June 16th Issue

The 30th annual All-Arabian Region One Championship Horse Show, was held May 27-31 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Show officials and many participants agreed that the competition drew top purebred and half-Arabian horses and their riders from all over the western states to compete for championships in a wide variety of classes.

Region One Championship Horse Show included a wide variety of competitions and disciplines, including AHA Breeders’ Sweepstakes classes.

This year’s show also marked the return of Region One “Star” prize classes, in addition to chances to “win back” entry fees. In Star classes, a minimum of $750 in gift certificates or prize money in some of the largest classes were offered as bonus awards.

Show officials also had random drawings for one exhibitor from one class in each session to win back the entry fee for the class in which one was riding, during the regional show. Additionally, Dale Chavez Belt Buckles were awarded in youth classes.

For information about Arabian Horse Association Region One shows and programs, visit: www.aharegionone.org

Amy McCool photo

Beth Temkin and Jude's Law win Preliminary Challenge Horse division at Woodside Horse Trials.

Temkin and Connors each took home the winner’s share of the Preliminary Challenge’s $15,000 total purse ($7,500 for each division). In addition, Temkin won a Custom Saddlery dressage saddle and Connors won a CWD Sellier eventing saddle, part of the $15,000 in prizes dispersed in the Preliminary Challenge.

The climactic show-jumping phase took place on Saturday evening, May 23, prior to a gala dinner in the tented pavilion overlooking the Horse Park at Woodside’s Bay Arena. Riders came from as far away as Idaho to contest the Preliminary Challenge, and spectators cheered for the clear rounds and groaned whenever a horse faulted.

“It was nerve-wracking, especially with the crowd, but it was really exciting,” Connors said. “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks because there was so much hype about it,” added Connors, who moved up from third place in dressage (31.0 penalties) to first place by adding no further penalties. Molly Totten finished second on Balabooga Brawley, and Lisa Levine rode Made Ya Look IV to third place.

Amy McCool photo

Lindsay Connors and Ballingowan Pizazz win the Preliminary Challenge Rider division at Woodside Horse Trials.

Temkin described the Saturday evening atmosphere as “pretty electric.” But she said that it didn’t distract Jude’s Law. “He rose to the occasion, and I think this whole thing was pretty cool. Having prize money really raises the caliber of everything.”

Temkin and Jude’s Law took the lead in dressage (29.6) and never let go, adding no jumping or time penalties. Second-placed Erin Kellerhouse of Temecula, Calif., finished with only the dressage score she received on Parfait (31.7), while Suzy Elliot rode Ogopogo to third place (34.3).

Temkin is a dressage and eventing trainer based just a few miles from the Horse Park at Woodside. She and her husband, Andrew Temkin, purchased Jude’s Law, 8, in England as a 5 year old. Andrew had competed the horse until this year, when his law practice became too busy to allow him to continue competing. Last summer, though, Hilary Bates, a student of Beth’s, purchased the gray gelding for Beth to continue to compete.

“Hilary wants to see how far I can take him, and since he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever sat on, that’s kind of like having your cake and eating it too,” Temkin said.

Temkin also had a new distraction this weekend. Her 8-year-old daughter, Madison, competed at Beginner Novice in her first USEA-recognized horse trial and finished sixth. “I was more nervous about that than the Preliminary Challenge!” Temkin said.

Even Rachel Dwyer, winner of Woodside’s Open Intermediate division, felt connected to the Preliminary Challenge since she helped check in ticket holders to the gala dinner. “I like how it attracted more spectators. There was a lot of atmosphere, and it helped make this event an even bigger attribute to the community,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer, 20, of Temecula, Calif., reached the top of the Open Intermediate division primarily on the strength of her faultless cross-country round with Catch A Star, her 9-year-old mare. They’ve come up the levels of eventing together and are in their first year of competing at the Intermediate level.

“We both had time off last fall because we were both sick, and this was the first time she felt like she was really back,” Dwyer said.

