Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Ashlee Bond and her Cadett 7, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Little Valley Farms, take consecutive victories at the $40,000 Summer Classic Grand Prix on Aug. 22 and $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark on Aug. 29.

In their first competitions back in California, Bond of Santa Monica, Calif., and her Cadett 7, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Little Valley Farms of Calabasas, Calif., took consecutive victories at the $40,000 Summer Classic Grand Prix on Aug. 22 and $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark on Aug. 29. Both of the events were managed by Blenheim EquiSports and held at Del Mar Horsepark.

Earlier, Spooner of Agua Dulce, Calif., won the $25,000 Blenheim Summer Classic I Grand Prix riding Conquest of Paradiso within days of coming back on Aug. 9 at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano. Spooner and Conquest of Paradiso followed up with a second-place finish Aug. 15 at the $35,000 Blenheim Summer Classic II Grand Prix.

World Cup qualifiers begin

For many Grand Prix riders, the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark on Aug. 29 was the start of the World Cup qualifying season on the West Coast. It was the first of 12 show-jumping Grand Prix events between August 2009 to April 2010 for riders to earn points toward qualifying for the 2010 FEI World Cup Jumping Finals, to be held April 14-18, 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland.

For the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark World Cup qualifier held at Del Mar Horsepark’s covered arena, course designer Leopoldo Palacios said: “I built a legitimate course. What the West Coast has done having all the qualifiers indoors is the best for the sport, you can see the improvement in the riders.”

Out of the 40 rider-horse pairs who competed in the first World Cup qualifier of the season, six horses ridden by four riders jumped a clean first round to return for the jump-off. First to go clean was none other than Bond and Cadett 7. She did it again on GZS Cassira Z.

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Richard Spooner and Pako take second place in the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark on Aug. 29.

The other two riders to join the jump-off were Santiago Rickard of Van Nuys, Calif., on his Jet Star, and Keri Potter of Del Mar on her Rockford I.

Bond set a blazing pace in the jump-off, clean in 33.95 seconds–no other rider could catch that time–for the blue ribbon in the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark. Two more went clean–Spooner and Pako in 34.30 seconds for second place, and Potter with Rockford I in 36.08 seconds for third place. Spooner and Cristallo with one rail in 34.20 seconds ended up in fourth place. Bond and GZS Cassira Z were fifth place overall with a rail in 38.38 seconds. Rounding out the top six was Rickard and Jet Star with four faults in 41.17 seconds.

Bond said her horses were ready to compete in the first World Cup qualifier on the West Coast. “They jumped the biggest and hardest courses in the world while in Europe. They get used to the height and technicality, so it wasn’t anything new to them. But this course was up to par with everything that I’ve been jumping in Europe.”

‘Surreal year’ continues for Bond

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Ashlee Bond

“This whole year has been surreal,” Bond said after her recent back-to-back Grand Prix wins back in California. “When you’re on a roll, I guess you try to keep it going as much as possible.”

The “surreal year” started for Bond last November in Buenos Aires at the CSIO 4-Star Nations Cup. “Then, when (U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe) George Morris picked me to be part of the team for that, it just kind of went crazy,” said Bond, who then competed at the 2009 HITS Thermal Desert Circuit, where she won four Grand Prix events. “We went to the World Cup Finals–we had a good performance; it wasn’t stellar,” but it gave her a glance at what was to come competing in Europe for Nations Cup.

“From there, I went to Europe–it was the most amazing experience and most amazing two months of my life, competing with World Equestrians, Olympians and the top riders of the sport,” Bond said.

She was part of the U.S. Nations Cup team and helped them win two Nations Cup series competitions, in which she amazingly jumped three, double-clear rounds.

During the competition at CHIO Aachen, Germany, from June 26-July 5 for the Warsteiner Prize–the Prize of Europe, Bond was able to add her name to the long list of winners which includes many equestrian sport legends.

Up until then, the 24-year-old Californian was not well-known in Germany. “It is a great honor for me being able to compete there,” Bond said. “I was pretty nervous after reaching the jump-off. I have always admired riders like Marcus Ehning or Jos Lansink. Being able to ride against them now is simply unbelievable.”

