Texas Trails, Education And Motorized Management

ATV/OHV Safety Education and Training

Praise for the Program!

I would like to tell you that I was very impressed with the level of training the boys received.  And from their comments, they were pleased as well.

They expressed their surprise about learning things they did not know about since being teenagers, they think they know everything.  Also, since they learned at a young age about ATV safety they thought that they were just going for the fun of it.  Not knowing they would be exposed to so much information and enjoy the experience as much as they did.

They were impressed at the equipment they were able to ride during the ATV Safety Course.  I am not sure what they expected, but they were pleased.  They noticed how much time you took with the students that did not have as much experience as my boys do and that you were able to use them in some demonstrations during the course.

Mary Jo Christ, Parent Volunteer

Carol L Smith has worked harder and longer for the benefit of all OHV owners in Texas than anyone I have ever known. Carol is driven by a passion for the sport and has a long list of significant contributions for OHV as a sport in Texas. Below is a short list of Carol’s accomplishments :

1. An ASI ATV Safety Instructor for more than a decade. She and her partner Nick have trained 1000’s of riders of all ages in the safe &responsible use of ATVs.
2. An AMA Regional Director for the Texas Hill Country. In this capacity she has worked effectively on many rider issues not the least of which is helping to write a bill and lobby successfully for the creation of the Texas OHV Program.
3. Served as a Director for the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition (TMTC). Carol led the search to locate land for a second TMTC OHV park and found a 3400 acre tract of land in Crockett County which has been purchased using $1,600,000 of Recreational Trails Program monies. The park has received all clearances from the required regulatory oversight agencies, Federal and State, and has received final approval to develop and open the park. The TMTC’s new Escondido Draw Recreational Area is expected to open in the fall of 2011. This is not the only OHV park she has been involved with, she commonly speaks with land managers, imparting the information, knowledge and experience that helps others to open more safe, responsible and legal riding areas.
4. Carol has served for several years as an Associate State NOHVCC Rep. for Texas and was named the State Rep in 2011.
5. Most recently Carol is working with the National 4-HFoundation, Texas A&M University and partially funded by the Texas OHV program to create a state wide youth OHV education program. This new program provides an in-class curriculum which teaches 8 to 12 year old students the safe & responsible use of OHVs and the ethical sharing of trails based on Tread Lightly principles. This program also provides in-the-field, hands-on ATV safety instruction and through donations from Texas OHV dealers commonly provides safety gear for the training participants. In the less than 2 years, this program has been offered to 1000’s of students who greatly benefited from having participated in this training.

These are just a few examples of the work that has been completed while demonstrating the positive attributes of managed OHV recreation to the citizens of Texas.

I hope you will consider this a strong recommendation for the Texas 4-H GRANT request through Yamaha Motor Corporation. I am confident that she will represent Yamaha and the OHV community in Texas in a professional and positive manner.

Sincerely,

Steve Thompson
Texas OHV Program Manager
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Praise from Students