Moonlight Trail Ride Fourth Annual Marilyn Lubin Memorial By Tommy Brannon The Shelby Farms Equestrian Alliance (SFEA) sponsored the Fourth Annual Marilyn Lubin Memorial Moonlight Trail ride on Saturday October 23 at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, TN. Normally the park is closed at sundown, but it was open for this special event. The late Marilyn Lubin was one of the founders and presidents of SFEA. SFEA is dedicated to keeping horses and horse activities in Shelby Farms Park. To that end, preserving Shelby Farms Park is a part of its mission. Proceeds from the event went to maintaining the trails at Shelby Farms. With 4,500 acres within the city limits of Memphis, Shelby Farms is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Equestrians, some coming from as far away as Hardy, Arkansas, assembled at the Shelby Farms rental stables before dusk to eat and listen to live music. A feeling of camaraderie was in the air! The clouds were scattered enough for the full moon to shine, illuminating the open ground. Trail guides Nathan Lubin for the fast group and Wes Mueller for the slower group used light slicks to help guide the riders through the woods. The park looks very different at night than it does in the daylight, especially from horseback. In the daylight one’s eyes are drawn into the trees and fields, the city is largely ignored. At night the very bright lights from the distant prison and the traffic lights and noise make one very aware of the city and the roads that surround and bisect the park. Even with a full moon, the glare of artificial lights made focusing in the dark a challenge. The chance to ride in the park after dark makes one appreciate this gem of green in an urban setting. Shelby Farms is open to horses year round and rental horses are available. For Rental horse reservations call 901-278-7128. For information about Shelby farms visit www.shelbyfarmspark.org. For information about SFEA, visit www.sfeaonline.org