Bond next plans to compete at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, and then hopes to qualify for the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held for the first time outside of Europe from Sept. 25-Oct. 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

Even with her rise to competing on an international level in only the last few years, Bond, who is still in her early 20s, says she doesn’t take it for granted and appreciates her current success, while looking ahead. “What goes up can come down, so enjoy every moment and learn from every mistake,” she said. “Everyone knows in this sport–you can be up and down–even in the same class.”

Bond says she is humbled when people ask for her autograph and she gladly obliges, or when she sees the same fans showing up at different shows with signs cheering her on.

After leaving the arena from winning the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark on Aug. 29, a very young girl approached Bond and asked: “Are you Ashlee Bond?” which Bond replies with a “yes.” The young girl excitedly cups both her hands on her own cheeks, smiles, and then runs off unexpectedly. “She was the cutest thing,” said Bond with a smile, who then proceeded to sign autographs and take photos at the request of other young fans–one of whom said: “I want to ride like Ashlee Bond one day.”

For complete show results from Blenheim EquiSports events, visit: www.showpark.com/results.asp

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Almost six years to the day of winning his first event on Chics Magic Potion, Bob Avila strikes the champion's pose on the stallion for the final time after winning the 2009 NSHA World's Richest Stock Horse competition.

There, Avila and the horse stood, awaiting their queue to return to the arena for a line-up trophy photograph. Then quietly, casually he said this would be the “Magic’s” final competition.

“He’s been a great winner, and I want him to go out a great winner,” said Avila, whose last win on the 9-year-old stallion came six years almost to the day of his first one — the 2003 NRCHA Cow Horse Classic. “He’s done so much for me. I’ve had him since he was a 2-year old. I want him to retire when he’s on top.”

And that’s where Chics Magic Potion (Smart Chic Olena x Remedys Magic Potion x Remedys Reply) resides. He goes out the reined cow horse industry’s top-earner — and the first horse to pierce the $300,000 plateau in earnings. His career wins read like an index of the sport’s top competitions, including:

• 2009 World’s Richest Stock Horse, Champion
• 2009 World Greatest Horseman, Reserve Champion
• 2008 NRCHA Magnificent 7, Champion
• 2008 NRCHA Derby Open Bridle Spectacular, Reserve Champion
• 2007 AQHA High Point Working Cow Horse and Senior Cow Horse
• 2005 NRCHA Stakes, Champion
• 2005 NRCHA Hackamore Classic, Champion
• 2004 AQHA Jr. Reining, Reserve World Champion
• 2003 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion
• 2003 NRCHA Cow Horse Classic Futurity, Champion

While maybe not the biggest win on this horse’s resume, the 2009 World’s Richest competition will be an indelible one — as much for the horse’s performance on that August night as the fact it was his finale.

Kat Rodgers photo

Jake Telford and Shady Lil Starlight earn the 2009 World's Richest Stock Horse competition reserve title.

As he had done countless times before, Chics Magic Potion answered the call and delivered in crunch time. His 671 composite score outdid by 4.5 points Reserve Champion Telford, who also took PG Dry Fire, owned by Dave and Loke Allen, to a third-fourth place tie with Dilday and Topsails Rien Maker.

“He rose the occasion,” said Ted Robinson. “Bobby got an early draw and had to go for it. But that’s what that horse does. He’s got the mind of a champion.”

So does Avila, who — at festivities the night prior to the event — calmly turned over a wine glass and saw “No. 1″ on the bottom in the NSHA’s traditional order-of-go selection process.

“When you draw first, you get what you deserve,” he said. “And you get the benefit of the doubt — if there is any doubt. If you jump out there and surprise them, sometimes it goes in your favor.”

The 225 cow work set an unmatchable pace. Still, there wasn’t an early celebration — especially against this field.

“You’re never too far ahead in this,” he said of his comfortable lead. “There are so many great horses and great riders in it. The best of the best are here — riders and horses.”
Next year, one of the best will be missing from the World’s Richest line-up.

