During this season of giving, we’ve compiled five easy ways to show your support for the American Endurance Ride Conference, the national governing body for endurance riding.
1. Join AERC or buy a membership for someone else. A new membership is $63.75, plus $42.50 for a second adult family member ($17 for a family member 17 and under), which includes tracking of AERC mileage for both you and your horse, a monthly issue of Endurance News magazine, and a new member packet filled with educational materials. To join, call 866-271-2372 or join online at http://www.aerc.org/mbrReg.aspx.
2. Renew your existing membership. The 2016 AERC ride season began on December 1, and rides are scheduled for every month of the ride year, which will run through November 30, 2016.
3. Donate to support a specific AERC initiative–your donations are tax deductible and will help to advance the sport through things like junior scholarships, research and trails, etc.
4. Buy AERC branded gear for yourself or the endurance enthusiast on your list. Show your support for AERC through the purchase of beautiful AERC shirts, hats, bumper stickers, travel mugs, trailer hitch covers and more! Visit AERC’s Cafe Press store (http://www.cafepress.com/aercstore) or phone the office for in-house specials.
5. Support AERC while you shop online! Amazon.com has a special program for charitable donations called AmazonSmile. Amazon will donate 0.5% of every eligible purchase made through Smile.Amazon.com to 501(c) (3) public charitable organizations, including AERC.
Interested in endurance riding and want to learn more? The AERC office will send you a free information packet, including their “Discover Endurance Riding” booklet. Email your request to aerc@foothill.net or call 866-271-2372 or by mail to AERC, P.O. Box 6027, Auburn, CA 95604—please include your name and mailing address.
In addition to promoting the sport of endurance riding, the AERC encourages the use, protection, and development of equestrian trails, especially those with historic significance. Many special events of four to six consecutive days take place over historic trails, such as the Pony Express Trail, the Outlaw Trail, the Chief Joseph Trail, and the Lewis and Clark Trail. The founding ride of endurance riding, the Western States Trail Ride or Tevis Cup, covers 100 miles of the famous Western States and Immigrant Trails over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These rides promote awareness of the importance of trail preservation for future generations and foster an appreciation of our American heritage. The American Endurance Ride Conference, established in 1972, is headquartered in Auburn, California, “The Endurance Capital of the World.” For more information please visit us at www.aerc.org.
