BURBANK — And when it reins, man it pours.
Six Days, 86 classes, fantastic prizes, high-stepping parties, costumes, contests and family fun — there was something for everyone at the 22nd Annual Challenge Horse Show presented by the California Reining Horse Association Oct. 19-25 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Home to the Southwest Regional National Reining Horse Association Affiliate Finals, the Challenge Show also hosted futurities, derbies, a ” No Wimpy Cowboys” NRHA Non Pro Maturity, the CRHA Reiner of the Year Finals, the Gatolotto Memorial, USA Junior and Young Rider qualifiers, plus a full slate of rookie, green-as-grass and youth classes. The event drew top reiners from California, Arizona and the Southwest, some traveling from as far Illinois and Montana. The Challenge offered a sweep of fantastic prizes including seven trophy saddles, a horse trailer sponsored by All American Trailers, silver buckles to winners and reserve, and a myriad of Bronze Trophies including the John Varble and Top Dun memorial Award, the Rebecca Goss Boo-Yaah, Kaweah Nic and Topsail Cody Memorials. With the level of competition high, and the stakes huge, more than 300 horses competed for payouts of over $90.000.

Katie Cachet riding Wimp Daddy won the coveted CRHA Reiner of the Year award, while Jon Gilbert on San Cielo Rey repeated for the 2nd time his win of the Gatolotto Memorial Buckle. In Green As Grass, the winning saddle went to Bobby Dykes riding Roundabout Wrangler while the NRHA Rookie L1 Championship went to Randy Mosely on Vintage Rock and Roll after a nailbiting ride-off for the Logan Horse Trailer donated by American Trailers.

Randy Mosley and his Vintage Rock N Roll take the NRHA Southwest Affiliate Rookie Level 2 title.

John O’Hara photo

In the Aged Events, Andrea Fappani won the Open Futurity L4 on Smart Shiners Spook owned by Andrea and Tish Fappani while in the Open Futurity L3, Tom Foran tied himself for first riding Dark Matter owned by Sliepner LLC and Shootin For Chics owned by Carla Hardin. The Open Futuriy L2 and L1 were won by Nicolas Barthalemy riding Sparks Magic for owner Sheri Jamieson. In the Non-Pro Futurity L4, Tish Fappani tied herself for first with Diamonds In My Dreams and Legend Slides Wright both owned and shown by Tish Fappani. Non-Pro Futurity L3, L2 and L1 were won by Jeanne Levine riding Whizen Thru The Cash.

In the inaugural CRHA Amateur Futurity limited to riders with Lifetime earnings under $25,000 and with no immediate family relationships to trainer/professionals, Cynthia Bias took home the win on Handsome Little Cat.

Andrea Fappani riding Gunner Dun It Again for owner Paulo Francisco Tripoloni, won the Open Derby L4 while the Open Derby L3 was tied by Tom Foran riding King of the Coast for Sleipner LLC and Tanya Jenkins riding Tricked Out Spook for Tricked Out Spook Partners. Tanya Jenkins and Tricked Out Spook also won the Open Derby L2 for Tricked Out Spook Partners. In the Open Derby L1, Marcos Guimaraes took first place on Dun Its Code owned by Vicky Compton.

Honors for the Non-Pro Derby L4 thru L1 were won across the board by Kevin Rosenbaum riding Bejewled while the PrimeTime Non-Pro Derby winner was Cady Shaw riding Dream Whiz Me and the Amateur Derby win went to Blair Moffet on Shine N Money.

Interspersed with the concentration and focus, with the intensity of competition, The Challenge also offered plenty of time for fun with costumes, barn aisle decorations, and a Friday Night Exhibitors Party hosted by Danny Girardi. Held at the nearby, iconic Viva’s – with food, music and dance filling the lively, historic honky-tonk – everyone had a chance to let the good times roll.

Offering congratulations to all for a great show, plans are already being formulated for the 2016 Challenge which may even see a reprise of the hilarious Rent String Reiner Class in which a handful of dignified, respected trainers don outlandish costumes and compete on unschooled, unpredictable rent string ponies in support of the Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Foundation.

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