Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen
NCBCH Current events
NCBCH Meetings
Our meetings will resume again this fall at the Brooksville Enrichment Center (directions at the bottom) Hope to see you then!
NCBCH will again provide the main dish with members bringing side dishes to share.
John Gary Grubbs Blvd. is approximately 250 feet south of Luigis Pizza on Broad St. If you GPS the address that is listed online it will take you to a different location.
Charlie Kemp
NCBCH President
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 2023 are $25 for individual membership, $30 for family (2 votes during elections for family membership).
Click on the Membership link below to print an application.
NCBCH Newsletter
Good day Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen and Happy Independence Day!
I hope the summer has been treating you all well. Most of our members retreated north to beat the summer heat but I still see a few horse trailers at Tucker Hill on the weekends. I hope the flies have not chased you out of the forest. I ran into the Croom Trail Riders staging their group ride out of Townsen Park the other day which seems to never get the flies in numbers that Croom does. Either way I’m just happy to see folks out riding. Looking back at the 2022-23 season I want to thank all of our dedicated members for the volunteer activities you participated in like the Caesars Weed Roundup in October and the Forest Road Clean up we hosted in March. Together you helped make a different in the State Forest and for that I personally thank you!.
From a Trails perspective from what I have seen the trails look pretty good. I’ve cleared a few downed trees and we had a couple storms roll through and knock some stuff down but so far it’s been a pretty quiet summer. Let’s all pray for a slow storm season. Our Meeting Schedule will pick back up in mid to late September as folks start to roll back into town. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas for speakers or content, feel free to reach out. We are always looking for new ideas. For now, I hope everyone enjoys the summer where ever they are! Happy 4th of July. Thank you to all who served for making this holiday possible for all of us!!
Sincerely
Charlie Kemp
President
Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen
Officers and board members 2022
President – Charlie Kemp
Vice President – Bob Hopta
Secretary – Ann Hopta
Treasurer – Lorri Kindberg
Board of Directors – Lee Adams, Donna Allen, Martha Casisa, Bill Ehrlich
NCBCH Work Day
On Saturday, November 5th, 2022 approximately 25 members from Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen met in the morning at Tucker Hill Trailhead in the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee Forest to help FFS by pulling and disposing of 670 lbs. of the invasive Caesars weed. FFS is very concerned about this invasive weed as it flourishes and chokes out the native flora and fauna. After a morning of pulling and disposing of this weed everyone moved to the pavilion located at the trailhead for lunch provided by NCBCH and some social time.
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.