Hunter Pace: The Goal Is To Find the Trail, Maintain Pace

The “Friesian Force” team of Michelle Stuck, Lisa Echard, and Mary Anke participated in the Hunter’s Pace. The Friesians took first place in the group category.

It’s not a race, but it is timed. The first person to finish isn’t necessarily the winner. And a break is required. It’s a hunter pace, a timed event for horsemen that is different from most horse shows, and a relatively new activity on Mackinac Island.

The Mackinac Horsemen’s Association introduced the event two years ago by summer residents Brian and Candi Dunnigan as a fun activity for riders.

Julie Hunt and Libby Benjamin were the first to cross the finish line at the Hunter Pace, completing the course in the “ideal” time of one hour, three minutes. Here, Miss Hunt rides her horse, MacGyver.

“We love Mackinac, and thought this would be a great place for this event. It’s fun, and it tests people’s trail skills,” said Ms. Dunnigan.

In the days when women and children were not allowed to participate in fox hunts, the hunter pace was developed to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy riding a horse through varied terrain, and to experience the feel of a fox hunt. Today, it provides an organized horse event outside a traditional horse ring.

Involved is a trail laid out by event organizers, but unknown to participants. Organizers mark the trail so that participants know where to ride. The trick is not only to find the trail, but to maintain the pace of a fox hunt. Non-contestants ride the course prior to the event, and average their times. The average time is the “ideal” time. Participants then try to match this time, without actually knowing what it is.

Participants ride in pairs or teams for a hunter pace, with awards to the team or pair which most accurately matches the “ideal” time and which finishes with the fastest time.

This year’s event drew 17 people divided into six teams. The teams took a route beginning and ending at Great Turtle Park, along the Loretta Dennany Trail, down Murray Road, and along Leslie Avenue.

Libby Benjamin and Julia Hunt won the pair event with a time of one hour, three minutes - exactly that of the “ideal time.” The team event was won by Lisa Echard, Mary Anke, and Michelle Stuck, a group which called itself “Friesian Force,” since the three women rode Friesian horses. Lin Sheppard and Trish Martin received an award for having the fastest time, finishing the route in 58 minutes.