Volunteers from the local equestrian community were saddened when the 2020 and 2021 annual campouts were cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.

While they weren’t able to gather en masse, that didn’t stop them from supporting the Dundas Valley Trails Fund. Donations received through a Virtual Equestrian Campout in December helped to raise $1,850 for the Fund.

As a result, Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) crews will be able to conduct much-needed repairs to bridges on the 40km Dundas Valley trail system. Two bridges on the Main Loop and Sawmill Trail are set to be rebuilt as part of a larger “bridge blitz” planned for this summer and fall.

The Equestrian Campout has supported the Dundas Valley Trails Fund since the early 1990s. The Dundas Valley Equestrian Association, which organizes the event, has now raised over $200,000 for the trails and are a key reason why the trail system has become such an important part of the Ancaster and Dundas communities.