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The Woodbury FFA Alumni and Parent Support Group announce a new venue for their annual Hunter Pace fundraiser to be held Sunday, November 6, 2011. March Farm of Bethlehem will host the event for the first time in the event’s history.

A hunter pace is a low-key competitive event derived from foxhunting. Teams of riders follow an outdoor course over terrain which is meant to simulate the riding conditions encountered during a foxhunt. There is no set length or time for a hunter pace course. It is up to each team to guess what the organizers of the pace have decided is an ideal time to complete the course. Fun prizes are awarded, but most riders simply regard it as an enjoyable ride in the countryside.

For this hunter pace, riders can take their horses on trails of otherwise privately owned land that features tremendous views of the rolling hills of northwest Connecticut. The property is a popular pick-your-own orchard with working farmland and includes wooded trails, stream crossings, open hillsides and pasture land. There are both cross country and stadium-type jumps on the course, although there are go-rounds on every obstacle for those who prefer not to jump. March Farms also features a country store that sells homemade pies, cider donuts and a variety of locally made delicacies.

“We’re very excited about our new partnership with March Farm for the Hunter Pace,” says event chairman Ron Bridge. “Riders like to explore different trails, but they are limited in this state and access to private property like this is highly sought-after.”

“The family loves this idea,” says Ben March of March Farm. “What better way to use the farm than to benefit one of Connecticut’s leading agricultural schools in our own neighborhood. It brings more people to the farm, plus the money raised goes for scholarships to students who we hope will return to the community and further the future of agriculture here. It’s a win, win, win!”

All proceeds from the event go directly to a scholarship fund for outstanding graduates who wish to pursue agricultural careers or degrees. In more than ten years, the alumni have raised at least $60,000 for this purpose.

Watch these websites for further information at www.woodburyffa.org or www.marchfarm.com, or call Karrie Higgins, Hunter Pace Secretary at 203-723-4615.

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