April 2026 Membership Update

Latest News

Support our Technology Project – Phase 2 of our NATRC technology update project is
underway. This will result in 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. No more having to log into two different systems to sign up for a ride.
There is an urgency regarding these updates that some of our new members may not be
aware of and maybe even others might have forgotten about.

a. We are still using the Microsoft Access database, and our version has long
exceeded its Microsoft lifecycle which means no new security updates, non-
security updates, or assisted support.
b. Our current RMS system was created in the late 1990’s early 2000’s and it
does not integrate with either our database or our website. This results in
many manual processes that must be completed following each ride
throughout the nation.

Earlier this year, Sarah Smith and Alex Braun, shared information with our members
regarding these technology updates. That webinar has been posted on our NATRC YouTube
channel. NATRC Technology Update Webinar
Individual donations of any size will be appreciated and very helpful. Huge thank you to
Regions 6 and 3 for both of their generous $2,000 donations. In addition to their initial
donation, Region 3 is also matching individual donations from their region for up to another
$2,000!! Thank you Region 3 for your leadership by example!
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.

New Website – Our updated website went live February 28 th . Huge thanks to Alex Braun for
all his time and effort in making this possible. This was a large undertaking. There are still a
few items that need to be updated and that is being worked on. We know that the ride
schedule is not what we ultimately want to have, but it is what we have for now until we get
the new RMS system in place (Phase 2).
To report any technical problems, content updates, or if you have a feature request, click on
“contact” from the upper right-hand corner of the website then scroll down and complete the
technical assistance form.
Membership Renewal – If you still need to renew your NATRC membership for the 2026
ride season, Click here
i.
2026 Virtual Mileage Challenge – Participate in the 2026 NATRC Virtual Mileage
Challenge. It is not only motivational, but it is also a whole lot of fun to do! The top ten riders
nationally along with the top three riders from each NATRC region will be recognized at the
2027 national convention. Sign up today at Top Trail Horse. First, join Top Trail at the Top

April 2026

Trail Regular Membership level ($35/year). Then, join the NATRC group membership
separately for $25/year.

Sign Up Early For Rides – Everyone is encouraged to sign up as soon as you can for our
rides. This really helps our ride managers in their planning. Your deposits are also
particularly important to our ride managers to help them with their upfront costs.
2027 Proposed Rule Changes – These proposals can be found on our NATRC webpage
under Members and then Rule Changes/Proposals. Please be sure to visit with the national
board members from your region between now and the first of July regarding these
proposals so that they know how they should vote to represent your region. The NATRC
board will vote on these proposals during their July meeting.
2026 Hoof Print – Be on the lookout for the 2026 edition of Hoof Print, the official annual
publication of NATRC. It is currently 99 percent complete and in its final review before being
posted to our webpage.
Microsoft Publisher Reminder – After October 1, 2026, Microsoft Publisher will be retired
with functionality ceasing in Microsoft 365. If you still have Publisher documents IE:
newsletters, flyers, brochures, etc. you should convert them to PDF or Word format. After
this date you will no longer be able to open or edit these files with Microsoft Publisher.
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 473 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.