Board of Directors

• Finished the Western States 100-Mile One-Day Trail Ride (Tevis Cup) 30 times including:

1. Three-time winner and recipient of the Lloyd Tevis Cup (1974, 1977, and 1990)
2. Awarded the James Ben Ali Haggin Cup three times for the contestant whose horse is judged to be in the most superior condition from the first ten to finish the Ride (1972, 1978, 2002)

• Current President of the Placer County Historical Foundation
• Past President of the Placer County Historical Society
• Co-Founder, American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC)
• Authored an interpretative guide to the 100 miles of trail over the Sierra Nevada Mountains between Squaw Valley and Auburn, California, titled The Western States Trail Guide
• Co-Executive Producer of the 2008 film documentary, They Crossed the Mountains: A History of the Western States Trail
• Inducted to the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame in March 2000
  Commemorative Tile honoree, Central Square of Auburn, California, by the Auburn City Council and their Endurance Capital of the World Committee, on April 13, 2019

Other Activities

• Winner of Levi’s Ride and Tie Race from St. Helena to Sonoma, California (1971)
• American Endurance Ride Conference National Championship (1972)
• Traveled horseback 1,950 miles in 52 days over the historic Pony Express Overland Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California (1976)
• Owner of AERC Hall of Fame Endurance Horse inductee – El Karbaj (1978)

International endurance completions include:

• FEI United Arab Emirates (UAE) President’s Cup 100 Mile ride, Abu Dhabi, UAE (February 2002); Tom Quilty Cup, Australia 100 Mile Ride (October 2004 and June 2006), and FEI North American Endurance Championship 100 Mile CEI 3*, Elkton, Maryland earning a Team Silver Medal as member of the Pacific North Zone (October 2005). Also competed at the Germany National Championship FEI 100 Mile Ride (June 2005), FEI UAE President’s Cup (February 2005), and Shining Moon FEI Japan Endurance Championship 100 Mile Ride (June 2007).

• Executive and consultant in banking industry

J. Preston Ketcherside is a native of Auburn, California and an avid endurance rider. He has finished the Western States Trail 100-mile One-day Ride (the Tevis) and is a Western States Trail advocate and supporter with a passion for history preservation and education.

Education/Experience

• BS Forest Management – Humboldt State University, Arcata, California
• Thirteen years as a Consulting and Industrial Forester
• Joined Hewlett Packard; Manufacturing, Accounting, Data Base Management

Recognition

• Selected as the recipient of the Honorary Ranger award, California State Park Ranger Association, 2020
• Placer County History Award, 2020
• Native Sons of the Golden West (NSGW), Auburn Parlor #59, 1991 to present
• Native Sons of the Golden West Grand President 2011 – 2012
• NSGW, Historical Preservation Foundation Board Member 2001 – 2021
• NSGW, Historical Preservation Foundation Chairman 2001 – 2004 and 2012 – 2020

Leadership and Community Involvement

• Joined Native Sons at Auburn Parlor #59 in 1991, progressing up to Parlor President in 1996. Became more involved at the Grand Parlor level. Joined the Historical Preservation Foundation of the NSGW in May of 2001.
• Board of the DeWitt Community Complex (2020 – present)
• Board Member Gold Discovery Park Association in Coloma, California 2003 –2006. Interim Executive Director in 2005 and 2007.

In the early 1970s husband Ernie and Kathie had too many horses for the one-acre the steeds lived on in California’s Bay Area. They both loved the Western States Trail and decided to move to Auburn to be close to this historic route over the Sierra, home to the Western States 100-Mile One Day Ride, known famously as the Tevis Cup Ride.

Kathie, a now-retired banker, has served on the Western States Trail Foundation for over 30 years and was its first woman president. She currently serves as vice president and is the vice chairperson for the Western States Endowment Foundation. She was one of the founding members of the American Endurance Ride Conference and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1983. She was one of the founding members of the American River Ride and has served on the horse-mounted unit for the Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue for 25 years.

