Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen
NCBCH Current events
NCBCH Meeting
Thursday, February 18
Please join us for our meeting at the Bayport Inn in Weeki Wachee. Bring $$ for 50/50, and your membership dues.
5:30 PM dinner
6:30 PM meeting Guest Speaker D. Scott Grant, retired law enforcement officer who currently trains small groups in firearms safety and concealed carry certification. He specializes in novice gun handlers and first time shooters.
Bayport Inn
4835 Cortez Blvd, Weeki Wachee
Our Annual Membership Drive
NCBCH welcomes and depends on your involvement and support. Join us now to preserve our right to ride on public lands in Florida and across the nation.
Dues for 2021 are $25 for individual membership, $30 for family (2 votes during elections for family membership).
Click on the Membership button below to print an application.
Hunting in Croom Tract
November 30 - March 7 Small Game Season Small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) may be hunted with dogs.
Wear bright colors!
NCBCH Newsletter
NCBCH News February/March
Hello All. We hope this finds all well and enjoying the weather with your horse(s) on our wonderful trails!
Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 18 at the Bayport Inn in Weeki Wachee. Bayport Inn’s address is 4835 Cortez Blvd., Weeki Wachee, FL 34607. Dinner is at 5:30 p.m. with the meeting following at 6:30. Bayport Inn has a large back room with a separate side entrance. Everyone will order off their menu. They also have a few specials that might interest you. All you can eat fish for $10.95, all you can eat shrimp for $13.95, and a prime rib dinner for $15.95. Their full menu can be viewed at https://www.zmenu.com/bayport-inn-weeki-wachee-online-menu/.
It would be appreciated if you could RSVP if you plan on attending. Bayport Inn would like a heads up on how many tables to prepare for our group. RSVP to Becky Card-Swerdloff at tysonah@bellsouth.net.
Election of officers will be first on our agenda at the meeting. Individual membership holders have one vote, family membership holders are entitled to two individuals voting. Currently we only have one nominee for each position running. Write-ins are permitted and nominations from the floor will be accepted. Anyone having an interest in a position and would like to be listed on the ballot please contact Becky Card-Swerdloff ASAP. Her email is: tysonah@bellsouth.net.
President – Becky Card-Swerdloff
Vice President – Donna Black;
Secretary – Ann Hopta
Treasurer – Lorri Kindberg
Board of Directors (4 positions) – Lee Adams, Donna Allen, Martha Casisa, Charlie Kemp.
Our speaker for this meeting is D. Scott Grant, retired law enforcement officer. He has worked in many areas of law enforcement for/with several different agencies including Zephyrhills Police Dept., Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, FL Dept. of Law Enforcement, Drug Enforcement Agency, Postal Inspector’s Office and Customs just to name a few. He has trained K9 officers and is a certified firearms trainer. He is also a certified NRA firearms instructor in long gun, pistol and shotgun. After 34 years in law enforcement he retired in 2016. He currently trains small groups in firearms safety and concealed carry certification. He specializes in novice gun handlers and first time shooters. It should be an interesting and informative meeting – we hope to see you all.
NCBCH’s first annual Horse, Tack, Craft &Yard Sale is scheduled for Saturday, March 13 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Hillside Baptist Church, 27440 Cortex Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34602. If you would like to sell some of your gently used, seldom used or never used items please fill out and return the attached application. Vendor spots are $15.00. A small price to pay to clean out your tack room or sell some of those crafty items you have created during the past nine months of isolation! It should be a fun day for both vendors and buyers! There will be a food concession provided by Hillside Baptist Church.
Happy trails to all!
NCBCH's Most Recent Improvement Project for Equestrians
Volunteer of the Year 2021 - Charlie Kemp
Charlie Kemp and Molly Rider
Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year awardee is Charlie Kemp. Charlie has enthusiastically given his time and expertise to better our organization. He has acted as a liaison with SWAMP (mountain bike group in Croom) and FFS. Although Charlie is not a ‘horse’ person but rather a ‘bike’ person he strongly supports his wife Vicki as an equestrian. He and his sidekick Molly Rider regularly travel Croom trails by either biking, hiking or on his quad (with a valid permit) to address and correct trail issues.
He identifies problem trail issues, creates safe and sustainable alternatives and submits these plans to FFS for their input and approval. He created plans for Smith Prairie Trail Head (where NCBCH won the prestigious Back Country Horsemen of America’s Double Diamond Award), worked with the FFS biologist to reroute the extremely eroded portion of the access trail out of Tucker Hill Trail Head to create a sustainable and safe trail.
He is currently on NCBCH’s board.
Becky Card-Swerdloff presented Charlie with a personalized biking shirt. Emblazoned with NCBCH’s logo and his Volunteer of Year status it also has a nod to his passions – his bike and Molly Rider! Thank you Charlie for all you do!
Please Support Our Sponsors
NCBCH thanks the following sponsors who made our 2019 Shindig a huge success
Ranch Hand Feed Depot, Giddy-Up Saddle Shop, Wagon Wheel, Fletcher's Tack Shop, Irish Trails Farm and Pet Supply
Remington Outpost, Capricci Healing Waters, Massage by Claire Larrson, White Daisy, Damsel in Defense - Phyllis Nolte, Photography by Ann Hopta
Tractor Supply Co. Brooksville, Pickett's Brooksville Ace Hardware, Toole's Groveland Ace Hardware, Rural King
Papa Joe’s Italian Restaurant, River Ratz, Luigi's Pizza of Brooksville, Mykonos II, Beef O'Brady's, Mallie Kyla’s, Country Kitchen, Glory Days Grill, Publix
Florida Forest Service
Please patronize these generous donors that support our local community
Back Country Horsemen of America
How to obtain parking passes for local Trailheads
Friends of Florida State Forests Annual Day Pass
Good for all Florida state forests that have fees at the trailheads. The day use fee at Croom's Tucker Hill trailhead is $2 per person. The annual pass is $45 which is good for any day of the year for up to 6 people. To order the annual pass on-line go to:
Friends of Florida State Forests Annual Day Pass
Purchase it locally at: Florida Forest Service
Withlacoochee State Forest Recreation/Visitors Center
15003 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34601-4201
(352) 797-4140
Lake Townsen Preserve, Nobleton Parking Fee
The daily parking fee is $3.00 per vehicle. An annual parking pass is $45.00 per vehicle.
To get Annual Parking Pass Application go to:
Lake Townsen Annual Parking Pass
Read both pages, particularly the highlighted area, print, fill it out, make a check payable to Hernando Cnty Recreation Department, & mail to 205 E. Fort Dade St., Brooksville, FL 34601, or go to their office at same address to purchase one. Call 352-754-4027 for further info.