Kelly Prather of Bodega, Calif., won the Advanced division on her long-time partner Ballinakill Glory. It was the second advanced victory at Woodside in three years for Prather, 25, and Ballinakill Glory, 11. Frankie Thierio of Santa Rosa, Calif., finished second on Fric Frac Berence.

For complete show results, visit: www.horsepark.org

Daryl Weisser photo

Kathy Copus and Gunball Machine win many classes at Showtime Classic, including NRHA Non Pro Reining.

The Showtime Classic, sponsored by Southern California Quarter Horse Exhibitors Association, included a Bob’s Custom Saddle awarded to the High-Point Rookie Reiner, along with saddles to the All-Around Novice Youth and Novice Amateur.

Free stalls were also offered for any layovers during the series at Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Among the many riders and horses who had a great show was Kathy Copus of Santa Barbara and Gunball Machine, owned by Copus Performance Horses, Inc. The pair had a very successfull 2008 when they won the 18th Annual Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association’s Jack and Linda Baker Reining Classic, after Copus had been showing in the Baker Class for 13 years. Their success continued in 2009 at the Showtime Classic.

John O’Hara photo

Joel Sullivan rides Good Terms Cody to win High-Point Open Horse All-Around and Youth All-Around.

Copus bought Gunball Machine as a 3-year-old at the NRHA Futurity, and her former trainer brought him through his 4-year-old year and she retired. “So I went with a new trainer, Tom Foran, and he’s just done wonderful with him,” Copus said.

At Showtime Classic, Copus and Gunball Machine won in AQHA Amateur Reining, NRHA Non Pro Reining, Intermediate Non Pro Reining, and Primetime Non Pro Reining. Foran also rode Gunball Machine to win an AQHA Senior Horse Reining class.

High-Point champions from the Showtime Classic show included the following:

• Novice Youth All-Around: Central Park West, owned by Catherine De Coster.
• Youth All-Around: Good Terms Cody, owned by Joel Sullivan.
• Novice Amateur All-Around: Sock Me Radical, owned by Brenda Thompson.
• Amateur All-Around: Agr Emmy Invitation, owned by Craig and Jennifer Stoenner.
• Select Amateur All-Around: Zippos Kat Man Do, owned by Nancy Chapman.
• Open Horse All-Around: Good Terms Cody, owned by Joel Sullivan.

For complete show results, visit the Web site: www.trackoneevents.com

AC Custom Photo

Gaby Salick and Gredo la Daviere win the $25,000 Memorial Day Classic Grand Prix on May 25 at Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

“I went as fast as I thought I could,” Salick said of her jump-off ride. “I figured I would finish about third since I went second in the jump-off and there were 12.” What Salick did not bargain for was the win, and she was thrilled. “I’ve never won a Grand Prix at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center and there are always the best crowds.” Even more gratifying for Salick was the fact that her parents and her 4-month-old daughter, Eleanor, were in attendance.

After returning from time in Europe, Salick decided to focus on developing a jumper training business at her family’s ranch. Although she was pregnant with her first child, she wasn’t expecting four months of bed rest. “I am kind of re-building my business and figuring things out, but I really want to focus on jumpers,” Salick said.

AC Custom Photo

Team Brown Sugar (Navona Gallegos, Kacey Ament and Michelle Morris) win the Memorial Day Equitation Challenge.

Scott Starnes designed the course and the class also served as a selection trial for the Zone 10 Young Rider team, so there were a number of juniors and amateurs in the field. In addition, some professionals brought their young horses as well. For Jenni Martin-McAllister and her husband, Steve, they found the class very inviting for their young, up-and-coming Grand Prix horses. Although Martin-McAllister jumped clear on both, she posted time faults aboard Union Jack.

However, with Maloubet du Rouet, Martin-McAllister finished 9th with a jump-off rail coming out of the vertical-vertical combination. “This was a good class for our horses and we have always liked showing in L.A. Now we are based here and it is even better for us,” she said.

Ray Texel piloted Waldman Doo, owned by Janice Aron, to second in front of the sell-out crowd, and Nicole Shahinian-Simpson was third with Toyster Gold, owned by Ilan Ferder. Out of the 30 horse field, 12 jumped clear which gave the audience an exciting jump-off and all 12 ribbons went to jump-off riders.

