- Join the 2025 NATRC Virtual Mileage Challenge – I highly encourage everyone to sign up
for this year’s NATRC Virtual Mileage Challenge. Top Trail has been and continues to be a
huge supporter of NATRC. They have invested a lot of money to our benefit and the least
we can do is increase our participation in our own Virtual Mileage Challenge that they host
for us. Go to toptrailhorse.com and sign up today!
At the end of the year, the top three riders from each region, along with the top ten riders
nationally, will be recognized at our 2026 NATRC National Convention. Pricing remains the
same ($35 for Top Trail and $25 for the NATRC Virtual Mileage Challenge group).
It is a lot of fun to participate as well as an excellent incentive to get out there and get those
conditioning miles in. - New National NATRC Sponsors – We are very pleased to announce two new national
NATRC sponsors! Show them our support.
Tennessee Saddlery has been building western-style saddles for the gaited horse with an
emphasis on quality and affordability for 45 years.
Healing Hooves Horsemanship offers training, lessons, clinics, and training consignments
from their facility in Carleton, NE. - 2026 Proposed Rule Changes Zoom Meetings – Three zoom meetings are planned to
provide our members an opportunity to learn more about these proposed rule changes and
provide input. The dates for these meetings are as follows with the specific zoom links to be
shared closer to the meeting dates.
a. May 21 at 6:30 PDT
b. June 9 at 6:30 CDT
c. June 24 at 6:30 EDT
These rule proposals can be found on our NATRC webpage under Resources, and then
under Rules, and then click on 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. - Regional NATRC Clinics – Each region is being asked to offer two or more clinics in 2025.
Clinics are a lot of fun to put on. Our webpage has a lot of helpful information and resources
that will help your clinics be successful. NATRC supports clinics nationally by reimbursing
two clinics per region $100 for insurance costs. This is determined by the earliest clinics to
apply for their sanction and request the $100 reimbursement.
The number of clinic sanctions received from each region to date are as follows:
a. Region 1 = None
b. Region 2 = 1
c. Region 3 = 1
d. Region 4 = 2
e. Region 5 = None
f. Region 6 = 3
May 2025
I am aware of three additional clinics that are planned, but they have not submitted their
clinic sanction, which is why they are not currently showing up on the ride and clinic
schedule on our website.
- Keep Our NATRC Membership Growing– Click here to renew your NATRC membership
for the 2025 ride season. Our NATRC membership saw another year of growth this past
year making it the highest since 2019. We are once again offering FREE membership to first
time NATRC members! Be sure to tell your friends and neighbors. Since 2016, when our
free membership program was first introduced, 64 percent of the current renewing
memberships have originated from this program.
The procedure for obtaining the Platinum membership has changed. This benefit is still
available to our members, but it is offered differently. Instead of being purchased with a
membership and NATRC brokering the service, members will directly purchase the benefit
through Equisure using the direct link from our Member Benefits page. Member Benefits
page. Same great pricing and benefit! - Reminder: Riding Warehouse Coupons – Riding Warehouse is again providing all riders
and volunteers at each of our rides a special coupon. This year’s coupon is for an additional
$30 off an order of $200 or more. This is in addition to the current 10% NATRC Member
Exclusive discount we already receive. (As a reminder: The current Riding Warehouse
discount code can be found after logging into our website and then clicking on Partner
Discounts under the Members tab on the home page.) Thank you, Riding Warehouse, for
your continued support of NATRC! - Reminder: 2026 National NATRC Convention – Next year’s national convention will be
held in Austin, TX, the live music capital of the world, the weekend of February 20-21 with
Region 4 as our host. Be sure to save that date. - Reminder: New Honorary and Appreciation Awards Deadline – Mark your calendars
now for the new deadline for regions to submit this year’s Honorary and Appreciation write-
ups. The new deadline is Wednesday, October 1 st at 10:00 p.m. CST. Write-ups go to Ruth
Mesimer RuthM9496@gmail.com - Reminder: New Sign-Up Procedure for the 2025 NATRC Virtual Mileage Challenge –
The process to sign-up for the 2025 NATRC Virtual Mileage Challenge has changed slightly.
Here is the new process:
Sign-up for Top Trail
There is a note on the registration page that lets you know that you have to join our
NATRC group after you sign-up for Top Trail https://share.zight.com/yAugrbqD
Once you are signed up for Top Trail, then you can add our NATRC group.
Go to “My Groups”
Click on name/icon in upper right
Click on “My Groups” https:///toptrailhorse.com/my-groups
Click on NATRC group
At bottom, click “Join Group” (can join multiple groups at a time)
Pay $25 for the year (valid Jan-Dec of current year only) to join
https://share.zight.com/6quArPA9 - 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 448 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 twenty-nine 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.
Follow me on Apple Music @j_zeliff
Follow me on Instagram @johnzeliff
And then be sure to follow me to that next NATRC ride!
John Zeliff, President
