RANCHO SANTA FE — Microsoft founder Bill Gates has purchased the 229-acre thoroughbred training center in Rancho Santa Fe formerly owned by weight-loss icon Jenny Craig, and reports in the U-T San Diego newspaper indicate he plans to turn it into a facility for hunters and jumpers.

The father of a teenager who jumps competitively, Gates paid $18 million for the facility in a deal that closed Sept. 12. The sale is one of San Diego County’s highest-priced deals for a home this year. Gates also owns a home in the Del Mar Country Club.

SAN DIEGO –A year after a controversial death of a horse at a San Diego training facility, reining horse trainer Mark Arballo pleaded not guilty Oct. 2 to a felony charge of animal cruelty.

TEMECULA — Next Level Eventing and Tamra Smith have aquired Twizted Syster, also known as “Chloe,” a 7-year-old, Irish Sport Horse mare.

Twizted Syster, previously owned by the Team Express Group, was purchased for Smith via a group of syndicate members who will now comprise the Twizted Systers, LLC.

Twizted Syster was originally imported in 2012 to be ridden by Heather Morris of Lewisville, Texas, but was later sent to Smith to be sold by Morris, a close friend of Smith, following the mare’s allergic reactions to elements in the Texas area.

6th in a series
In the last issues, Patricia gave her insight into how a driver gets started. Now, she moves into the next step.

Most horses enjoy being driven, and some even excel at it more than riding. The breed of the horse is not important, nor is the size — other than finding the perfect horse for the job intended. My first requirement is that the horse does not go into full training until itÕs mature enough — mentally and physically. Personally, I usually like to start a horse at three years old or older. Next, I look for a good mind and calm attitude. I want a willing and obedient equine who will take to training. It should be sound with fair conformation. Older, well-trained saddle horses often take to driving training quite well.

Looking for a frightfully fun time? Don’t miss the Del Mar International Horse Show and Halloween Celebration, scheduled Oct. 15-26, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds! This amazing event features world-class show jumping, hunter and jumper championships, year-end finals and special Halloween festivities. Show highlights include the Villas at Rancho Valencia World Cup Grand Prix of Del Mar, the GGT Footing Grand Prix Series Finale, the Grand Prix Hunter Derby Final and much more. Sat., Oct. 25th will feature the Del Mar Halloween Costume Competition – watch as zombies, ghosts, witches, goblins and more vie to frighten and spook the judges. Plus, all of the videos from Horsetrader.com “Funniest Horse Video Contest” will be presented and

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — The 2014 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West came to a thrilling close with the show jumping phase and the challenging Final Four test on Sept. 22.

The competition provides an ultimate canvas for developing young riders to test their skills at a level of competition resembling the top of the sport. Just a few weeks prior, four of the best show jumpers in the world contested similarly in the Final Four at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. And as noted above for these top four, rails and time faults played a role in the final results at the Games as well.

After three solid phases and performing well in the final four test, the 2014 championship went to Sydney Hutchins, whose horse Sorcerer was also named Best Horse of the finals. Savannah Dukes was second, with third place awarded to Mitchell Endicott and fourth to Michael Williamson.

First in a series
In the next few installments, Les Vogt takes you through exercises of his Five Easy Pieces. When you’ve mastered them, you should be able to put any part of your horse’s body where you want it, without resistance.

Doesn’t it take your breath away to watch a sensational reining or cow horse perform? It does to me, just like it did back when I was a kid and I saw my first stock horse in action. But the best thing about it is that these horses just keep getting better and better. First, because we’re breeding them better, and second, because we’re riding them better. And the biggest key I have found in developing that brilliant performance is the time that I spend getting complete body control during the foundation stage of my training on a young horse.

SACRAMENTO — Make it two in a row for Ron Emmons and Olena Oak.

The Plymouth, Calif. trainer and the 2003 stallion owned by Mel Smith and Nichole Scott returned to the Magnificent 7 All Around Stock Horse Championship and went home with the defense of their title.

The duo showed in four events — herd work, reined work, fence work and steer stopping — and scored a decisive win over 11 other entries in the event, sponsored by Western Horsemen magazine and hosted by the Western States Horse Expo at Cal Expo.

TULSA — Pat Langston of Banning may not have started riding until she turned 60, but the former show mom is making up for lost time on the show circuit.

Along with her daughter Kelly, the pupil of Redlands trainer Kirsten Hertsgaard competed at the 46th Annual Pinto World Championship Horse Show with her new gelding, Cash Bar Interest, and came away with a handful of ribbons.

“There are nine of us girls from Kirsten’s barn, and we girls grabbed our horses and went down there for 2 1/2 weeks and played really hard,” said Pat, who took Elite Amateur Division (55-over) Reserve PtHA World titles in both Western Pleasure and Discipline Rail on her 10-year old APHA-PtHA gelding. “When I first got to ride him four months ago, I was so novice, I didn’t know anything. Kristen’s been working with me and Kelly rides him, too — I got to do some really good time on him and he just came together for me.”

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Salvador Onate of Mexico is finding his first year on the American circuit most enjoyable.

 

Riding Charro, Onate exhibited speed and precision to top 33 other entries and win the $30,000 Red, White & Blue Grand Prix on July 3.  Course designer Anderson Lima of Brazil had set a technical track with 16 efforts as well as a tight time allowed. Six pairs successfully rode without fault in the first round, four going double clear. Going 29th, Onate had the advantage of seeing the track.

“When I was walking the course, I thought it would be a difficult run to make a clear round,” Onate said. “I had to focus on the strides, because there were many options. I had the opportunity of watching a couple of riders do it, and then I took my options.”