Jenny Karazissis and Forbes win USHJA Hunter Derby

In other competition, the USHJA Hunter Derby took place in LAEC’s Large Oval ring as part of the Memorial Day Classic from May 21-24. Thirty-nine horses and riders faced off over the first-round course which had them jumping in-and-out of the ring. An enthusiastic audience was on hand to cheer for the brilliance of the hunters, and the tables on the LAEC Terrace were filled as spectators enjoyed a catered dinner.

The Top 20 returned for the Handy Round, which once again had horses jumping in-and-out of the ring, and they finished over the hedge in the middle of the ring. Professional Mark Purcell told course designer Michael Roy Curtis about a stage prop company near his barn that specializes in plants and trees for movie and television sets. “I just thought that a natural hedge would be really great for the Derby,” Purcell said.

Curtis agreed and all the hunters jumped it in style. “It was a little intimidating at first, but my horse jumped it great both times,” said Ali Leopold, who rides for Philip Klipa’s Marlay Farms. Leopold finished reserve champion aboard the First-Year Hunter, Neverland, owned by Gina Groth.

Jenny Karazissis piloted Forbes, owned by Tonia Cook Looker, to a solid first round and sat fifth going into the Handy Round. She pulled out all the stops and won the round and the USHJA Hunter Derby overall championship. Leopold riding Neverland were second, and Kylee Arbuckle riding Valor, owned by Oscany, Inc., were third.

Keri Kampsen aboard King’s Ransom, owned by Karen Lucian, rounded out the top four. “It was an exciting class and the Derby is a great thing for the hunters,” said Lucian, who shows in the Adult Hunters and Equitation with King’s Ransom and her second horse.

Rachel Thurman, Olivia Champ win specialty classes

In the Equitation, Rachel Thurman, 16, proved hard work and consistent riding yield excellent results. Aboard her 7-year-old gelding Vermeer, Thurman won a very large ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Class and also the West Coast Equestrian Junior-Amateur Medal Class. She was the “Chel” part of the third place Marchelmar team in the Memorial Day Equitation Challenge, and earned her own third place finishes in both the USEF and CPHA Foundation classes.

“He tries really hard and is a lot of fun,” Thurman said of her horse. She trains under the watchful eyes of Jim Hagman and Linda Cooper. Although not a “big name” junior rider yet, Thurman proved she could hold her own and that judges will reward excellent riding.

Another young rider to watch is Olivia Champ. Fresh out of the Pony Hunter ranks, Champ made the move to a horse and won the Onondarka Medal Class during the Memorial Day Classic. She is quickly becoming a show ring veteran by riding at Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., with Jeffrey Welles and Peter Lombardo, who is based at the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center. Champ is looking forward to the Onondarka Finals hosted at the end of the year at Los Angeles National Horse Show.

Memorial Day Equitation Challenge awards trip to Maui

Thirteen teams contested the Memorial Day Equitation Challenge, presented by LA Saddlery–and with a trip to Maui on the line–competition was fierce May 22. A junior rider, an amateur rider, and a professional made up each team and only the eight best teams qualified for the second round.

Although the scores were close, Team Brown Sugar emerged as the winner. For professional Kacey Ament, the victory was especially sweet. “When I rode on a team as a junior, we won and I really wanted the trip to Hawaii. I loved my beach bike, but now I get to go to Maui!” Michelle Morris rode as the amateur member and Navona Gallegos earned the junior score. Both girls were also thrilled with their beach bikes they won for their efforts.

Blondes Have More Fun came in a close second. Katie Gardner, another winner as an amateur in a previous year, rode in the professional’s irons. Holly Scapa braided up her handsome jumper and earned the amateur score and Kilian McGrath served as the junior member of the team.

Rounding out the top three was Marchelmar Maui Bond. Professional Marla Amormino, junior Rachel Thurman, and amateur Marnye Langer had fun creating a play on their names with “Marchelmar.”

