By: Jolene Killinger
I had the great pleasure of getting to attend the Kansas Quarter Horse Association trail ride June 2, 2006, at the Ringneck Ranch in Tipton, Kansas. I came all the way from St. Libory, Nebraska along with nine others to try out the ride. They called our group the Nebraska mafia. We accepted the nickname with pride.
The hospitality of Keith and Debra Houghton, the owners of Ringneck Ranch, were fantastic. They have a great place to keep the horses and park the camper/horse trailers. The ranch is a hunter’s paradise with wheat fields and meadows that lead to a line of bluffs. When you get to the top of the bluffs, you can see out over the ranch and wheat fields for miles!
Saturday morning before the ride, Gary Kirchoff, a horse trainer/cowboy, performed a clinic demonstration covering safety on the trail. He had very good information to share with the group. Ryan Cole, the ride coordinator, then thanked all the riders for coming. Ryan is a strong member of KQHA; he trains and shows horses and is from Downs, Kansas.
Then, of course, we had our trail boss and his wife, Mike and Kay Johnson. They are very pleasant country folks. When I asked Mike how he got involved, he said, “I got roped into an honest days work.” Mike also does some of the hunting tours for the Ringneck Ranch. We had a two-hour ride in the morning and then returned for a great lunch. We then left for another ride in the afternoon which was about three hours long and a beautiful ride. The weather was great and the ride was a safe, successful ride with no runaways or injuries.
Our evening meal was slow smoked beef brisket and pork, including salads, beans and desserts with ice cream. Wow! They sure know how to cook down there too. The evening came to a conclusion with singing and entertainment by a great little music group. The music group included Josh Fuller, Ken Benidick and his daughter Savanna. They sang old folk songs, country music and some gospel. 
Well, the Nebraska mafia plans to attend again next year for another great time!
If you would like information on the Ringneck Ranch or how to attend the Ride event June 2, 2007, visit AQHA Ride schedule.
Who knows, maybe your adventure will be featured next! Have you been on an AQHA Trail Ride lately? If so, and you have an adventure to share, we'd like to hear it. To obtain more information or to e-mail your adventures and photos, contact Stephanie McCommon at stephaniem@aqha.org. 
