By CARRIE STAMBAUGH - The Independent
OLIVE HILL — Horse enthusiasts and curious spectators alike turned up in Olive Hill over the long Labor Day weekend to take part in the first ever Traveling Horse Rendezvous.
The event, organized to promote the growing adventure tourism industry in Carter County, included four days of trail rides, a horse show, parade, cookout and live music.
Organizers said they were pleased with attendance, which numbered in the dozens, saying their goal was to put on a quality event that can build with each year.
“I think the people who came want to come back. We expect the second annual to be bigger and better,” said Bob Coleman, one of the events organizers and owner of Smokey Valley Farm in Olive Hill.
“We have tremendous community support from all the levels, town officials, and state government. Our real issue is getting the word out to people who don’t know about us who will come here,” said Coleman. “We do have some people who came long distances and had a good time. We think that will spread,” he said.
Many of Saturday’s attendees echoed similar sentiment to Coleman’s saying they hope the current momentum will continue to grow.
“I think its great, its contributing to community, its giving people something to do. I think its fantastic, I hope we keep doing it every year,” said Olive Hill resident Brent Wilburn.
Wilburn, 54, who has been riding since he was a teenager, said the opportunity to create a destination in Olive Hill exists. But, he said, more projects like recently announced plans to upgrade Carter Caves State Resort Park’s campground to include facilities for horses are needed.
“Most people who drive 200 miles like to camp, like to stay and enjoy it and that’s the thing they’ve got to do. They’ve got the trails they’ve got the acreage but they’ve got to start supplying campgrounds for people to camp,” Wilburn said.
“There are millions of dollars being spent other places when we’ve got the same resources to do it ...” he said. “Things like this opens people’s eyes,” said Wilburn, “This is good business. If you lived long in eastern Kentucky, you know we need business.”
Wilburn said he also believes an attitude shift is underway in the local culture. Individuals are becoming more inclined to open up their land to public uses and be less suspicious of outsiders coming in — something that is needed to develop the extensive trail systems for various recreational uses that Gov. Steve Beshear’s administration has called for.
“We’re a clannish community and we’re starting to open our doors,” Wilburn said. “It’s just good business. We get people down here they are going to stay for two or three days. They are going to buy groceries they are going to go to a restaurant they are going to spend money. That’s what we need here,” he said.
Resident Mike Lowe, 54, said he also believes the Rendezvous and other efforts to develop trails and tourism infrastructure are the start of something that could bring real growth to the area.
“It will draw people in. There are a lot of people and horses and they need some where to go for the weekend to amuse themselves,” he said. “We’re doing the right things, we need to keep working and getting the word out to get people to come to the trails and camping areas.”
Getting the word out is exactly what Coleman plans to continue doing. “I think its basically time and effort to extend personal invitations to riding groups and networking,” he said. “My experience is events like this will build organically and there aren’t many short cuts to that. You have to start something and do it well,” he said.
More attention to the prospects of adventure tourism by local media, elected officials and others state officials would also go along way to helping draw in visitors, said Paul Eusner, 62, who recently located to Olive Hill from Bellefonte with his wife Bonnie in order to spend more time riding.
Bonnie Eusner said the couple commuted for years between Lexington and Ashland and never realized what was just hidden from view of the interstate.
“Carter County is just a treasure. its absolutely a beautiful county with lots of natural resources,” she said
CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.
