By Karen Lato-Jensen

In our long and rich history, there have always been citizens whose love and commitment to Newtown went above and beyond that of the many of us who wake, work and enjoy recreational activities on our small patch of earth.

Mary Hawley, A. Finn Dickinson and John Beach are just a few of an elite group whose contributions have included giving personal wealth, social integrity and spiritual guidance for the betterment of our entire community.

Recognizing their gifts to us, we memorialize these certain few by naming buildings, parks and roads for future generations to know they lived, they gave and they will never be forgotten in Newtown.

Newtown, a long-standing farming community, has struggled to keep up with modern times while attempting to hold onto its precious past. Within the town there is a growing volunteer army of enthusiastic equestrians whose simple mission is to protect and preserve Open Space for all, and, perhaps selfishly, for their beloved sport of horseback riding.

The Newtown Bridle Lands Association began 29 years ago with a handful of people who simply loved Newtown and their horses. They gave of themselves to protect and preserve open space. One such individual, whose involvement in the NBLA is almost as long as the club’s existence, is David McCauley.

Among those whose social circle thunders in hoof beats, Dave is known as a Trail Master due to his expertise and knowledge of the Newtown trail system. Residing in Newtown since 1964, Dave discovered his passion for horses later in life when he participated in the lesson program of the Danbury High School Equestrian Club. The Club took their lessons in Southbury in the 1970’s.

A Danbury High School history teacher by profession, Dave immediately experienced the euphoria of being aboard a strong, muscular creature whose sheer power seduced him into a life-altering love affair that continues today.

Dave tells of meeting a lesson horse named Sage who would one day become his own. Armed with his devotion to learning and the love of his horse, Dave remembers countless hours in the saddle where he went to “ride all my worries and cares away” after a full and challenging day of teaching. He wandered paths, woods and open fields. He was always polite to the landowners, introducing himself and handing them a business card identifying himself as a “trail seeker and coordinator.”

He always asked permission before he rode on their lands. Dave and Sage enjoyed a countless number of serene hours together as they explored unfamiliar terrain. While they were doing so, Dave mapped and categorized in his mind the best trails and places to ride in Newtown. He often put together group trail rides to share with others the meadows and woods where horse and human could become one, escape the trials and tribulations of the daily grind, and go to a place of natural beauty and peace.

Dave lost Sage to cancer a few years ago and his current mount is Cyrano, a 23-year-old gelding.

Dave also continually gave of himself though the NBLA. He joined the organization in its infancy because someone mentioned it to him in passing. Today, Dave’s decades of support of the Newtown Bridle Lands is legendary. He was and is always willing to lend a hand for whatever needs to be done to preserve and open new trails. Dave has always kept the club members on task if a trail needed some work to keep it viable. He has never lost energy or vision for that need and relentlessly pursued each task until it was completed.

Earlier this year a more durable, horse-friendly bridge was needed to replace an existing bridge on the trail named Flintlock (end of Dug Hill Road off Brushy Hill Road). Originally the trail held a smaller, less sturdy bridge that flooded from time to time. Working with the town, being a driving force in NBLA, overseeing the project in a volunteer capacity, and following up on grant monies set aside for the bridge and other loose ends, Dave relentlessly kept with the project until its completion.

Dave feels that he is just an average member of the NBLA team. His NBLA friends think otherwise and recognize his tireless pursuit, unselfish donation of time, and the way he goes above and beyond to give back to the community so all may share his joy of the great outdoors.

On Saturday, October 20, at 12 noon at the Flintlock Trail bridge site NBLA members and friends will gather together to show our gratitude to David at the dedication ceremony for the David A. McCauley Bridge.

David McCauley has earned a place in the elite group of men and women who have given of themselves for the benefit of the town of Newtown.

For details regarding the dedication ceremony, please contact Dee Davis at 203-426-7032.