Owatonna Peoples Press. wednesday September 5, 2007Steele County

 

 

Mounted posse to embark on wagon train
By JASON KROEKER

Press staff writer

OWATONNA - Anyone looking to join a wagon train or just wanting to watch several horses make their way up the Cedar Avenue North hill can get their wish this Saturday.

The Steele County Posse and Auxiliary is hosting the 24th Annual Wagon Train for Youth. More than 100 people and 50 to 60 horses are expected for the event, which raises money for the Sheriff's Youth Program of Minnesota.

Riders will be camping at the Steele County fairgrounds and departing Friday morning at 8 a.m. on a route south of town. The group will turn around southeast of Pratt and return to the fairgrounds. On Saturday bareback riders as well as Conastoga wagons will leave the fairgrounds at 8 a.m. and head north on Cedar Avenue to Medford and back.

Riders will be at Cedar Avenue between 8:15 - 8: 30 a.m.

"This is one of the ways horse people get together," said former Steele County Sheriff Bill Hildebrandt.

While members of the sheriff's posse will be on the ride, the majority of riders are expected to be private citizens, according to Steele County Sheriff Gary Ringhofer.

Joe Schwering, captain of the posse, will be directing riders and traffic to ensure safety.

Hildebrandt expects the event to raise $10,000 to $15,000. The Sheriff's Youth Program provides care to children in group homes, family foster homes and shelter services and offers summer camping opportunities. The money raised from the posse ride will be used for capital projects.

Recently the Sheriff's Youth Program provided money for a 40-acre horse training and boarding facility in Princeton. The Sheriff's Youth Program wants to use the facility to help youth accomplish their goals through equestrian activities.

While the annual posse ride and the Steele County Free Fair are the two times when the Sheriff's Posse are most visible, Ringhofer said posse members assist the sheriff's office during floods, search and rescue missions, plane crashes and other events, such as when they tracked down runaway cows after a truck hauling cattle crashed last fall on Interstate 35.

"It's nice to have the resources to make the one phone call and have the manpower there in a short period of time," said Ringhofer.

Registration to ride in the event is open Thursday at the fairgrounds. People can also contact Ringhofer or any of the members of the sheriff's posse.

Jason Kroeker can be reached at 444-2376 or jkroeker@owatonna.com