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Russell and Tanna Dilday are among the NSHA board members and show organizers. Click on the photo above for more photos.

“I don’t know if he’s going to like not getting into the horse trailer with me, though,” Avila added. “He loves people. I don’t know who’s going to miss who more.”

RUSSELL DILDAY remembers ‘Magic’:
“That horse was a great all-around horse. There is no event that he couldn’t come and get you in. If something went wrong in the first three events, Bob was going to lay it all out in the next one. Which isn’t as impressive in itself. The number of times that the two of them would pull it out is impressive. He was a huge stopper — probably the most important manuever that you can ask a horse to do naturally. The biggest thing that I will remember is him having bad luck in the herd at the 2009 World’s Greatest and coming back in the next three events to make the finals in what may have been the toughest field yet. He was a great show horse and will be great sire.”

TED ROBINSON remembers ‘Magic’:
“The thing people are going to remember about him is that he’s the first horse to win over $300,000. That really stands out. The thing about that horse is that he was the same — every trip. All his runs were the same. There wasn’t any one show that he just was outstanding, and then others that were any less. He was always an individual that you’d stand up and watch. He had greatness every time he went into the pen. He wasn’t great at any individual thing — he was extremely good at everything. I don’t think he was a real come-from-behind horse to beat you, but he starts off in first or second place, and that’s where he ends. As far as show horses go, he’s got a mind of a champion. That’s why Bobby could show him so long and win so much money on him. He knows how to rise to the occasion.”

JAKE GORRELL remembers ‘Magic’:
“He’s just an exceptional individual. He won the Pre-Futurity, he won the Snaffle Bit Futurity … seems like he won every major event. Is there another horse in history that has won that same line-up of major victories? I can’t think of one. He’s by far the best, and in such a short amount of time, the most exceptional horse, competition-wise. When he won the Derby as a 4-year-old, that was a great feat in itself. I mean, I’m glad he’s not going to be beating on us anymore. I was glad to see him kick out in the lead change in the Derby when he was 5 because I won it that year. But, seriously, consistency is his biggest deal. He would consistently come out and do the same runs, over and over again, mark 74s, 75s, wherever he was. He was one of those horses that is really hard to beat.”

For complete show results, go to: http://bit.ly/nsha09

See Horsetrader’s Daily Blog from more photos and news from the NSHA Futurity at:
http://bit.ly/HTblog

Captured Moment Photography

Caroline Ingalls (second from left) and Small Town win the USEF National Junior Hunter Championships--West Coast Overall title. They are congratulated by Monarch International representatives Joe Thorpe and Keri Kampsen, owner Elizabeth Reilly, and trainer Hap Hansen.

More than 40 juniors from various West Coast locales hunted their horses for two days of competition and exhibitor parties under cloudless skies.

With an overall three-phase adjusted score of 251.6, including impressive Classic scores of 88, 86 and 88, Ingalls riding Small Town, a Large Older Junior Hunter Hanoverian gelding, owned by Chris Iwasaki, took home the Monarch International Perpetual Award for the West Coast and a gift certificate for The Clothes Horse. The Overall Reserve Champion was a Small Junior Older Hunter, Pringle, ridden by Amber Henter and owned by Ashley Pryde.

Course designer and local San Juan Capistrano resident Scott Starnes set both the handy and classic courses in the grass Grand Prix field. The handy included a bounce, trot fence, hand-gallop fence, as well as a halt.

In the individual divisions, Small Town won the Large Older Junior Hunter division. Peter Rabbit, ridden and owned by Kilian McGrath, won the Large Younger Junior Hunter division. Pringle won the Small Older Junior Hunter division; and Breckenridge, ridden by Hannah Von Heidegger, took home top honors in the Small Younger Junior Hunter division.

The Handy Hunter phase began just before noon, with the Small Juniors in the older age group going first. While last year’s handy course took too much of a toll on some horses–with spooky elements that caused refusals and even elimination–the 2009 hunter-friendly course had jumps made of shrubs and flowers, a natural post and rail, a trot jump and a hay bale bounce.

