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The Durango Herald: Equitrekking films segment in Durango area- Sept. 1, 2006

From exploring the backcountry to editing and hitting the airwaves, "Equitrekking," the first international equestrian travel television series, is all happy trails.

Combining passions for travel and horses is just the recipe for the TV series, scheduled to debut nationwide on PBS in 2007, which is produced and hosted by equestrian travel expert Darley Newman. Newman and crew were in the Durango area recently to film an episode of the show.

Newman and co-producer Chip Ward, both from Manhattan, and cameraman Doug Crawford of Santa Fe spent their summer months rediscovering much of America on horseback. They captured it in high definition footage to deliver an inspiring message to both experienced and novice equestrians alike.

"I think it is neat way to travel," said Newman on horseback at Wilderness Trails Ranch. "You get to meet new people and learn new things. You really get to go that extra mile on a horse and see the world in a new way because you learn about yourself and your horse."

There are no scripts, planned outfits or requested riders. Instead, the "Equitrekking" crew drives their equipment to the desired location and rides the variety of horses they find at each destination.

"Viewers see it just as it is. Exactly the location," said Ward.

During their visit to Southwest Colorado, they filmed a visit to Durango Custom Hats and Saddles, the Durango Arts Festival, a ride up Engineer Pass with Anne Rapp from Rapp Corral guides and a stay at the Wilderness Trails Ranch.

"I don't want to go home," said Ward, who has spent the summer filming other episodes in the Carolinas, Georgia, Vermont, Wyoming, Northern Colorado and New Mexico.

"Everyone has their ideal images about the great American West, and after traveling here, I see why with all of the beautiful landscapes," Newman said.

That quintessential Western experience was summarized in their footage of Southwest Colorado and their stay at the Wilderness Trails Ranch, a Vallecito-area guest ranch owned by Gene and Jan Roberts. When the "Equitrekking" crew arrived Aug. 14, they went with the flow of events already scheduled.

"We always want to fold into the blend of things," Ward said.

During their day at WTR, the crew captured a trail ride in the morning, then part of "Cattle-driving 101" with WTR ranch wrangler Tyler Bass. The activity gives participants a taste of cattle-driving within the perimeters of the ranch arena and was filmed with all-volunteer guests.

"People can learn about horsemanship and yet make their stay more entertaining," Bass said.

Jo Boyd from San Clemente, Calif., was excited by the possibility of appearing on the series.

"Sometimes we had to do things twice, but it is better than being on the trail because you are so much more in tune with your horse," she said. Boyd managed to find time for a comment about her day's events between happy hour and fishing with her husband and grandson - exactly the kind of vacation both the show and Wilderness Trails Ranch want to encapsulate.

Equestrian travel is becoming increasingly popular for both beginners and advanced riders; it is a great soft-adventure vacation said Ward.

"A lot of people will say that it was the best vacation of their life," Jan Roberts said.

The Roberts family has owned and operated WTR since 1970. The property sits on 60 acres and is occupied by 65 horses, 25 crew members and guests. The Roberts noticed that the western family vacations offered at their ranch really took off after City Slickers hit the movie screens in 1991.

"In the earlier years there was virtually no one from the East Coast," said Gene Roberts. "It has immensely changed. It was mostly people from California and Texas, but now it is from both coasts and abroad."

Every year, the Roberts meet new people and see returning faces.

"We have a goal here, and that is to get the kids to get their parents to return here," Gene Roberts said.

Similar to the lighthearted goals of the Roberts family, the series hopes to explore many new places on horseback, and encourage people to get out and do so as well.

The destinations selected for the series are made through research and recommendations. Each place has its own personality, Newman said. Just like the many different horses they ride.

While wrapping up their Colorado episode, Newman first introduced the ranch's 12-year-old paint, Aspen, to the camera, and then allowed her "boyfriend," Cherokee, to remain behind the scenes for support.

"Horses are like people. They have their own personality," Newman said. "You have to get to know your horse, and it is an adventure every time."