Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/977271
Trail and Saddle Club Preser ves Carmel Valley's Past B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D I t's possible that the horse and human popula- tion was nearly equal when the Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club was founded in 1956. A group of Carmel Valley families wanted a place where they could have get togethers, socialize and hold equestrian events, so they incorporated, pur- chasing 15 acres of virgin, undeveloped land at the end of Garzas Road. The organization's purpose is "…preserving, acquiring, building, maintaining and supervising bridle paths and trails…suitable for public riding, hiking and cycling…" Not much has changed. Today, membership is between 150 and 160 families, according to Judy Leavelle-King, club historian and member since 1971. "It's a beautiful piece of proper ty," she says, "with spreading sycamores and oak and lots of lovely grass. We're dedicated to helping estab- lish and keep open the trails of Carmel Valley." The club facilities are also used by many com- munity groups such as the Boy Scouts and is the site of the popular Hoopla BBQ put on by the Kiwanis Club. By any standard, the grounds are a snapshot of the rural, bucolic Carmel Valley of years past. "The club will keep it so in perpetuity," Leavelle- King says. "It's a gem…and it's a protected gem." Learn more at www.trailandsaddle.club. SHORTCUTS AT LARGE Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club members Dawn Poston and Sarah Clifford compete in mixed roping at the 2017 Carmel Valley Ranch Roundup. 72 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 Photo: Mark Basse