News

Hoofers seek top spot

What started as a ski club with seven members 75 years ago has now grown into the largest student organization at the University of Wisconsin.

With nearly 2,000 members, Wisconsin Hoofers has a vision to become the top outdoor program in the country, according to Meg Reinbold, Hoofer Council president and UW senior.

Amanda Green, Wisconsin Hoofers vice president of programs, said the group is in the strategic planning process of writing a new mission statement, which she estimated would be completed by next year.

While Green said Hoofers does not have specific goals in mind for its new mission statement, they are aiming to generally strengthen the program.

"It's a long process, especially if you want to do great," she said.

Reinbold said she joined Hoofers as a freshman because she was a ski racer in high school and wanted to participate in the Hoofers-sponsored alpine racing team.

"Hoofers is one of the most affordable ways to do outdoor recreation, especially if you don't have your own equipment," Reinbold said. "People see the cost benefits and they come here for the outdoor events, but then they make friends and stay."

Reinbold said Hoofers began exclusively as a ski club, and now includes sailing, horseback riding, SCUBA diving and mountaineering as well. She added some clubs such as archery, hot air ballooning, gliding and women's hunting that have come and gone in the past.

Sailing is by far the largest Hoofers' sport with 1,200 members during the summertime, Reinbold said. She added that the ski and snowboard club attract about 500 or more people in the winter.

Wisconsin Hoofers began in 1931 and was modeled after the Dartmouth College Outing Club, according to Reinbold. After going on a canoe trip together, Porter Butts, UW graduate and the first director of Memorial Union, and Harold Bradley, retired professor of physiochemistry, decided UW should have a similar club that also included ski jumping, lessons and rentals.

"We are our own entity; there aren't any other Hoofer branches," Reinbold said. "It's a Wisconsin thing."

Proud of its "awesome social environment," Hoofers celebrated its 75th anniversary with programs for the community Aug. 4 through Aug. 6, Green said.

She noted the celebratory activities included an adventure race with running, canoeing and portaging.

Additionally, there was an art gallery held in the Memorial Union Theater, displaying historical Hoofers photographs, T-shirts and trophies, she said.

"We had a big free day open to the community with face painting and canoe rentals," Green said. "We also had the premiere of 'Hoofers: The Movie,' a documentary of what it meant to be a Hoofer, created by John Feith, a Union member and sailing instructor."

For more information about joining a particular club or paying dues, the Hoofers office is located in the Outdoor Programs Office in the basement of Memorial Union.