Our Delaware County Chapter was organized in 1975, three years after the official founding of the Ohio Horseman’s Council, Inc.
Founding members met in a small cabin on the grounds of Camp Mary Orton (north of Worthington, Ohio). There were seven people present along with the OHC State President, Grover Cruea, who came to oversee the proceedings and our chapter’s inaugural elections. New members were Myrna Cellar (elected chapter president), Chick Kimberly, Russ and Becky Cellar, Kathy Bruno, Becky Plummer-Payne and Jo Christopher.
Myrna Cellar, Marian Trimble, Lurie Obenchain, Norma Hedden
Myrna and Russ Cellar ready for the parade
Kathy Bruno, Becky Plummer-Payne, Jo Christopher
This newly formed club resolved to promote and continue the work already begun by several hard-working Delaware county horsemen, Charlie Adams, Pete Ruggles, Ted Hall, Howard Harper and Myrna Cellar in establishing bridle trails at Alum Creek. Chris Arn Williams, a naturalist at Alum Creek, joined the club to assist with the layout of the trails and to ensure they remained within the boundaries of the park, and later, to help gain official recognition from ODNR of our horseman’s campground and the newly established bridle trails. After meeting at various locations around Delaware, the members eventually found their home at the Tri-Township fire station on SR 36/37 which has been our meeting location ever since.
Top L-R: Dianne Hardin, Kathy Bruno, Rick Hardin, Doug Hopkins, Rick Hopkins, Sue Rosenbeck, George Brown. Second Row L-R: Becky Payne, Amy Brown and Myrna Cellar
In the years immediately following our chapter’s founding, ODNR officials would sponsor an annual Fall pig roast at Alum Creek horseman’s campground for chapter members, fellow horse enthusiasts and friends.
Autumn at Alum Campout
Today, our chapter’s Trail Ride and Potluck or ‘Autumn at Alum’ is still held annually in the Fall, continuing the tradition of fellowship, food and fun times spent riding the beautiful trails at our home park. Riders today can enjoy four established trails at Alum Creek, namely Winterhawk West & East, Maple Glen, Hunter’s Hollow and The Flats, totaling close to 40-50 miles of bridle trails. Each trail has its own challenges and offers a diversity of surroundings, terrain and nature’s beauty.
Autumn at Alum under new shelter pavilion
Members of the Delaware Chapter continue to be the caretakers of the Alum Creek bridle trail system with ongoing trail maintenance. Our dedicated crew of volunteers routinely log upwards to 2,000 hours of trail maintenance each year. A lot of hard work goes into re-routing sections of trail, removing downed trees, refurbishing or replacing older platforms and adding new ones over impassable areas, and clearing abundant overgrowth. In addition, and in partnership with local Eagle Scout candidates, each of our trails has seen the addition of a rest stop complete with hitching post, mounting block and picnic table.
Work on Coco’s Way platform
Fall Chapter Ride Alum Creek State Park
Our campground, off of Howard Road, has room for about 20-30 rigs depending upon rig size, water and highlines for horses, a dump station, and latrine bathrooms. In 2018, ODNR constructed our long-awaited shelter pavilion.