In the younger division of small junior hunters, Whitney Downs and Coffee Talk, trained by John Bragg, went flawlessly from start to finish. Picking a perfect pace and jumping each fence out of that gorgeous forward rhythm, the horse’s expression never changed. With scores of 86, 86 and 87 from the judges, it was the trip that couldn’t be beat. The Under Saddle phase concluded Tuesday’s competition. It is notable that the top three scores after day one were all small junior hunters exhibited by younger riders.

Wednesday was both the start of the horse show and the completion of the Junior Hunter Championships. The final classic round went in the afternoon after the open horses competed. Starting with the large junior hunters, it was Caroline Ingalls aboard Small Town, owned by Iwasaki and Reilly, who laid down the trip of the day, receiving scores of 86, 88 and 88. When it came time for the last division of the day, the top three younger small juniors had yet to show.

Show officials said one important lesson of horse showing is to take the highs with the lows, and both Corrine Miller and Whitney Downs deserve sportsmanship awards for their final round performances. Sitting second and first respectively, both of these young girls encountered unexpected spooks and dealt with them like champs. Miller’s young mare, Lucille, peeked and jumped sideways as she cantered down to the first jump, which was a bit shadowy, and although she jumped it her scores certainly reflected the trouble.

Downs riding Coffee Talk were once again having a trip for the history books, when heading to the last line her horse stiffened and spooked, forcing her to circle. With the horse still a bit startled, she had to ride him through the spook when making her second approach. Both girls rode well and dealt with the disappointment in a mature manner, show officials said.

As the 2009 USEF Junior Hunter Championships on the West Coast came to a close Wednesday evening, four perpetual trophies were awarded and the overall Reserve Grand Champion and Grand Champion were presented with coolers and trophies:

• Huntover Farm Perpetual Trophy – Champion in the Small, 15 & Under:
  Breckenridge, ridden by Hannah Von Heidegger

• Shalanno Farm Perpetual Trophy – Champion in the Large, 15 & Under:
  Peter Rabbit, ridden by Kilian McGrath

• Rivers Edge Perpetual Trophy – Champion in the Small, 16-17:
  Pringle, ridden by Amber Henter for owner Ashley Pryde

• Magic Word Perpetual Trophy – Champion in the Large, 16-17:
  Small Town, ridden by Caroline Ingalls for owners Iwasaki & Reilly

For complete results from Blenheim EquiSports events, visit: www.showpark.com/results.asp

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Summer, a Grand Prix show-jumping horse, retires during an Aug. 29 ceremony at Del Mar Horsepark. The 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare is accompanied by rider Mandy Porter, owner Barb Ellison and groom Cece Ratz.

Summer’s retirement was held at Blenheim EquiSport’s All Seasons Summer Tournament at Del Mar Horsepark, prior to the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark, the first in a series of World Cup Qualifiers for the 2010 FEI World Cup Jumping Finals. The evening of Summer’s retirement marked the end to her Grand Prix and World Cup career, but it was the start of competition for next year’s World Cup hopefuls.

The partnership between Summer and Porter began in 2004 when Summer, then 9, was purchased at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, from Norman Dello Joio by Barb Ellison’s Wild Turkey Farm in Woodside, Calif.

Ellison remembers the day well, as they were trying Summer for Ellison to ride. “After about two jumps, I knew she wasn’t for me, but I asked Mandy if she felt like she could be a Grand Prix horse,” Ellison said. “We started putting the jumps up and up and up, and she won our hearts. How could she not? She was this lovely big mare who tried so hard for you each and every time.”

Within their first year together, Summer and Porter won the Del Mar International Grand Prix. It didn’t take long for Porter to figure out the 16.3-hand, Belgian Warmblood mare (by Capitol x Melissa x Lys de Darmen) loved to be the center of attention, and thrived on being treated like the diva she is. Summer would “cuddle” on her own terms, sometimes squealing if you touch her when it wasn’t her idea. A true diva, she travels with an entourage–a stuffed pig, Porter said.

