Giddyup All You Cowpokes
by Maryann Miller

A variety of wagons, horses and riders brought a touch of the old west to Winnsboro October 18th through the 20th for the annual Autumn Trails Trail Ride. City Park was jammed for the first part of the weekend with campers, horse trailers, some blacksmith and tack setups, and a lot of enthusiastic horse people. Others camped in areas across Coke Road. According to Chief James Whittiker, there were between four and five hundred people who came for the event.


Friday was the official start, with a welcome parade at 4:00pm, but many folks arrived on Thursday, some having ridden for several days to get here. Harold Rogers came from Longview along with a number of members of Trail Riders Unlimited. "We left out of Longview on Monday," he said. "And it was a good ride."

His organization has been in existence for about nineteen years and has about ninety members. "That's all we do," he said. "Trail ride. But we love it. And we go all over. It's nothin' to take two weeks or moreto get to some place way out west."

Sam Tatum was in from Sulphur Springs and had a wagon full of saddles, tack, and other supplies. He comes mostly to ride, "But you never know when someone might need something."



Chad Suttles, from Hughes Springs, was here for the first time with his father, Dale, who shoes horses. He was doing a little pickin' and singin' while waiting for their first customer. "We didn't bring horses to ride," he said. "So I brought my guitar. Got to have something to pass the time."



People were saddled up and eager to go several hours before the 4 o'clock parade. Riders were going out as some wagons were coming in and there was a real air of excitement as folks said 'howdy' to some of their friends. Like any gathering of people who share a common interest, friendships are made at these big rides with folks that they may not see again until next year.



Unfortunately, bad weather and a serious accident on Friday cast a pall on the weekend. Chief Whittiker started the parade early on Friday as clouds built and he knew it was going to rain. Despite that threat, lots of people came to watch the parade. "They were lined up from the water tower clear to Main Street," Whittiker said. "And Main Street was full all the way down."

The accident happened a little earlier Friday afternoon on highway 852 as Carl and Carol Wilder and Jack Seawright of Como were coming in for the parade. The Wilder's were airlifted to Tyler with injuries that were not life-threatening. Jack Seawright was treated at Hopkins Memorial and released. A horse was also injured, but did not have to be put down.


Saturday's deluge cancelled the horse-training exhibition that had been scheduled at the Rodeo Arena, and late Saturday, the Autumn Trials president, Jimmy Davis cancelled the official trail ride for Sunday. "It was just too nasty and too dangerous," Chief Whittiker said. "It was so wet and muddy already and more rain was predicted for Sunday. We just couldn't take a chance on more people getting hurt."

A few brave souls did ride some on Sunday and folks seemed to have a good time despite the uncooperative weather.