Trainers Debbie McEwen, Leslie Thompson and Brianna Leahy are excited to announce that a new Western horse show series is coming to the North Orange County area! Way Out Western (W.O.W.) will be a series of four shows at the Mara Brandman Arena in Orange Park Acres. W.O.W. horse shows offer an open, affordable opportunity to show or school your Western horse. There is no club to join, and there will be enough divisions that all levels of riders will have a chance to compete with their peers. This could very well be the perfect show series you’ve been looking for – ready to start the beginners or tune up the experienced. Shows will offer classes in trail, horsemanship, pleasure, country pleasure and ranch pleasure. The trail courses will be designed by Don Lehman, who has been creating courses for PCHA and AQHA events for years. Plan to join the W.O.W. crew on March 16, June 15, July 20 and Sept 21. The W.O.W. goal is to provide a high-quality, non-rated, community event that brings riders from all over Orange County. The W.O.W. team welcomes input and comments as the shows progress. For further info, call (714) 740-5151, or visit www.wowhorseshows.com.

Creek Hollow Ranch in Ramona invites you to their ‘Wranglers of the West Obstacle Challenge’! The three show Spring Buckle Series is open to all disciplines and all tack. This fun and exciting competition is a timed and accumulated point horseback event that tests the abilities of both horse and rider, focusing on horsemanship skills, cadence and overall performance through obstacles. Starting Saturday, March 15, and continuing with Sunday, April 13 and Saturday, May 10, you can compete for prizes, ribbons and series-end buckles and awards in multiple divisions. Pre-registration and payment (via PayPal, cash or credit card) received by Thursday prior to event will receive $5 discount! Snacks, water and lunch will be available for purchase. For more info, rules and registration, see the ad on page 73, call (760) 789-4875, or visit the website: www.creekhollowranch.com.

It’s almost time for one of the oldest and most prestigious equestrian competitions in the Western U.S., the 69th Annual Del Mar National Horse Show! Held at the beautiful Del Mar Fairgrounds, things kick off with Western Week (April 17-20), featuring AQHA, PCQHA and NRHA events. Don’t miss Saturday’s “Night of the Horse” –- this year’s theme is “Hoofbeats Through History.” World class dressage horses and riders compete during Dressage Week (April 24-27), and Saturday’s “Evening of Musical Freestyle” will inspire you. Hunter-Jumper Week (April 29-May 4) showcases exciting speed, agility and nail-biting competition. Saturday’s $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar provides plenty of action, thrills and excitement, with top level horses and riders vying for the prestigious title, plus a hefty paycheck! Make your plans now to attend – see the ad on page 29, and visit www.delmarnational.com for schedules, tickets and more info!

The Triple Crown of reining welcomes Lucas Oil and Protect The Harvest to the Cactus Reining Classic, Reining By The Bay and High Roller Reining Classic 2014 roster of sponsors! Forrest and Charlotte Lucas started Lucas Oil Products with the simple philosophy of producing only the best line of lubricants and additives available anywhere. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas has established itself as a top-selling additive line in the American truck stop industry. Lucas, a son of farmers, was raised with a deep appreciation of the land, the livestock and the farm to table culture that is the very backbone of the values that we as Americans hold dear. This upbringing was what prompted Lucas in 2010 to create Protect The Harvest as a platform from which the educational process about animal rights extremists and the threats they pose could begin. The combined mission statement of the joint effort between Lucas Oil and Protect The Harvest is to inform and educate the public about the true intentions of groups like PETA and the Humane Society of the United States. If these groups were to achieve their overriding goal of legally banning all animal ownership, it will result in an irreversible impact to each and every one of us, and to the livelihood of the entire equestrian community — and in particular the Western performance horse industry. Brumley Management Group, LLC has committed to a $5 contribution per horse, per class to Protect The Harvest at all three events in 2014. To learn more about Protect The Harvest, visit their website, www.protecttheharvest.com.

Mark your calendars for Armstrong Feed’s Purina Horse Owner’s Workshop (H.O.W.), on Saturday, March 29! At the store in Valley Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you’ll be able to learn from equine experts, including NRCHA World Champion trainer Mark Matson. The Purina H.O.W. is the largest grassroots educational workshop in the industry, providing horse owners with up-to-date info on nutrition, veterinary issues, health and maintenance care, training techniques, the latest gear and more. Plus, you can take advantage of 15 percent off of tack – English and Western – all day! See the ad on page 51, call the store at (760) 749-2223 or visit www.armstrongfeed.com.