Participate in the Trail Ride that Takes 13 Years to Complete!
The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) will host its 55th Annual Chief Joseph Trail Ride, July 22 – 26, 2019. The full route requires thirteen years to complete. This year, the third 100-mile leg will be ridden of the 1,300-mile historic trail, beginning in Grangeville, ID and finishing at Musselshell Meadows (near Pierce, ID). The trail closely follows the route taken by Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce while attempting to escape the US Cavalry in 1877. A quote from George B. Hatley reflecting on the first ApHC ride held in 1965 reads, “Riders recaptured the romance and heartbreak, the heroism and the tragedy of the Nez Perce War of 1877 as they mounted their Appaloosas at Lake Wallowa to follow the footprints which mark the pages of a stirring chapter in the history of the West.”
Forty riders participated in the first Chief Joseph Trail Ride fifty-four years ago, and last year there were more than 125 horses and their riders in attendance. The ride is restricted exclusively to registered Appaloosas, represented in a quote by ApHC Director, Kristen Reiter: “Blankets, leopards, snow caps, roans and snowflake patterns of every color and variety were represented among the herd and reiterated that this was, most definitely, an Appaloosa event.”
If you are ready to experience an epic trail riding adventure, nothing is better than attending one of the ApHC’s organized rides. You will meet new friends from around the world, view breathtaking and seldom trafficked scenery, and return home with enough memories to last a lifetime. Saddle up your horse and come enjoy the ride of your life!
The ApHC is now accepting applications online for the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. For additional information on this year’s Chief Joseph Trail Ride and the official trail ride application, visit https://www.appaloosa.com/trail/ChiefJoseph.htm.
The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was established in 1938 with a mission of honoring the heritage and promoting the future of the Appaloosa horse. The ApHC has since registered more than 700,000 Appaloosas, which are known for their distinctive color, intelligence and even temperament. True to their reputation as an extremely versatile breed, Appaloosas can be found in nearly every discipline including racing, endurance riding and serving as reliable family horses. The international breed registry is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho, the heart of the Palouse region—the Appaloosa breed’s namesake and point of origin.