Cece Ratz, Summer’s groom, loved bringing the big gray mare to the ring. “When she was all braided up and looked so pretty, she knew that she was special,” Ratz said. “She knew it was a big important class; she knew when she did well; and she knew how you felt, too.”

The star treatment worked and in 2005, Porter and Summer were the ones to watch winning back-to-back $75,000 Desert Circuit Grand Prix at HITS Indio, and a total of four Grand Prix wins for the year. In 2006, the pair’s win streak continued at numerous events, such as a repeat victory at the Del Mar International Grand Prix, and capped with Summer being named the PCHA Grand Prix Horse of the Year.

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Mandy Porter and Summer compete at the 2007 FEI World Cup Jumping Finals in Las Vegas. They also represented the United States at the 2008 World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden.

It was also fitting for Summer to retire in Del Mar since crowds there have been known to give loud cheers and applause to Summer’s performances and jumping rounds. “She absolutely loves Del Mar,” Porter. “That sort of atmosphere helps spark her, with all the people and the lights. What might sometimes intimidate another horse, it makes her better. She has quite a bit of fight in her when it comes to competing.”

In 2007, Summer and Porter placed third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, and then represented the United States at the FEI World Cup Finals in 2007 Las Vegas, and again in 2008 Gothenburg, Sweden.

Porter and Ellison both agree there wasn’t a single win that was most important to them, but cherish Summer’s consistency and the reward of watching the partnership that developed between horse and rider.

There is a consistent thread among those who have watched Porter and Summer reach their high level of success, and that is the bond between the two. Their fans have spoken of how they will miss seeing the pair together; they are not referred to individually, but as “Summer and Mandy.”

“She’s the horse I’ve had the most success with here in California and she got me to where I am,” Porter said. “I have to thank Barb Ellison and Wild Turkey Farm for the relationship that I have been able to have with her; she got me to two World Cup Finals and numerous Grand Prix wins. We’ve had a very good relationship; we might nearly be like sisters–we’re like family.”

At the retirement ceremony, “Summer and Mandy” entered Del Mar Horsepark’s covered arena and rode around the show ring to a standing ovation. Summer jumped her last fence and then Porter removed Summer’s saddle, while accompanied by Ellison and Ratz.

Summer will retire to lush paddocks, trail rides, and her new career of motherhood as a broodmare at Wild Turkey Farm in Woodside.

Up until this point, we’ve primarily focused on influencing the horse’s head and neck through lateral and vertical flexion. In this lesson, you’re going to move back a zone and learn to control the shoulders. Once you can do that, it opens the door for many of the maneuvers that you’ll be working on in the future.

Shoulder Exercises
There are two specific exercises in this section. You will be best served by working on the simple diagonal movement until you can do it easily and smoothly on a fairly loose rein, before you move on to the more complicated reverse arc. Whenever you do any shoulder work, however, make sure the horse is giving his nose to you softly first. If he’s pulling on your inside rein as you do any of these exercises, go back and work on his lateral flexion again. If he isn’t soft and relaxed in the poll, your training won’t be nearly as effective, and your horse will only be learning how to brace against you. So make sure your lateral work is really perfected before you progress to these exercises.

Exercise No. 2 shows you how to control the shoulders with the Five Easy Pieces. Once you have mastered this, you should be able to move your horse’s shoulders any time you want. Although there is no maneuver that is initiated with the shoulders (that is that the shoulders lead into the maneuver), there are a lot of them where it is critical to keep the shoulders up and out of the way–and if you don’t have shoulder control, you won’t be able to do that.

Remember: In all these exercises think 50 percent hand, 50 percent leg. There will come a time when you have to go to one hand on the bridle, and you’ll pretty much have to rely on your leg to correct any shoulder problems, so make sure you are using your leg from the start.

