June 3rd, 1960, a group of horse loving volunteers incorporated the association and elected Tom Goodnight, President, with Judge Raul Castro of Tucson as Vice President and Dr. E.E. Lacroix of Scottsdale, Secretary. The 12 members of the Board of Directors included: Sheriff Cal Boies, Phoenix, Dr. Jack Fetcher of Prescott, Sam Steiger of Prescott and Tom Finley of Gilbert.
The state was divided into three regions: Dr. Tom Firth jr., Director of Region 1 (Gila, Maricopa and Yuma Counties). Sam Steiger, Prescott, Director of Region II (Mohave, Coconino, Yavapai, Navajo and Apache Counties). Eddie Tappan of Tucson headed Region III (Pinal, Pima, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz Counties).
The first meetings were as follows: Region I, June 27, 1960, at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale. Region II, June 17, 1960, at the Hassayampa Hotel in Prescott, Region III, June 21, 1960, at the Santa Rita Hotel in Tucson.

The first issue of the ASHA Publication, The Arizona Horseman, appeared in July of 1960.
One of the featured articles was a ride in Sycamore Canyon by Ben and Marion Perkins. The August issue included ambitious plans to set up a statewide trail system, and the establishment of a committee to monitor zoning. A statewide event to be called the Arizona Royal was proposed to include a horse show, gymkhana, cutting horse, roping contests, drill team and parade competition. To help finance the Royal, Doc Pardee promised to give $50.00 from each of 30 stallion fees from Jozak, while Roy Harrelson (a wonderful asset to Arizona and a good friend) promised $50.00 from each of ten stallion fees of his horse, Beau Play. The issue also included planned trail ride competition with annual awards, a training program for judges, a statewide insurance plan and an ambitious educational program to cover horse care and training. Readers were reminded to listen to station KOY at 8:30 A.M. Sunday when Porters Store presented Gil Travelers program "let's talk horse".

IN 1961
The third issue of The Horseman was issued in January, and by then ASHA could boast 480 members. A U.S. Department of Agriculture survey revealed that 58,000 horses resided in the state.
 ASHA welcomed, as new members, the Mission Saddle Club of Tucson, plus Sun Devil Rodeo Club and the Rocking "M" Saddle Club of Tempe. Charter membership was extended until May 1,1961.
The Horseman reported that the first horse seminar had taken place at Lasma Arabian Ranch, Jan.7th, under the sponsorship of ASHA, The Arabian Association of Arizona and the Animal Science Dept. of ASU. The first annual all day workshop for those interested in the advancement of horse activities was held Jan.14 at ASU. A week later the ASU Farm was the setting for the first training horse show, a pilot program in which judges explained their placements.
The first meeting of the reorganized trail committee was held at ASU.

February 10, 1961
Bud Brown was named Chairman with Dottie Gilbert, Region I Trails Subcommittee Chairman. Aeola Mitchell, Region, and Mamie Jackson, Region III. The trail committee passed two resolutions; one calling for a system of trails, the other asking for a larger Squaw Peak Park. Thus began the citizen's push for the Sun Circle, other trails and for the Phoenix Mountain Preserves.
The 1961 convention was held in April and the Board of Directors elected Raul Castro as President, Robert Aste, Vice President, C.C.Cooper, Treasurer and T.A. Goodnight, Chairman of the Board.

During 1962, the Region I Trails Committee made great strides, presenting its two petitions asking for a trail system and larger Squaw Peak Park to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the City Council and Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board. Each petition carried over 1300 signatures. The ASHA Region I Trails Committee proposed a 150-mile valley of the Sun Circle Trail, along canal and river systems, which would tie together Estrella Mountain Regional Park, South Mountain Park and Squaw Peak Park. Jack Connelly, and Jess Kleck pre-rode the trails and recommended their location. The Salt River Project consented to the use of the canal banks for trails. Phoenix repaired and reconstructed the 15-mile summit trail through South Mountain. The Arizona State Highway Department with the consent of the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, revised its’ plans to include a horse crossing over the Black Canyon Highway. To draw attention to the need for trails, Bud Brown, accompanied by outriggers, drove his mule drawn stagecoach from Prescott to Phoenix.
Bob Bohannon, member of the Region I Trail Committee and later President of ASHA, kept urging the committee to have fewer meetings and do more riding---with the result that ASHA and Maricopa County Parks Department began to sponsor monthly trail rides. The first one held November 1962, drew 74 riders to Estrella Park. The second ride in December in the McDowell Mountain Regional Park attracted 105 riders, including Ruth O'Neill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and Kenneth Smithee, County Parks Director. By the end of the first season, 574 riders had participated.
At the annual meeting of ASHA, November 10, 1962, in an office at the Valley National Bank at First Street and Willetta (Tom Goodnight's branch) the following were elected: Col. George Hastings, President, Robert C. Bohannan Jr., Vice President, Bud Brown, Secretary and James C. Witty, Treasurer.

In 1963 The Arizona Horseman Magazine ceased publication after editor and Executive Secretary, Vance Herrold, moved away. It resumed again with Dottie Gilbert as editor and continued with Ed Zumach taking over in December of 1968.
At the request of ASHA, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors established the Maricopa County Hiking and Riding Trails Committee to recommend a system of trails. William E. Craft (a General Electric co-worker) was named Chairman and Perl Charles, a member. The committee continued until 1995 and included bicycles and hikers as defined by its’ non-motorized multi-use charter. The chairman was always a member of ASHA, and the members included agency personnel and interested citizens. Much more of the committees’ accomplishments will be covered later in ASHA's history.

In 1964-65, ASHA attempted a horse census in 1964 with Rex Franklin as Chairman. Somehow it didn't get off the ground, so ASHA assigned the gifted Phoenix City Planner Paul Van Cleve and myself as co-chairman. Paul was the planner that came up with the hillside ordinances to stop development of our Phoenix mountain slopes. Paul was great to work with, but he became too busy to work on the census. I can still picture him on the trail, riding a huge charcoal colored horse that was a real handful. Paul died a few years later and was greatly missed by all that knew him. The census was defined as the Greater Phoenix Area and stretched from Pima Road on the East, 65th Avenue on the West, Deer Valley Road on the North and Baseline on the South. Maps were prepared and blocks of approximately 5 miles by 5 miles were assigned to a long list of volunteers. Chuck Lakin covered the area from Indian School to Buckeye Road and from 17th to 65th Avenues. He reported 317 horses abiding there. I recall making a report to ASHA in 1965 when Bob Bohannon was President. The meeting was held at the Saddleback Inn at Biltmore Plaza and was attended by approximately 125 members and guests. Bob's wife Kay was Membership Chairman and host of the meeting. Prior to the meeting, she drifted through the group introducing herself and offering small talk. When dinner was over, she stepped to the microphone, introduced everyone in attendance by his or her name and added an anecdote about each one. She was amazing and made everyone feel welcome.
The result of the final census report was that 6,679 horses were counted in the greater Phoenix area and were counted by 50 volunteers. Ed Zumach later editor of The Horsemen's Magazine and his wife Jacquie rented a helicopter for his area and counted 723 horses.

To be continued...

Chapter 2 - The Early 70's