Every year, the Backcountry Horsemen of California holds an annual “Rendezvous”. What is a Rendezvous? The Rendezvous is a state sponsored gathering where the Backcountry Horseman can share their mission with the general public and other Backcountry Horseman, trail riders, hikers and all those who enjoy the outdoors.
This year our theme is “Backcountry Horsemen keeping trails open for over 35 years.” Volunteers from throughout the state will be hosting an awesome array of clinicians, presentations, demonstrations and competitions, many of them, with emphasis on caring for and utilizing our public trails and backcountry.
There will be many “FREE” family-oriented events throughout the weekend at the Rendezvous which is taking place right here in our own backyard, at the California Ranch Company in Temecula!
CLINICIANS:
For the horse enthusiast, known clinicians include Robin Bond, Matt Sheridan, Lee & Jennifer Roeser and Dr. Robert Bray. Robin Bond is a skilled horsewoman focused on creating a well-rounded horse. Her expertise is currently focused on all aspects of ranch riding and western dressage. Matt Sheridan has a unique approach to natural & performance horsemanship for versatility, trail & reined cowhorse. Dr. Rober Bray, Equine Nutritionist, will be teaching how to body score your horse or mule and explains some common feeding myths and so much more. He will be able to answer all your questions throughout the weekend. Lee and Jennifer Roeser will also be sharing their vast knowledge about Mules. All of our clinicians are very engaging and informative speakers. Where else can you see all these amazing clinicians for Free?
Also, for those interested in horse and mule packing, the Backcountry Horsemen of California: Eastern Sierra Unit formally invites the public to join us for a comprehensive packing clinic to be held during Rendezvous.
DEMONSTRATIONS/PRESENTATIONS:
At our Packing Demos, hands on learning demonstrations will introduce you to the most common hitches used in packing, box and diamond hitch among others. Our guys and gals would love to have you to come out and give it a try. We are especially excited to encourage YOUTH participation in this year’s event.
There will be Hands on Crosscut Saw demos, Leave No Trace Presentations, Dutch Oven Cooking and more! Our 2022 BCHC Intern, Bailey Mello, will be doing a presentation about her summer Internship. She is very excited to share what she has learned and would love to answer any questions you may have.
CONTESTS/COMPETITIONS:
The contests will be enjoyable to watch even if you are not a participant. The Arena Obstacle Challenge is an event for horses and riders of all levels. There will be several divisions, Novice through Open and there will even be an In-hand division, perfect for your young or miniature horse! There is even a packing division. Buckle for first place in each class.
Want to show what you learned at the hands-on packing/knot tying demonstration? Enter one of the contests and test your skill against others. Packing contests will be held for the box hitch, diamond hitch and odd load. Awards for adult and buckles/awards for Youth. There may be a small fee for some of the competitions.
Stomach growling after watching all the presentations and demonstrations? Come, sit, and enjoy the cooking aromas of the delicious dishes being prepared by the folks competing in the Dutch Oven contest or you can get your entry in and participate! The Dutch Oven Contest will have a twist this year which will be similar to the cooking challenges on TV, we will provide the meat/protein! This change will make it more competitive and super interesting. Come on out and Dutch Oven cook with us.
The Western Art Show is a competition and sale for all ages that includes paintings, photos, leatherwork, fiber art, carvings, arts-n-crafts, and miscellaneous artwork. There is a $5 entry fee to submit your artwork for consideration. Prizes will be awarded, and artwork will be displayed for people to admire and possibly purchase. Judging will take place Saturday afternoon and the winners will be announced at the wine and cheese tasting event. See the BCHCalifornia.org/rendezvous website for entry, rules, and information.
Activities and Entertainment:
The Kids Corral will offer youth the opportunity to learn to tie rope knots, do leatherwork and have some fun running in the backpack relay and stick horse races. They will also be encouraged to participate in an interactive talk about what to do if they are lost in the wilderness…and much, much more.
The Bureau of Land Management will have “30” BLM Mustangs and Burros at the event available for adoption. Viewing is Friday afternoon 1PM -4PM. Adoptions are Saturday 9AM-5PM. Bring an empty trailer, so when you fall in love with one you can take them home with you. More information can be found at BLM.gov/WHB.
There will also be lots of shopping with all the vendors in the Vendor Corral where you will also find the Backcountry Horsemen of California State booth. Come purchase some raffle tickets for a beautiful .22 Henry rifle or $500 Bass Pro Shops Gift Certificate! There will also be items to purchase, DVD’s and lots of handouts with information to share.
We will have a Hospitality Booth so you can sit, relax, and catch up with old friends, open until 4:00pm.
Friday afternoon from 3:00-5:00pm, there will be Beer and Wine tasting in the Vendor area. Cost is $25 which includes an etched souvenir wine glass. This is always a popular place to stop, relax and chat after a full day of fun. We are still looking for donations of local beer and wine! If you can donate cheese or crackers that would be great too.
Events include dinner and a concert on Friday night. After dinner, Unit and BCHC State Awards will be handed out to deserving BCHC volunteers. We are super excited to have Kristyn Harris as our entertainer for the 2023 Rendezvous! If you haven’t heard her music before, do a search on the internet and listen to a couple of her songs, it is going to be an awesome show! www.kristynharris.com . On Saturday after dinner, our live and silent auctions will take place. When the days wind down, we can put a log in the firepit and gather to swap tall tales! Dinner and concert tickets will be available on the bchcalifornia.org website.
If you are unable to attend Rendezvous, we would love your financial support. This event is our state fundraiser to help keep Backcountry Horseman and hundreds of volunteers doing what we need to do to Keep Trails open for another 35 years!
Hope to see you all there!
The Rendezvous Committee
For more information Contact:
Michael Lewis stumblinl55@gmail.com or Stacy Kuhns stacykuhns@aol.com