Trail riders ready for ride to rodeo

The Alamo Kountry Kickers begin their annual trail ride to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo later this week and are hoping a combination of good weather and a surge in membership will result in one of its bigger rides in recent years.

The trail riders will ride out Saturday, on a course that will take them down High Street in Comfort, into the Kendall County Youth Ag and Equestrian Center, to Boerne and the Kendall County Fairgrounds, before heading into Bexar County and toward the Frost Bank Center (formerly the AT&T Center) and the Freeman Coliseum fairgrounds.

Morgan Bernhard, president of the Kountry Kickers, said she is expecting anywhere from 15-30 riders to make the trip. 

“We can have anywhere from 10-30. Our club has had a resurgence lately and we’re growing, so we expect a few wagons,” Bernhard said. “Between horseback riders and wagons we expect anywhere from 30-50 folks joining us this year.”

Bernhard has ridden with the Kickers off and on since 1983.

“I left, raised my girls, we were very active in 4H and youth rodeo, so I’d been out of the club for a long time,” she said.

She rejoined about two years ago. When the group’s president moved out-of-state three months ago, Bernhard was selected as its new president.

Trail boss Jerry Croniser will assemble the trail riders Friday at a private ranch in Comfort, where they will stay before heading out Saturday.

The group will log about 16 miles the first day of the ride, she said. “We ride out Saturday morning. We’re going to ride through Comfort, then camp Saturday night at the Kendall County Youth Ag and Equestrian Center.”

That path will take them through the city of Comfort for the first time.

After crossing under Interstate 10, she said they will “take a back road into Comfort, arriving at the park in Comfort, for a lunch.”

“The city of Comfort has been very supportive and excited to have us come,” she said. “They want us to ride right down High Street, so we’re going to ride High Street then over to the Youth Ag and Equestrian Center.”

Every day’s itinerary is similar: Cattle call at 6 a.m., move rigs at 7 a.m., ride begins at 8:30 a. m., break for a light lunch. Once they arrive at the next destination, a 6 or 6:30 p.m. dinner wraps up the day’s road activities.

After leaving the Youth Ag and Equestrian Center, the riders will make their way into Boerne and on to the Kendall County Fairgrounds, where they will bunk down until Monday morning’s 8:30 a.m. departure for Bulverde.

“We’re excited about Sunday,” she said. “The Kendall County Cowboy Church is going to host a chuck wagon breakfast, so when we leave the Youth and Equestrian Center, we’re going to go to the church, have breakfast, stay for the service, and then ride into Boerne."

“Then we camp at the fairgrounds. Our Kendall County Fairground directors feed us an amazing meal Sunday evening, so we’re excited about that,” she added.

Bernhard said when the entourage approaches town it usually receives a police escort for awareness and safety purposes. “We’re thankful for that. We love having them come out and visit with us," she said.

Trail ride registration continues through the meet-up on Friday. Bernhard said there are two plans available: the eight-day ride is $80 for adults, $40 for youth 6-12.

A “Plan B” is a three-day ride — “come out and ride with us for the weekend” that costs $60 for adults and $20 for youth 6-12. The fee covers the trail ride entry, and all beverages, breaks and meals along the way.

“We have families that will take their kids out of school for the week to attend this, because this is a great life experience,” she said.

To be a part of the trial ride, go to their website, www.alamokountrykickers.com, or their Facebook page, Alamo Kountry Kickers.