Leader of the Pack
For decades, Craig London, DVM of Rock Creek Pack Station has shared Sierra wilderness with folks on horseback
HORSETRADER: Craig, where did your journey into Sierra wilderness trips begin?
CRAIG: My parents, Herbert and Marge London, bought Rock Creek Pack Station in 1947. My dad was an executive for American Airlines, and when he left L.A., he had been sort of head of flight operations,and he decided he wanted to be a packer. He wanted to go to Bishop.
So, he just had a passion for the outdoors — the wilderness and simple lifestyle — and he never regretted it.
Ranch and cow horse combine
New cow horse division comes to WCRH
Special to the Horsetrader
Since 2020, West Coast Ranch Horse has been producing high quality and well-attended ranch horse shows throughout Southern California. This year, WCRH is introducing a new Ranch Cow Horse Division, featuring three classes: Ranch Cutting, Ranch Boxing and Ranch Reining.
There is a division for all levels of horse and rider including Open, Amateur, Green Horse, Green as Grass, Youth 18-under and Short Stirrup 10-under. This line-up of classes and divisions is designed to make cow horse and reining events more accessible, as it does not require a finished reined cow horse or reiner.
The club will introduce this new division with a two-show buckle series April 8 and May 6. Silver buckles will be awarded in every class for the two-show series. As part of the April event, the club is also offering an AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge on April 7.
Ease into easements
How trail easements support equestrian access
By LAUREL A. FLORIO / Courtesy ELCR.org
So many aspects of equine activities, such as sport horse training, ranching, or recreational riding, rely on large areas of land — be it for grazing, riding arenas, turn-out or, to a smaller degree, trail access.
Sometimes land-locked areas provide fabulous multi-use opportunities for riders to enjoy the trails. However, access often is restricted to trailer parking gateways, so the need for trail access over privately-owned land is essential to equine use. The lack of this access can minimize trail availability.
EHV-1 cases at Desert Circuit forces cancelation of Feb. 19-20 Western show
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — With three confirmed cases of non-neurologic EHV-1 over the weekend at the Desert Circuit hunter-jumper series in Thermal, the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park has cancelled the Feb. 19-20 SoCal Ranch & Slide event.
The show is the first of four 2022 ranch riding and reining competitions scheduled at the Orange County venue, and it marked the first western events ever scheduled at the venerable facility known for hosting world-class hunter-jumper competition.
“Out of an abundance of caution due to the EHV-1 equine virus and for the safety of the horses, the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park has canceled the Feb. 19-20 western show,” announced management of the SoCal Ranch & Slide Series, Orange County-based Track One Events.
Track One Events added that the second western show in the SoCal Ranch & Slide Series, set for March 5-6 at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, remains on schedule.
Additional info on the show series: https://www.trackoneevents.com
Additional coverage of the EHV outbreak at the Desert Circuit: https://bit.ly/ehvdesertcircuit
Trails are Common Ground
ELCR joins coalition launching nationwide trail etiquette campaign
Courtesy of ELCR.org
Any recreational trail user will tell you there are more people on the trails than ever before. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, automated counters at trail systems around the country recorded four times as many users compared to the same time frame in 2019.
Up to the Challenge
BURBANK — The region’s top reining horses and riders returned to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center Oct. 26-31 for The Challenge, California Reining Horse Association’s pinnacle event of the year. Warm weather greeted equally hot performances during the show.
It’s here! West Coast Ranch Horse Sale Nov. 6 in Temecula
From Horsetrader sales staff
An exciting horse sale on this fall’s calendar is the Nov. 6 West Coast Ranch Horse Rendezvous Sale at the beautiful Tucalota Creek Ranch. Managed by XIT Western Productions, this sale will bring 35 head of high-quality ranch horses that “are ready to be your next partner.” The sale will specialize in horses that are show-ready or are great ranch horse prospects. There is a consignor application process and a selection committee to ensure only the cream of the crop are offered. The sale will take place alongside a series of events over the 2021 WCRH Rendezvous weekend Nov. 4-7. As for the show, the WCRH Rendezvous will include ranch horse clinics with Sami Hernandez, Cowley Performance Horses and others, a two-day ranch horse show, ranch horse futurities, a silent auction, wine and cheese reception, vendors, and a banquet dinner with live cowboy music from Eric Gorsuch. There will be a saddle awarded to the Top Hand of the weekend, division buckles, trophy knives, trophy stirrups and more! The sale preview will be held with the wine and cheese reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, and the sale will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Hite gets it right
$100,000 Interactive Mortgage “Ticket To Ride” Grand prix concludes series
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Laura Hite and Calypso VD Zuuthoeve put the final exclamation point on an exciting season at Blenheim EquiSports with victory in the $100,000 Interactive Mortgage “Ticket to Ride” Grand Prix on Sept. 25.
Saddling up in San Marcos
The Twin Oaks Valley Equestrian Association in conjunction with the Horse Heritage Conservancy brought together current — and future — equestrians to the 15th Annual Ride & Stride Oct. 17 at Walnut Grove Park in San Marcos. The event encouraged the “two-legged” contingent to join in and bring their other best friend to stride a three-mile loop through the valley on City of San Marcos trails. Participation in this event helped the Walnut Grove Equestrian Park, a rare gem in the heart of the Twin Oaks Valley.
Connection
By Sheryl Lynde | Horsetrader columnist
I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.
We dress differently, we are of different ages, different backgrounds and reside in different states and countries. But for a moment, just a glimpse in time we can find a commonality. I know a place where we can connect and share a space together as we ride on the back of a horse.
Read Columns
