Keeping A Fun 'Pace'
4th Annual Hunter Pace Enjoyed by Islanders

The winners of the 4th annual Mackinac Island Hunter Pace Saturday, August 5 are (from left) Lisa Eckhardt, Michelle Stuck, Maryanke Alexander, and Audrey Moran. Lined up behind the winning group is Gretchen Coleman, James Dunnigan, Claire Dunnigan, Morgan Brodeur-Bunker, Kaia Olson, Hailey Bean, Alicia Findorz, Trish Martin, and Lin Sheppard.

Participants in the Hunter Pace Saturday, August 5, managed to cover five miles of trails in a timed event where the first to finish the race are not necessarily the winners. The riders who get closest to the "ideal" time win.

This year's "ideal" time was 56 minutes, averaged for two riders on a predetermined course. It includes a five minute break.

Organizers Candi and Brian Dunnigan say a Hunter Pace is a good way for people to compete on horses without having to show them in a ring.

In the contest, a trail, which changes each year, is marked so that participants know where to ride. The goal is not only to find the trail, but to maintain the pace of a fox hunt. Organizers 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.

Finishing times varied from 16 minutes under the ideal time to 29 minutes over it. Finishing in 44 minutes, the team of Maryanke Alexander, Michelle Stuck, Audrey Moran, and Lisa Eckhardt were the winners. With the addition of Ms. Moran this year, the team held the top honor for the second year in a row.

And, although the team of Lin Sheppard, Alicia Finodrz, and Trish Martin, who finished in second place, were the fastest at 40 minutes, they were farther off the ideal time than the winning team.

In third place was the team of Claire Dunnigan, Gretchen Coleman, and Hailey Bean, who finished 24 minutes over the ideal time. This was Ms. Bean's first trail riding experience and she received kudos for her perseverance in the event. The team was also the recipient of a J.L. Beanery gift certificate.

Finishing in fourth place was the team of James Dunnigan, Kaia Olson, and Morgan Brodeur-Bunker, who finished 29 minutes over the ideal time.

This was the fourth annual Hunter Pace sponsored by the Mackinac Horsemen's Association.

This year's event drew 13 participants, who were divided into four teams.