January/February 2026 Membership Update

Latest News

Heritage, Harmony, and Hill Country – Join us in Austin, Texas for the 2026 national
NATRC convention February 20-22. If you have not attended one of our national
conventions, you should. You will come away inspired as well as motivated for the upcoming
ride season.
Each registered person attending convention will receive a ticket in their swag bag at check
in. A $500 drawing will take place on Friday and another $500 on Saturday. (Limit one win
per person) The $500 will count as a credit to the winner’s ride fees for the 2026 ride year.
This year’s educational seminars focus on developing balanced riding skills for healthier and
stronger horse and rider partnerships. You will learn from experienced NATRC
horsemanship and veterinary judges who will share insights to elevate your competitive trail
riding experience.
Meeting and getting to know other NATRC members from across the country is extremely
rewarding. Click here to view this year’s convention schedule.
Technology Updates Are Underway – Phase 1 was our website rebuild and that project is
complete. The original launch date was scheduled for December 21 st , however, we ended up
delaying that launch due to the holiday schedules. Look forward to an announcement soon
on a new launch date.
Phase 2 is currently underway. We are partnering with a development team and beginning
to build a brand-new Ride Management System (RMS) that will make it easier than ever to
sign up for rides, manage entries, and view results, all in one seamless platform.
Phase 3 is the digital scorecard.
As we build the future of NATRC, we invite you to join us on this journey through your
donations which can be made on our website at natrc.org/donate. Be sure to note that your
donation is for the Technology Fund. Your donations are tax deductible.
Together, we are paving the way for the future – modern, connected, and ready for what is
next. Thank you for your support and partnership in making it happen!
It Is Time to Renew Your NATRC Membership – Click here to renew your NATRC
membership for the 2026 ride season.
Membership Renewal Drawing Winner – Congratulations to Cathy Cumberworth from
Region 3 who is our first winner (of three) of this year’s membership renewal incentives.
Cathy won a $100 voucher towards the entry fee to a future ride of her choice.
Breed Awards – Keep your breed association individual membership current for the
horse(s) you are competing NATRC with. By doing so, you will be eligible for end of the year
high point horse awards. Many of the breed associations provide some very nice awards.
Your support also helps NATRC continue to build our relationships with them.

