Photo courtesy Lisa NelsonBy Lisa Nelson
Special to The PREVIEW
Trail riding season is just around the corner, so now is a good time to sell any horse or mule tack you don’t use anymore or to buy some tack you might need. At the same time, you can play a role in keeping our backcountry trails open.
San Juan Back Country Horsemen is sponsoring the Pagosa Springs Tack Sale on May 5 in the Archuleta County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. The sale will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A large collection of used tack and gear has been donated for sale to raise funds for the Wilderness Trails Forever Campaign to clear backcountry trails clogged by beetle-killed trees on the Pagosa Ranger District. All proceeds from the sale of the donated tack collection will go to this on-the-ground effort.
The Pagosa Springs Tack Sale follows the BigGame Forever banquet on March 10 and fundraising effort that helped raise about $29,000 for the Wilderness Trails Forever Campaign.
The Wilderness Trails Forever Campaign operates under the Pagosa Area Trails Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that functions as the clearinghouse of organization and coordination for trail user groups in Pagosa Springs. These groups work together to keep our trails open.
The fundraising campaign started in 2017 to address a crisis situation regarding trail access. Only 50 percent of our wilderness trails on the Pagosa Ranger District were open last year due to the overwhelming downfall of trees killed by a devastating spruce-beetle outbreak. Current crews, partners and volunteers cannot keep up with the immense task of cutting out the trails. The Wilderness Trails Forever Campaign is raising funds to hire crews this summer to clear trails in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service.
The donated items for the Pagosa Springs tack sale include a horse trailer, saddles, pack saddles, panniers, saddle blankets, bridles, chinks, halters, saddlebags, bits and much more.
In addition, the public is invited to purchase space to sell tack and stock-related gear at this event. Selling spaces of 100 square feet and 50 square feet are available and will be discounted 50 percent if purchased by April 30. Larger items, such as trailers, can be accommodated in the fairgrounds parking lot.
Proceeds from the sales of selling spaces and concessions at the tack sale will support the annual trail work of San Juan Back Country Horsemen and help defray costs of the event.
For more information about the Pagosa Springs tack sale, please email sanjuanbchtacksale@gmail.com.
