TTA Annual Member Meeting Marks Start of the Trail Season
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At this year’s annual TTA Member meeting on April 4, long-standing and new TTA members came together to celebrate the start of the trail riding season and to hear the latest news from the TTA Board.
Highlights of 2024 and what’s to come in 2025
President Jeannie Shuster welcomed the members to this year’s meeting and kicked off by expressing gratitude to departing board member Maja Bown. We welcomed our new board member, Donna Patullo, who joins us as the Secretary.
Jeannie continued with last year’s TTA highlights. 2024 was a busy year with the Barn Tour, organized together with the Tewksbury Historical Society, and our successful Annual Trail Pace. The TTA was also featured in the local and equestrian news, on Nancy Jaffer’s website and in the Tewksbury Times, in an interview with our President.
Board member Roxanne Soroko gave an update on our Trail Marker project, which was made possible with a generous grant from the Somerset Countryside Alliance (read more about it in the article on our TTA website). A special thanks to our landowners who open their properties for our members.
Emmer Bernard, who leads the TTA Trail Committee, continued with an overview of our trail activities. Our goal is to have as many members as possible enjoying the variety of TTA trails, all year round!
We will continue to offer guided rides to members who want to learn more about our trails. Members can find more information about our trails on the "Trails" section of the TTA website (for more information on how to sign up to the website, click here).
If you would like to volunteer for trail clearing or at this year’s TTA Trail Pace or join a guided trail ride, please send an email to the TTA email address: tewksburytrail@gmail.com. Emmer will follow up with you with more information.
Save the Date: the 2025 TTA Trail Pace will take place on Sunday September 21 and will start from Christie Hoffman Farm Park.
Tewksbury Horse Community
Tewksbury Township has rightfully earned the label “equestrian township”. In addition to the TTA, there are many other equestrian organizations active. We all work closely together to create the best environment for all kind of riders and their horses, both from Tewksbury and from neighboring towns.
At this year’s meeting, Elissa Schlotterbeck, President of the Tewksbury Equestrian Committee (TEC) presented an update on this year’s TEC activities. The TEC is organizing a Large Animal Tactical Rescue Seminar on May 31, 2025. First Responders are often unaccustomed to handling horses in distress, which is why local Police and Fire Brigades are invited to attend this seminar. For more information see the TEC Facebook page.
CHFP Fence Project
Many of us regularly ride in Christie Hoffman Farm Park. Over the last few years, we had several incidents where horses broke loose and run into Fairmount Road. The TEC has proposed to build a fence at the top of the park, along the location where riders park their horse trailers. Over the next few months, the TEC will continue to raise the funds needed to build the fence.
Anyone who would like to support this project, can donate by sending a check to Tewksbury Township and add the following language in the memo part of the check: “TEC Fence Project”. This way, the donation is guaranteed to be used for the fence project.
Our guest speaker - the power of equine massage
We welcomed guest speaker Sophie Wayner to our meeting. Sophia Wayner is owner of Lyrical LLC., and she is a certified Equissage equine sports massage therapist and a certified Masterson Method equine specialist. She is trained to teach and facilitate massage techniques on equines.
During her presentation, Sophie provided an engaging overview of the Masterson Method and the Bladder Meridian Technique. As shown in the photo, the audience was fully engaged throughout. She also offered practical tips on how to try the technique with your own horse.
Cheers to a New Season!
Before and after the presentations, there was time for the TTA members to mingle, catching up on the latest equine news and making plans for the new trail riding season.
We thank all our members for supporting the TTA and we are looking forward to seeing you all on our trails!
Not a TTA member yet? You can join via this link.
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