Basking Ridge Goes to the Races for the Private Horse Hunter Pace

Equestrian fans take note: The 2013 Fall Private Horse Hunter Pace is coming. The annual event, hosted by the Friends of Lord Stirling Stable and the Somerset County Park Commissions's Lord Stirling Stable, takes place this Sunday at 9 a.m.

If you are unfamiliar with the event, you may find it fascinating: The Hunter Pace, sponsored by the Horsemen’s Outlet of Lebanon and Apgar Brothers Excavating of White House Station, features teams of two or three riders who follow a well-marked six- to eight-mile course. Horse and rider must clear 30 or more fences of varying heights up to 3 feet. Teams may choose to enter one of five divisions: Open, Family, Junior, Senior or Hilltopper.  Specifications are posted on the Friends’ website, www.flssnj.org.  

Of course, there are prizes. Ribbons are awarded to the first six teams in each division finishing closest to the “ideal time,” which is determined by the Pace Team. Registration is done in person on the day of the event.

The cost to compete is $30 for juniors (under 18) and $35 for adults. Additionally, there is a separate, refundable $5 fee to obtain a pinney with the team number; it is worn during the race and returned afterward. The last team on Sunday will depart by 1 p.m. Riders must wear an approved ASTM/SEI equestrian helmet and riding shoes or boots, and at registration, each must provide a negative Coggins, a diagnostic test for equine infectious anemia, from the past 12 months. 

Lord Stirling Stable is located at 256 South Maple Ave. in Basking Ridge.   For directions to the stable, call 908-766-5955 or NJ Relay 711 for individuals with hearing impairments.  For additional information or questions about the Hunter Pace, visit the Friends of Lord Stirling Stable website at www.flssnj.org.