Keep in mind that while you’re doing this, you’ll want to keep the horse’s neck perfectly still with no resistance. If the head starts to rise, or the neck stiffens up as you are attempting this exercise: abort! Get the neck soft again before you do anything else. If you have to, go back to your lateral and vertical flexion exercises to get your horse’s neck really soft and supple again before you come back to the shoulders. As soon as the horse shakes loose and takes one diagonal step, relax your cues, reward him and give him a few steps in a straight line to soak it in before you pick up your rein and go to move the shoulders again. Always do a few repetitions in the first direction before you attempt to go the other way. That way the horse has a pretty good idea of what you’re looking for before he attempts the other direction.

Next time, we’ll continue discussing additional shoulder exercises as part of Exercise No. 2.

Editor’s Note: More with Les is a regular California Horsetrader column. Les Vogt has won more than 15 World Championships, including two wins at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. Although Les still rides and occasionally shows, his focus is giving clinics around the world and developing products for the performance horseman. To learn more about Les and to see his clinic schedule, visit: www.lesvogt.com

Courtesy photo

Bill and Kelli Norwood, with their daughter Ella, thank supporters of the Ella Norwood Benefit Horse Show.

“The outpouring of support from people for this event was incredible; those who did come to the benefit were all very generous,” said Lisa Hernandez, one of the benefit organizers. “This event renewed my faith in the human spirit. So many people came out in support of this event that it brought tears to my eyes. We had trainers from Arizona and Ohio sending their support, as well as those here in Southern California. Everyone was very friendly and tolerant of the heat and supported this event from the bottom of their hearts.”

The horse show portion of the benefit included reining and cow horse classes, in addition to a few fun events, such as a boot race for the kids, champagne reining, and stick-horse cutting. Stick-horse cutting was the most popular of the “fun” events–it enlisted eight trainers to take part.

Courtesy photo

Judy Clark (right) and her daughters, Alex and Carley, are among the 150 event attendees.

“Even with the heat and the fires going on all around Southern California, these people took the time to come out and support this worthy event,” Hernandez said. “Mike Berg spent the entire day judging the event and then competed in the stick-horse cutting as well.”

Rebecca Goss “Boo-Yaah” Memorial Foundation was instrumental in supplying the Norwoods with a method for people to make tax-deductible donations. “Together with the Goss Foundation, our plans are to do a similar show each year to benefit another family or cause,” Hernandez said. “Although Ella has recovered fully from her operation to remove the tumor–and it appears she will be able to lead a normal, healthy life–things are still going to be tough for her for awhile. She has to undergo monthly visits to a variety of doctors for many tests to ensure that she remains healthy and to catch any possible recurrence as quickly as possible.”

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to the Norwood family can send it through the Rebecca Goss “Boo-Yaah” Memorial Foundation, with a note in the memo line to be earmarked for Ella Norwood. Donations can be sent to: John or Martha Goss, 8787 Flower Road, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. Donations also can be made via PayPal at the Web site: www.beccaboo-yaah.org

Pierce College photo

About 90 horses evacuating from fires found shelter at Los Angeles Pierce College's Equestrian Center.

By the beginning of September, about 90 horses found safe haven at Los Angeles Pierce College’s Equestrian Center, which has accommodations for up to 200. Most of the horses came from the evacuated areas of Tujunga and Acton.

Large animals including a cow, boar, four lamas and two sheep have also taken shelter at Pierce College, but remaining space is reserved for horses. “We will keep going and accepting animals until they (the County) say to stop,” said Megan Silveira, a Los Angeles County animal rescue coordinator.

For anyone needing to evacuate horses to Los Angeles Pierce College, its emergency center guidelines include: No stallions; Bring horse, owner name and phone number; Bring a water tub and medicines for your animal; Bring feed if you can. Los Angeles Pierce College is located at 6201 Winnetka Ave. in Woodland Hills; phone: (818) 719-6401; Web site: www.piercecollege.edu

For information about animal evacuations, the Los Angeles County contact is Mary Lukens at the Angora Station. Her office can be reached at (818) 706-5883.

Evacuated dogs, cats and small animals are being housed for emergency animal sheltering at six Los Angeles County animal shelters and other local humane societies. For Los Angeles County small-animal shelter locations, visit the Web site: http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/locationbycity.asp