile riders
0800 50-mile ride begins
0830 Ride meeting 25-mile riders
0900 25-mile ride begins
0930 Ride meeting for intro riders
1000 Intro ride begins
Sunday May 14, 2023
0700 Vetting begins. Priority in order of distance, ei, 50s then 25s then intro riders 0730 Ride meeting for 50-mile riders
0800 50-mile ride begins
0830 Ride meeting 25-mile riders
0900 25-mile ride begins
0930 Ride meeting for intro riders 1000 Intro ride begins
Please note Birds Hill Park trail marking is frequently subject to sabotage but we will do our best to replace removed ribbons. When in doubt, follow your MAP.
(Maps and trail descriptions will be uploaded here soon – if you want a hard copy then print it ahead as there will NOT be copies provided in camp)
General notes:
All dogs must be kept on a leash, tied to your trailer, crated, or confined
inside your trailer/truck while in Ride Camp and Crewing area. Please clean
up after your pet.
Dogs are not permitted near the Vet Gate
No smoking on the trail, at Vet Gate or in Volunteer tent
Pulse criteria will be 64 bpm for the 50 mile and 60 bpm for the 25 mile and
intro horses
Hold times will be 45 minutes for all holds.
Food WILL be provided for volunteers and shadow-volunteers in training!!!
LOOPS & HOLDS:
50 Mile Riders (Endurance Distance):
Vet Gate opens at 7:00am
Ride Meeting is at Day Manager’s Tent at 7:30am
Your mass start time is 8:00am
Start on Pink & White 15-mile loop, then immediately take the Blue & White ribbons (10-mile loop) with NO hold (you must do a fly-by and check in with the Head Timer and get a nod from the Vet to confirm you are headed back out. There is no hold here and you do not need to dismount)
After you have completed your first 25 miles, you will have a 45-minute mandatory hold at Ride Camp.
Head Timer will confirm your “out time”.
Once released by the Head Timer you will head out on Pink & White ribbons (15- mile loop). After you have completed that loop (now done 40 miles) you will have a second 45-minute mandatory hold at Ride Camp.
Head Timer will confirm your next “out time”.
You have 12 hours to complete your course including all hold times.
If you maintain an average of 6mph you will complete the course within the time allowed including both hold times.
25 Mile LD Riders (Limited Distance):
Vetting in begins at 9:00am (or when the last 50 mile horse has been vetted in) Ride Meeting is at Day Manager’s Tent at 8:30am
Your mass start time is 9:00am
Start on Pink & White ribbons (15-mile loop).
On your return you will have a 45-minute mandatory hold at Ride Camp.
Head Timer will confirm your “out time”.
Once released by the Head Timer you will head out on Blue & White ribbons (10- mile loop).
You have 6 hours to complete your course including your hold time.
If you maintain an average of 5mph you will complete the course within the time allowed including your hold time.
INTRO RIDERS:
For Both Distances – Vetting in begins at 9:00am (or when the last 25 mile horse has been vetted in) & Ride Meeting is at Day Manager’s Tent at 9:30am
15-mile Intro Distance:
Pink & White ribbons – This is your only loop.
Leave anytime after 9:30am. No time limit and no holds. You must present to the Vet upon completion of your loop.
10-mile Intro Distance:
Blue & White ribbons – This is your only loop.
Leave anytime after 9:30am. No time limit and no holds. You must present to the Vet upon completion of your loop.
Maps ‘n Stuff
15 mile loop – pink ribbons 10 mile loop – blue ribbons Right turn – red ribbons Left turn – green ribbons
Ribbons will always be on your right-hand side.
Unfortunately, trail sabotage is common in birds hill park and sometimes ribbons are removed. Because of this we ground sprayed the turns. Orange ground spray belongs to the pink trail, blue ground spray belongs to the blue trail.
15 mile loop – Pink
Head east from ride camp, turn left at the road heading north towards Festival Drive Cross the main road and head across the field and into Bridle path. You’re going to stay on bridle path until it comes to Nimowin road, cross the road and take a slight right to continue following bridle path.
The trail will take you on a sharp right turn you will head east on Hazelnut, back across Nimowin road. Stay on Hazelnut. There will be a left turn BEFORE the cabin. If you make it to the cabin you missed your turn. You’ll go through some yellow barricades and continue on the trail back to nimowin road where you will once again cross and then take a right turn onto the roscoe road trail.
On the roscoe road trail you will find your 5-mile marker. You will make a left-turn and then after a ways there will be a right onto Spruce Trail. Follow this trail all the way until you reach a sharp left turn into a BUSHY trail. Follow this until you pop out onto Tamarack Trail. You’ll make a right turn followed by another right onto Lime Kiln Trail.
From here you will be on the Lime Kiln trail backwards. Make a slight left to remain on the lime kiln trail. You’ll pass a cabin on your left and the old lime kiln on your right. Continue to follow this trail all the way around until it connects with itself–you will make a right turn here to remain on Lime Kiln Trail.
From there, your next turn will be a right into mosquito alley. Follow the ribbons through some grassy and bushy trail and you’ll pop out and turn right onto mosquito alley. There will be two-way traffic here. You’ll find your 10 mile marker on mosquito alley.
Go to the end of mosquito alley (there’s a big tree down, you can’t miss it), turn around and head back the way you came. Follow mosquito alley back, you’ll make a slight right to remain on the trail until you come to a left turn, followed by a right and another left that will take you out into the field behind the polo field.
Head east across the field onto Carriage Way, follow Carriage Way to Nimowin road, take a right along Nimowin road followed by a left onto to continue on Carriage Way. Here you’ll find your 2 mile marker.
You’ll make a right to remain on Carriage Way and take that trail all the way to a left turn onto a small section of gravel, followed by a right turn into the field just outside the East Gate.
Head south along the field to Festival drive, cross the road and make a slight right onto the road into camp and head straight in.
10-mile loop
Head North out of camp towards festival drive and there will be a left turn into the trees and onto Bridle path that runs along Festival Drive. Ride along Festival drive until you come to a right turn that takes you across the road and into the trees on the other side, heading North.
Through the trees you’ll follow your blue ribbons up by the water feature and across the backside, then take a right turn towards pope’s hill. Go along that path until you make a left turn that takes you North across the field again and towards the treeline.
You will take a left turn into the trees and follow the trail and the treeline West until you have a right turn that will take you behind the cemetary. You’ll ride along the tree-line, then cut across Nimowin rd towards the ranch, duck into carriage trail which will take you into the ranch. Cut straight across the parking lot–there will be lots of trailers due to a polo tournament–and follow the road past the polo field where you’ll have a left-hand turn into Esker trail followed by a quick right.
Stay on the Esker trail, you’ll come across your 5-mile marker on this trail.
When you come to the trails behind the polo field, take a right onto a nice two-track trail and follow that until you make a right turn onto another two-track and follow that to a sharp-right turn heading south. You’ll make a left, then a right onto the Roscoe road trail and follow that straight until it comes out by the park office and the road. You’ll follow along the road there all the way until you come to a left-turn across Nimowin road and into Carriage Trail. You will find your 2-mile marker here.
Follow the trail to where it comes out at the group use area, and ride along the road heading East. Turn right with the road and head south until you come to a left-hand turn by the gate that will send you back onto Carriage trail. Follow this trail until it comes out in the field by the east gate. There will be a right turn and you’ll come in along the treeline, cross Festival drive and follow the road into camp.
