BURBANK — As the show season neared its mid-year point, Southern California reiners converged on the Los Angeles Equestrian Center June 7-9 to get NRHA Affiliate qualifying points at the 2013 California Reining Horse Association Affiliate Finale show.

Agua Dulce-based trainer Pat Wickenheiser, who first settled at the LAEC 20 years ago when he moved west after working for Bob Loomis in Oklahoma, continued his winning ways — most notably on Linda Katz’s 6-year-old Lenas Wright On gelding, Lenaliltothewright. Wickenheiser took “Dexter” to Circuit Championships in Novice Horse Open Level 1 and Level 2.

“I took him there just for fun — I hadn’t done a whole lot with him for a while,” said Wickenheiser, 46, who trains both reiners and working cow horses at his facility. “He’s actually a cow horse who had to sit for a month after he overreached working a cow. He had a little time off, and I wanted to see how he was doing. We ended up Circuit Champion.”

Dexter will be one of two Linda Katz-owned Derby horses that Wickenheiser will show at the Reining By The Bay in Woodside July 17-21. The other is BH Wimpy, a flashy 5-year-old Palomino stallion by Wimpys Little Step that has been on a hot streak of his own. Under Wickenheiser at April’s Hollywood Charity Reining, he won the snaffle bit/hackamore title as well as the Level 2 and Level 3 Derby crowns. He finished reserve in the Level 4 Derby to Tanya Jenkins on Snappin Spook. Later, at the Lights Camera Action Show, BH Wimpy was Circuit Champion Junior Reiner.

“He is just getting better all the time,” said Wickenheiser, who has trained the 5-year-old for about a year. “We’re going to Derby him hard next year. He’s so good-minded and sweet and easy to be around. He may be a stud, but hes the sweetest horse in the barn. Pretty to look at, too.”

Wickenheiser will also take Tina Klarin’s Bright Juice Olena, who this year has won both an AQHA Senior Horse Reining Circuit Championship and an NRHA Open class title, to Reining By The Bay to compete in Open NRHA classes.

“We’re going to continue on with these Derby horses and show them in Las Vegas at the High Roller Reining in September,” said the trainer. “In October, we have quite a few non pro and some open horses qualified for the NRHA Affiliate Finals, and ones we get qualified, we’ll take back to Oklahoma City for the NRHA Futurity.”

The success of Wickenheiser’s barn this year has occurred while construction on new facilities has continued around them.

“This would never have been possible without a great group of people — great clients,” he said. “It’s kind of an inconvenience trying to train horses and showing horses while all this construction is going on, but the people here have been great. We got the barns up and the arenas up and moved in, and after that we were building all along while we got ready for the cow horses. Welders. Trucks. It’s about done now, but they really were supportive along the way.”

Also taking dual Circuit Championships at the CRHA Affiliate FInale Show was Tom Foran on Lorraine Larramendy’s Timber Winner, winning both the Open and Intermediate Open, and DeWayne Copus on his Gunball Machine, winning the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro Circuit Championships.

The Limited Open Circuit Champion was Kelly Miller riding Glen Miller’s Cromeyhowdugetsofly. Tressie Childs took Kathie Thayer’s Mr. Hollywood Whiz to the Rookie Pro Circuit title, and Lyn Klein rode Hearts Cruiser to the Limited Non Pro crown.

Alysa Frias took her Kicker In The Bud to the Novice Horse Level 1 Circuit crown, and Diance Yoder rode Pay Chex Della Sera to the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 Circuit Championship.

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CRHA Affiliate Qualifier Finale
June 7-9, 2013 * L.A. Equestrian Center, Burbank Calif.

Pl/ Horse/ Rider/ Owner/ Score
PCHA Open – Hearts Cruiser/ T. Foran/ L. Klein/ 71.5
CRHA Ladies – Quick Draw Gunner/ S. Lockwood/ S. Lockwood/ 68
CRHA Gents – Docs Diamond Sparkle/ D. Gerardi/ W. Shatner/ 70.5
PCHA Youth – Cee N Big Chex/ G.M. Wilcox/ GM. Wilcox/ 64.5
PCHA Lim. NP – Otoe Chant Pine/ L. Spencer/ L. Spencer/ 70.5
J&L Baker Qual – Jesses Cowgirl K. Adamic/ K. Adamic/ 71.5
PCHA Am/NP – Gunball Machine/ Copus Perf Horses/ Copus Perf Horses/ 72
Open – Timber Winner/ T. Foran/ L. Larramendy/ 72.5
Int Open – Timber Winner/ T. Foran/ L. Larramendy/ 72.5
Ltd Open – Conquistadors Darlin/ J. Nichols/ S. Bolding/ 69
Rookie Prof – Mr Hollywood Whiz/ T. Childs/ K. Thayer/ 72.5
CRHA Open – Mr Hollywood Whiz/ T. Childs/ K. Thayer/ 72.5
Y 13-under – Cee N Big Chex/ G.M. Wilcox/ G.M. Wilcox/ 68
Y 14-18 – Gangsters Hitman/ K. Wiggins/ E. & K. Wiggins/ 69.5
CRHA 13-under – Busy Cash N Chex/ T. Christie/ D. Wedel/ 67.5
CRHA 14-18 – Gangsters Hitman/ K. Wiggins/ E. & K. Wiggins/ 69.5
PCHA Youth – Foxy Lil Gun/ T. Stephens/ T. Stephens/ 69
Nov Horse Open – Lenas Smartie Pants/ T. Foran/ K. Adamic/ 73
Nov Horse NP – Otoe Chant Pine/ L. Spencer/ L. Spencer/ 70.5
CRHA Nov Hor Op – Boggies Last Benz/ D. Bricker/ Painted Desert/ 71
CRHA Nov Hor NP – Pay Chex Della Sera/ D. Yoder/ D. Yoder/ 68.5
Non Pro – One Flashy Rooster/ K. Norwood/ K. Norwood/ 73
Int Non Pro – Wimpys Major Affair/ J. Tishman/ J. Tishman/ 73
PT Non Pro – Gunball Machine/ D. Copus/ Copus Perf Horses/ 72.5
CRHA Green – Chocolena Dun Did It/ M. Quinn/ M.Quinn/ 70