By Clare Tone
“BCHA is nothing without you, the horse owner and enthusiast who cares enough about your equine friends and their future in Boulder County to join with us in our dedication to maintain our heritage.” –BCHA 1976
In 1971 there were roughly 67,000 people living in Boulder. You could go to the movies for a buck fifty. Rent averaged $150 per month nationally. A gallon of gas cost 40 cents. This was the year the Boulder County Horsemen’s Association (BCHA) was formed, and the first BCHA president, Judith (Judy) Lilly* was elected to the Board of Directors (Photo A).
Text from the undated Boulder Daily Camera article states “A Horseman’s Association is being formed in Boulder County and all interested persons are asked to attend the initial meeting Tuesday, February 9th in the Bureau of Standards auditorium… First objective of the organization will be to work with various city, county and private interests to provide a network of bridle trails for Boulder County.”
By April, 1971, articles of incorporation were signed and by-laws published for Boulder County Horsemen’s Association, a non-profit corporation:
…This corporation is formed to provide an organization and association, not for profit; to stabilise and standardise and stimulate the horsemen of Boulder County….
Even in 1971 the bike vs. horse dilemma was a ‘thing’ in Boulder County. This photograph (Photo B) from the May 4th edition of The Boulder Camera features the 13-year-old son of BCHA president Judy Lilly on horseback next to a cyclist. Notice the external frame backpack on the cyclist, a 1970’s era special for those of us who remember backpacking in the 1970s and 80s.
1976—The Bicentennial Year
In 1976, the BCHA president was Sue Carter., shown on horseback (photo C) attending the dedication of Coalton Road, “the new equestrian trail” in southeast Boulder County. The road was established “as part of the east-west access route from the southeastern parts of Boulder County to the mountains and to the proposed Eldorado Springs State Park.” Interestingly, the photo is credited to Joanna Sampson, a local horsewoman and author who served as BCHA trails chairwoman in 1976. Joanna would later go on to publish High Wild and Handsome, an eclectic book about the history of Eldorado Canyon. It is amazing to realize BCHA existed before Eldorado Canyon State Park. Additionally in 1976:
BCHA put out the first edition of its Horse Services Directory. It listed a whopping two insurance companies and 21 farriers. By the time the second edition came out in 1979 the listings for equine insurance had doubled to four and hints of the coming computer age were evident.- The Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage set off from Blaine Washington to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in June 1975. Along the way BCHA sponsored a visit of the Colorado Bicentennial Wagon to almost all elementary schools in Boulder County before the wagon train continued east to arrive in Valley Forge on July 4th, 1976.
- BCHA archives from the 1970s contain documents discussing a new county fairgrounds and protecting the horsemen’s right to maintain their horses on their own property through equitable zoning regulations.
- The BCHA newsletter was a full eight pages—painstakingly typed from an actual typewriter. Replete with poetry and a call for ‘…Serious minded persons with a horse that is willing to travel any terrain’ to join the mounted search and rescue group for monthly meetings and regular practice sessions spearheaded by Russ Chadwick, Mary Ryan and Chuck Williams. Gymkhanas were noted to be ‘bigger, better and more spectacular than ever’…
Colorado Bicentennial Wagon - There was the annual potluck dinner in September, annual meeting in February to elect the Board of Directors, and monthly board meetings.
“We work hard, we play hard, especially during our summer gymkhanas and trail rides. There is the annual Stallion Parade in September to see some beautiful horses and learn about different breeds.”
And finally, in 1976 an eight year old Shetland/POA Pony 12.3 hands tall was looking for a new home for a whopping $100 which included a small western saddle. And BCHA implored:
BCHA is nothing without you, the horse owner and enthusiast who cares enough about your equine friends and their future in Boulder County to join with us in our dedication to maintain our heritage.
As we gallop toward 50, the same words of encouragement still ring as true as ever. Stay tuned next month as we explore the big-haired, high-waisted and fully neoned 80s generation, a crucial decade for horses and horse people in Boulder County.
[divider style=”solid” color=”#cccccc” opacity=”1″ icon_color=”#666666″ icon_size=”15″ placement=”equal”]Clare Tone is a BCHA Board member and freelance writer living in western Boulder County. In this monthly column leading up to the 50th anniversary she will explore the rich history of BCHA.
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Do you have stories or photos from BCHA’s past?
Please contact Clare to share your insights for future articles in this series.
*In researching this article it came to the author’s attention that Judy Lilly passed away in December 2019 at the age of 87. On behalf of BCHA we extend heartfelt appreciation to the Lilly family in recognition of the contributions Judy made in the formative years of BCHA.