January/February 2026

Check Your RMS Profile – This is a good time of the year for all of us to take a quick look
at our profile in RMS and update our address, phone number, email address, and
emergency contact information as needed. This really helps ride secretaries when they are
making contact lists for rides.
NATRC 2026 Virtual Mileage Challenge – It is time to start logging those miles! Join us for
the 2026 NATRC Virtual Mileage Challenge. Sign up is underway now! Participation requires
membership with both NATRC and Top Trail.
First, join Top Trail at the Top Trail Regular Membership level ($35/year). Then, join the
NATRC group membership separately for $25/year.
All GPS recorded ride tracks, ridden and posted to your Top Trail account from January 1
through December 31 will be included on the challenge leaderboards. Rides must be posted
to Top Trail within 10 days of the ride’s conclusion.
The top ten riders nationally along with the top three riders from each NATRC region will be
recognized at the 2027 national convention.
Join the fun, log those miles, and get your horse ready for the 2026 NATRC ride season!
Updated Ride Fees – The NATRC board of directors approved an update to the ride fees
that we submit to the national office. These fees will now be uniform across all divisions.
O/N/CP will remain at $36 while LeD will increase from $21 to $36.
Looking For Committee Volunteers – The national board of directors is currently looking
for individuals to chair the following committees: Breed Organizations, Education, and
Policies and Procedures. These are three especially important committees for NATRC.
Serving as a committee chair is a rewarding way for you to give back to our favorite sport.
Contact me if you are interested or for more information.
Horse Expos – If there are any horse expos within or near your region, I would encourage
your region’s participation. Consider having a NATRC booth or volunteering to give a
presentation about our sport. You might also consider doing a live NATRC demo in an
arena. Consider putting an ad in their program if the closest expo is not convenient or if it
conflicts with your regional ride schedule. These expos are an excellent way to increase our
exposure. Region 6 just got home from the EquiFest of Kansas Horse Expo. We have had a
booth at that expo for twenty-nine straight years! Having a presence at these expos and the
exposure they provide is greatly beneficial.
Here are a few expos of which I am aware. I have not participated in all of them, but I have
been to many of them. Definitely worth consideration. I am sure there are several others. Be
sure to check online for the latest information and for any updates/changes to their
schedules.
Southern Equine Expo Murfreesboro, TN Feb 27 to March 1, 2026
Horse World Expo Harrisburg, PA March 6-7, 2026
Michigan Horse Expo Lansing, MI March 6-8, 2026
Teton Horse Experience Rugby, ID March 13-16, 2026
Equine Affaire Columbus, OH April 9-12, 2026
Midwest Horse Fair Madison, WI Apri 17-19, 2026
Minnesota Horse Expo St. Paul, MN April 24-26, 2026
Iowa Horse Fair Des Moines, IA May 8-10, 2026
Western States Horse Expo Rancho Muriel’s, CA June 5-7, 2026
Equine Affaire W. Springfield, MA November 12-15, 2026
EquiFest of Kansas Topeka, KS January 22-24, 2027
Membership Renewal Time – Renew your NATRC membership by February 19 th for a
chance to win a competing membership of your choice (Excludes platinum upgrade)
Platinum Membership Upgrade Reminder – The ONLY way to get the platinum upgrade
is through the Equisure link on the website. You can no longer purchase it with your
membership nor send a check for it with the paper form. It is a member benefit, but we do
not handle payment for it like we used to.
Retired Trophy Auction – Would you like to call a piece of rich NATRC history your own?
The first of the series of remaining traveling trophies is now available for silent auction
bidding until Saturday, February 21, 2026, at noon when all bids will close. The first trophy
for auction is the Polly Bridges Memorial trophy with an opening bid of $500. Bids can be
placed by emailing Sarah, NATRC Executive Director at natrc@natrc.org. Please check with
Sarah on what the current bid is at before emailing your bid. All bids will remain anonymous
during the bidding process with the winning bid announced at the NATRC National
Convention in Austin, TX. Auction proceeds will be applied to our NATRC national awards
program
Reminder: 2026 Ride and Clinic Schedules – As regions finalize their Ride and Clinic
Schedules for the upcoming ride season, we are once again encouraging each region to
schedule a minimum of two clinics. NATRC clinics are a lot of fun and are easy to do. There
is a direct correlation between clinic participants and new members and riders to our sport.
Clinics also provide a fantastic opportunity for any rider to hone their skills. Include a LeD
ride the same weekend and location of your clinic and new riders can immediately apply
what they learned. Put together an advanced clinic that targets experienced riders. The first
two clinics sanctioned in each region will be reimbursed $100 for insurance costs.
Reminder: 2025 NATRC Raffle Tickets – Tickets are now available for our 2025 NATRC
Raffle! Purchase your tickets from any national board member for your chance to win. The
drawing will be held at the 2026 national convention in Austin, Texas. You do not need to be
present to win.
First prize is a Clingman 16” Gaited Western Endurance Saddle donated by our new
national NATRC sponsor Tennessee Saddlery. The second prize is a 1-year premium US
Rider Membership. For third prize, one winner from each of our six regions will receive a
$100 fuel card.
Follow NATRC on the Web: Be sure to make our NATRC webpage natrc.org the startup
page for your internet browser. When you do, each time you open your browser, your
opening tab will be our NATRC webpage. It is an effortless way to stay current with NATRC!
Stay Current: Keep up to date with NATRC by following us on social media.
a. Follow us on Instagram @natrc_ctr. There are now 470 NATRC pictures on here!
b. Follow us on Facebook with our North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) page.
Subscribe today to our NATRC (North American Trail Ride Conference) YouTube
channel. Be sure to check this resource out. We currently have thirty videos posted here
that are specific to our sport. It is a wealth of extremely helpful information. All previous Let’s
Ride webinars are here as well.