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The Mt. Adams Trail Riders club was formed
on January 7, 1947 with 23 charter members who took turns holding the
meetings in each others’ homes. Activities the first year included the
regular potluck meetings, drill team, a week long trail ride to Mt. Adams, a
turkey shoot and a Christmas Party, which is still an annual event.
Clearing of the donated land began in 1950 and the timber
was used for the lumber to build the clubhouse. The fireplace unit was
purchased and white pine logs were donated. Five different riding clubs
were participating in the play day events and in 1952 a public address system
was purchased. One of the club activities was the repair of the hitching
posts in town. The club also started up square dancing, a cowboy
breakfast, introduced a clown to the playday events, participated in the
dedication of the new Randle school and held its very first meeting in the
new "Riders Roost", minus a floor. A campaign for clubhouse
windows was also launched, aided by the Morton Journal.
A wood floor was finally installed early in the year
of 1955. Additional land was purchased from Kaney DeRossett for
the purpose of putting in an arena large enough to hold rodeo events in and
work began on the arena fence, chutes and grandstands. Indoor plumbing
was also a big step forward. On July 3, 1955 the Mt. Adams Trail Riders
put on their first rodeo. Except for the fact the women insisted they
would not be cooking for any more rodeos or playdays unless a kitchen grill
was installed, the rodeo was deemed a huge success. That was also the year the
club became incorporated, with a provision that if it ever disbanded
everything was to be donated to Mary Bridges Children Hospital in Tacoma.
In the mid to late 70's membership dropped off steeply
and the club was in danger of going under, but under the direction of new
leadership and a sudden surge of young families, it became an active
community club again. Although the rodeos became a thing of the past,
club organized trail rides, monthly playdays and the annual Christmas party
was reinstated. Community and teen dances, a Halloween haunted house,
motorcycle/quad/lawn mower races and cow sorting are some of the more recent
events.
Sharon Mead (Embum) and Kay Young (Thomas) Race each other
during one of the club's early "Day of Horse Play" events.
A 1948 club ride to Mt. Adams. Week long trail rides were
common practice among the membership.
Until the land was cleared and the arena built, club
events, such as drill team practice, were often held on Hank Young's
proprty in Randle. The drill team was formed in 1947.
In 1948 a 4.5 acre tract of land was donated to the club by
Kaney and Elsie DeRossett. The club activities were expanded
to include several short rides, dances and a Day of Horseplay, which also
became an annual event. The club was well represented at various community
events such as rodeos and parades. Its pole bending and relay teams won many
awards. In 1949 the club members performed for the community the play
"Desperate Ambrose".
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