As winner of the Tevis Cup (1978) and recipient of 24 Tevis buckles, Kathie has a unique, unprecedented familial relationship to the Tevis:

• Wendell Robie, Kathie’s former employer and grandfather to Marion Robie Arnold (who was married to Kathie’s brother); four-time winner of the Ride; 13 Tevis buckles; founder of the Western States Trail Foundation
• Sam Arnold (Kathie’s brother) won the Tevis Cup and the Haggin Cup in 1976 and was husband to Marion Robie Arnold (Wendell’s granddaughter); holder of three Tevis buckles
• Marion Robie Arnold (Kathie’s sister-in-law) won the Tevis in 1969; holder of 11 Tevis buckles
• Kathie’s nephew, Wendell Arnold, holder of one Tevis buckle
• Kathie’s son, Jimmie, holder of four Tevis buckles

Jennifer Walker Hemmen is an ultra-distance trail runner and mother of three from Fair Oaks, CA. She manages a small environmental permitting company, focusing on implementing conservation projects in California that benefit endangered species, wildlife habitat and water quality.

Her passion is being part of her running community, especially through mountain trail races. The Western States trail holds a special place in her heart and she has paced, crewed, and volunteered at the Western States 100 Endurance Run from start to finish for 16 years and counting. In 2015, she earned her silver buckle at the race, finishing 15th woman overall. She has completed over fifty ultra-races from 50K to over 100 miles as well as competed in EcoChallenge Fiji and multi-day adventure races.

In 2020 and 2022, Jennifer joined locals Tim Tweitmeyer, Bob Crowley and Elke Reimer on the historic 100-mile Forlorn Hope and Donner Party Relief Expeditions to honor the bravery of the emigrants who took part in the rescue of the Donner Party. She plans to continue supporting History Trail Trekking in the Sierras and beyond, combining endurance and story-telling to educate on the historical events of America.

She lives on the American River in Fair Oaks with her husband Travis, kids Sophia, George, Willem, 3 kitties and their doggo, Loki.

Bruce has been a runner and American history buff for most of his life. He has worked in Software Development Engineering for Hewlett Packard Co. for 43 years, first writing software and then project managing the development of computer networking products. He has extensive experience in bringing engineering projects from concept to commercial release.

Growing up outside of Boston, he was immersed in Revolutionary War history, which lead to a lifelong interest in American history, as well as a fascination with the stories and accomplishments of the people that built this nation.

After college, moving to Roseville CA in 1980, he started exploring Placer County Gold Rush history. One day in the early 80s, while searching for the Star Town townsite and the Star Town mine location, he stumbled across the Western States Trail, near what we now call Pucker Point. Since that day, he has developed a deep love for the trail that is exemplified by the saying ‘The dust of the Trail gets in your blood’.

He has spent the last 40+ years exploring and rediscovering lost mining towns and abandoned gold mines in the wildly inaccessible North Fork and Middle Fork of the American River canyons. The Western States Trail was truly a conduit through and around those canyons and places, and the mining history along the Trail is rapidly being overgrown and forgotten by time and nature. He believes it is imperative that we preserve the memory and accomplishments of those who lived, used, and depended on that Trail.

Bruce is also an accomplished runner, whitewater kayaker, and backcountry skier.

• 100+ marathons and trail Ultra-Marathons completed.
• Western States 100-mile Endurance Run finisher.
• Boston Marathon finisher. (9x)
• California International Marathon finisher (18x)
• Co-Captain at the Devil’s Thumb aid station for the WSER.
• Served multiple years on the Board of Directors for the Buffalo Chips Running Club.
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Western States Endurance Run ham radio club. Club provides runner support and safety for the WSER, call sign WS8ER.

Currently, Bruce resides in Roseville, with his wife of 34 years, Diane. They have 2 adult daughters. Diane also is an accomplished runner, kayaker, and skier. They spend as much time as possible in the mountains enjoying its challenges and beauty.