Bowling Benefit raises funds for California Professional Horsemen’s Association Foundation

The 4th Annual California Professional Horsemen’s Association Foundation Bowling Benefit provided a great deal of fun for competitors and raised money for the Foundation. The funds raised help support the Foundation’s worth programs of aiding professionals in times of need and providing higher education opportunities through scholarships and grants. Over the years, the Bowling Benefit has grown in popularity and some teams have resorted to seeding their teams with experienced players. Philip Klipa’s Marlay Farms bowlers were not content with just supporting the event and this year they were determined to unseat the LEG Up Bowlers who have won two of the last three years.

Stan Edwards, father of junior rider Nicole, recruited two friends to join the team. When trainer Philip Klipa had to have shoulder surgery, Mark Farndale, who has his own training barn alongside Klipa’s at Los Angeles Equestrian Center, stepped in. “Actually I was happy Mark wanted to bowl on our team because he bowls much better than I do,” laughed Klipa. Marlay Farms was marvelous and bowled their way right to the top. In second was event organizer George Chatigny’s Bowled Tendons, with the LEG Up Bowlers taking third.

The benefit has turned into a fun night for everyone and is a kind of revival at the bowling alley with beer, pizzas, and snacks. It is also a great fundraiser and in a couple of hours, they raise some much appreciated funds for the CPHA Foundation. Chris Norden of Norden Equine affiliated with Markel Insurance, fielded a team for the first time and they had a ball. “I last bowled when I was 10, but this was so fun,” Norden laughed. “What a great idea and we will definitely be back next year.”

For information about the California Professional Horsemen’s Association Foundation, visit: www.cpha.org/Foundation/index.htm

For complete show results, visit: www.langershows.com

Captured Moment Photography

Jill Humphrey and Kaskaya win the $50,000 Showpark of California Grand Prix during Showpark Ranch & Coast Tournament.

Course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Caracas, Venezuela, left little room for error, keeping riders on their toes from the first turn to the last line. The track was tight and the combinations technical, causing both time faults, rails, refusals and involuntary dismounts for riders.

Although the rollback turn from fences one to two seemed straight forward, it was the initial spot where time was wasted and often could not be made up later in the course. The last line paralleled the in gate in a steady seven strides to a triple that rode long in one to a sizeable gate oxer to another long two stride, followed by a turn away from the in-gate to a big square oxer.

The first rider to negotiate the course without a rail went fifth in the line up, Gretchen Lof aboard Zambezi, owned by Kings Wood Farm, LLC. However, she stopped the clock at 79.41 seconds, resulting in three time faults, and a fifth place finish. Following her round, one or more rails dropped and time faults accrued until the 22nd pair, Will Simpson of Hidden Valley, Calif., aboard Nadia, owned by Gotham Enterprises LLC, galloped through with a clean first round.

Shortly afterward, Jill Humphrey and Kaskaya, owned by Leone Equestrian, Inc., did the same. Twenty ninth in the ring, Guy Thomas and Urian, owned by Vicki Juelsgaard, joined the jump-off participants and not until the 39th pair, Veronica Tracy on her mount Muscadet De La Saveniere, did the course see its fourth clean ride.

Simpson had two refusals with Nadia in the jump-off, leaving the door wide open for the next three riders. Humphrey rode Kaskaya to a neat and clean 35.85 seconds. Thomas on Urian and Tracy on Muscadet De La Saveniere tried to top Humphrey, but both had one rail apiece and took third and second respectively.

Four-faulters placed sixth through 12th; the top of that pack was Susie Hutchison of Temecula on Cantano, owned by El Dorado 29, who went lightning fast with just one rail. Third time in the ring was a charm for Guy Thomas who was clean aboard Urian, having his share of ups and downs with four entries, including a fall off Midnight Dance, owned by Alec Lawler; one rail on Carino, owned by Willow Tree Farm, Inc.; and just one rail on Peterbilt, owned by Peterbilt, LLC. The day was still worth celebrating for Thomas and Willow Tree, finishing with three horses in the Top 12.

For complete show results, visit: www.showpark.com/results.asp