Trail riders saddle up for a cause

Trail riders took to the forest around Sisters Cow Camp on Saturday to ride for a cause. The annual Saddle Up For St. Jude benefit had a record 57 riders raising dollars for the Memphis, Tennessee children's research hospital.

The annual ride, now in its 13th year in Sisters, is organized by the Central Oregon chapter of Oregon Equestrian Trails (OET), an equestrian service group that advocates for responsible trail use and maintains trails and horse camps. Participants in the ride collect sponsors prior to the event or make donations online.

Pat Marquis is the local coordinator and has been doing the job for the past eight years.

"We operate ours a bit differently than some," she said. "We mark the trail and let riders go at their own pace."

Starting from Cow Camp, the route followed the Metolius-Windigo Trail for a ways, then cut across to connect some old logging and skid roads. It climbed up a ridge to a healthy and grassy forest area, then descended gently to follow the Pole Creek Channel. The forest in that area held a wide variety of healthy trees of varying age. The trail tied back into the Metolius-Windigo Trail near the end, topping out on a breezy ridge with a fine view of the mountains on a clear day. Riders could choose a 7- or 10-mile loop and there were two water stops along the way.

When riders returned to the camp, they were greeted with a barbecue lunch, a fundraiser for OET.

Marquis and his organizing team vary the trail a bit each year, and repeat riders say it just gets better. Jan Fuller of Terrebonne did the ride for the fifth time on her 10-year-old Tennessee Walker gelding.

"The organizers do a superb job. It's a great opportunity to help kids," she said.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded in 1962 by entertainer Danny Thomas and from its humble beginnings it now ranks as one of the leading research and treatment hospitals for childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases of children.

"The hospital does great things and has a very high cost to run," said Marquis.

Requiring over $1 million a day to operate, it needs every dollar that comes in through fundraising efforts. The Saddle Up For St. Jude events occur across the country and typically are trail rides but can also be horse shows or rodeos. They join a multitude of other sporting events that enhance bequests and other forms of public support.

With the variety of activities that occur on any summer Saturday in Sisters Country, Marquis is grateful for the riders who took the time to raise money and ride for a cause.