2016 United States ARDF Championships

144 MHz Classic Distance Competition

Saturday, April 9, 2016

• Location: Parrie Haynes Equestrian Center
  Ranch entrance: 31.017726, -97.811264
  Club House: 31.016221, -97.816256
• General directions from Killeen: Take State Highway 195 (also known as Fort Hood Road) south from Killeen. Turn right (west) on FM 2670. Turn right (north) on N. Maxdale Road. In about 2.5 miles (4 km), turn left at the Equestrian Center entrance. NOTE: You can approach the Ranch on Maxdale Road, but the portion of Maxdale Road that is dirt and crosses the Fort Hood military reservation was closed yesterday for maneuvers. We recommend the above route instead.
• Maxdale Road is a caliche/gravel road between Clear Creek Road (State Highway 201) at its northern end and Million Dollar Road (it is a paved surface from Million Dollar Road onward to the south.) You will not need four-wheel drive to traverse the road, but you might wish to drive slower to avoid the occasional pothole or bump. Maxdale Road is a public road with a 40 MPH speed limit on the gravel/caliche section.
• If you are approaching the ranch from the southeast on FM 2670 from Ding Dong, the signage will indicate that Maxdale Road continues straight and North Maxdale Road is a right turn. You want to turn right on North Maxdale Road.
• Directions from Maxdale Road: Competitors should park where the Texas ARDF sign indicates, about 1000 feet (300 meters) down a paved driveway from an entrance gate at Maxdale Road.

Schedule

• 8:30 AM Competitors arrive and park at the Club House at the end of the paved driveway. Signs will direct you from the entrance. Competitors should bring 144 MHz receivers with them.
• 9:00 AM Equipment impound.
• 10:00 AM First start. There will be a 180 minute time limit for this competition.
• Start List
• List of Transmitters to Find
• 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lunch available at finish area.
• 2:00 PM All competitors have finished.
• 6:00 PM Group Dinner and Awards Banquet. Dinner will be Texas barbecue from Rudy's (brisket, turkey, and sausage). We will also have fresh vegetable trays. Awards for the Foxoring, Sprint, and 144 MHz competition will be presented after dinner.

Map Notes

• Safety Bearing: East to Maxdale Road, then north to the Equestrian Center entrace gate.
• The maps will be printed on 11 x 17 inches (28 x 43.2 cm) paper at 1:10000 scale, portrait orientation. The map can be trimmed/folded to an area of 11 x 12 inches (28 x 30.5 cm) when placing on a map board. Contour intervals on the Parrie Haynes maps are five (5) meters. Exclusion areas around the start and finish will be marked on the maps.
• Most established trails on the Parrie Haynes Ranch are double-track (created by two horseback riders side-by-side.) Most are also blazed with either painted rocks or colored streamer tape tied to tree branches about 6 feet (2 meters) above ground. A few of the trails on the map are relatively new and may be easiest to follow by using the streamers.
• Some trails become small streams in the rain and can have very deep mud in low spots.
• Anywhere you are walking on trails used by horses, take care to avoid holes and ruts caused by horses walking through mud that has dried.
• Most fences on the map include barbed wire. Both blocks of Parrie Haynes Ranch have perimeter fences in good repair.
• At the very southern end of the map is a private residence (the "Hoover House") that will be marked as out-of-bounds.
• The map for Parrie Haynes Ranch was created in 2015-2016 by Jennifer Harker.

Course Setters Notes

• Control Transmitter Frequency: 144.525 MHz
• Homing Beacon Transmitter Frequency: 145.565 MHz
• There is a fence line oriented roughly north-south in the center of the map that connects all the way from the northern boundary of the ranch to the southern boundary. It is in good repair and will be difficult to cross except at the gates and openings marked on the map. Plan your routes with this in mind.
• There is no drinkable water at the Equestrian Center (there is water available, but it is not treated and should not be considered safe to drink.) We will provide water, but you might want to bring plenty of your own.