Need Help/Ideas re: Poker Pace Stations

[ecileh]

I somehow wound up managing my hunt’s upcoming Poker Pace (July 8!) and an idea was floated that instead of stationing people out on the course to hand out cards, we use something like baskets/flower pots at unmanned stations.

Obviously, these would have to be at rider-height, but I’m wondering if anyone out there has ideas for how to secure them to trees, etc. Perhaps it would be better to mount them on poles that we drive into the ground somehow–so riders don’t have to maneuver horses close to trees?

If anyone out there has experience/ideas…I welcome them!

note: cross-posted in Off Course forum

[SLW]

Damn that is a great idea!! I’ve hosted our hunts poker ride for 3 years and never thought of doing that. Will be doing that in 2018.

As for attaching a bucket to a branch or around a tree trunk good ole rope or heavy weight zip ties come to mind.

I did one thing different this year which the person who tallied the hands liked. Each rider carried a rider card which had space to write down the 5 cards they drew. At each station their draw was entered. The riders liked just tucking that paper in the pocket instead of keeping up with 5 cards.

[ecileh]

That’s a good idea! We always have people complaining about where to put the cards/having to carry them.

[RiderInTheRain]

We have used plastic coffee cans (the large ones) and when seasonally appropriate the plastic pumpkin baskets for trick or treating. We just tied them around the tree with rope and put individual cards in envelopes (so riders couldn’t just pick out a super hand). We used a different looking deck for each basket so we knew they had made it to all the stations. We had plastic sandwich baggies and extra safety pins so riders could pin it to themselves or their saddlepads.

[Highflyer]

Definitely have a bucket or log or something on the ground just in case somebody drops everything and has to dismount

[GreyDes]

I haven’t organized one, but have actually never ridden in one where the stations are manned. We’ve always picked up the cards from baskets in trees, and the cards are in sealed envelopes so there is no peeking.

There’s a little manuveuring to get to the baskets, but someone in the group has always managed to pull it off without us dismounting

One ride had a rule that envelopes had to remain unopened until the end so there was no card swapping between teams.

[ecileh]

We always seal our cards in envelopes (apparently there was cheating one year before I was a member!)…I was thinking to mark the buckets and envelopes with numbers to make sure that the riders hit each station. It never occurred to me that people would swap between teams! How devious.

[Lyssabd]

I’d have multiple buckets per location - I’ve been on poker rides and other trail paces that you have to pick things up, and it’s inevitable that a bucket will fall down somewhere! It’s nicer when there’s a second option in case one goes down. Or, stools/mounting blocks conveniently placed is another option so riders have an easier time getting on the giants if they pop off to grab an envelope.

Also - PLEASE don’t put buckets on top of hay bales! This is the worst when you’re going to pick them up and then the whole thing comes flying towards you and your horse, who then spooks at the hay bale he’s dangling from his face and proceeds to run backwards… still holding the hay bale. Ask me how I know… -__-

[fordtraktor]

You might also consider having two buckets – one with envelopes, and another with a bucket people can drop off a ticket to prove they went to each station? That way you ensure people made it where they said instead of grabbing two from one.

[ecileh]

Just as a followup–we wound up having a mixture of manned and unmanned stations. The unmanned had (bright orange) buckets that we bungie-corded to trees at rider height and the riders all said they were easy to get to and take cards from.

We had been thinking to just go all unmanned next year, but then a rider had a fairly serious accident and I realized that, had there not been actual people on the course nearby, there would have been no way to get her treated quickly…so I expect we will continue to do the combination in years to come.

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts and suggestions!