SCRCHA wraps up 2024 season with September Classic

By SUE CARTER / for the Horsetrader

TEMECULA — The September Classic was the last show of 2024 for Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association. Soaring temperatures did not deter the hardy competitors from vying for the year-end points and coveted Doug Williamson Memorial Buckle, sponsored by Molly’s Custom Silver. The start time was moved up by an hour in an effort to save the horses and competitors from the heat.

Tina Lattanzio aboard her own Smooth Moves won both the Open and Non Pro Cutting, with Craig Cowley aboard Peppys Autumn Cat coming in second in Open Cutting.

Have you herd? San Pasqual Valley Ranch offers a ‘Cattle Club’

From the Horsetrader sales staff

Just five miles east of Interstate 15 in the beautiful San Pasqual Valley of northern San Diego County lies San Pasqual Valley Ranch. It’s a well-appointed boarding and training center that offers all the services and amenities you would find at other top facilities, but it has one thing that most others do NOT have: cattle. If you are interested in sorting, penning, roping or cutting, San Pasqual Valley Ranch is a must-see. Its reputation is golden for its boarding, lessons and training offerings, and the facilities are excellent — four lighted arenas including a 140′ x 260′ rodeo arena, a 120 x 220′ sand arena, a 70′ x 110′ sorting arena and a cutting arena. Lighted round pens are on the grounds, too, as are in-and-out barn stalls, 24′ x 24′ box stalls and turnouts. Be sure to ask about the San Pasqual Valley Ranch’s “Cattle Club,” with weekly access to roping steers for one low monthly charge! For more info, see the ad on page 18, call (760) 805-5381, or visit the ranch’s website at https://www.callspvr.com.

UC Davis shares important insight on equine colic

By UC Davis Center for Equine Health

Colic is an unwelcome word in the equine world. The majority of equestrians have at least one colic story, with outcomes ranging from good to gut-wrenching.
Since colic is common and can have serious implications, it is an often-discussed topic, complete with plenty of anecdotal evidence, myths, and unscientific advice. We teamed up with Julie Dechant, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVECC, professor of equine surgery and assistant director of the UC Davis veterinary hospital’s Large Animal Clinic to provide some clarity on equine colic.

A solid foundation in ground work started Sabrina Smith’s college ride

By Horsetrader staff

RAMONA — Gainesville, Texas, is about 1,400 miles from Sabrina Smith’s growing grounds in Ramona, but she is right at home.

The 21-year-old sophomore competes on the North Central Texas College equestrian team, working toward a degree in criminal justice on a full-ride scholarship she earned from the ground up.

The daughter of Ramona-based trainer Tony Smith, Sabrina credits the versatility of her riding experiences for her selection to the NCTC equestrian team. Trail. Western. English. Ranch. Reining. Working cow. Versatility with a capital “V”.

And both she and her dad credit her early foundation in showmanship and horsemanship for a seemingly natural connection across different disciplines.

Master horseman, teacher and friend passes away at age 82

From staff and published reports

Doug Williamson, a legend in performance horse circles who taught and inspired a generation, passed away Aug. 14 in his home alongside his loving wife Carol. He was 82.

Williamson was born March 15, 1942, and grew up on his family’s ranch in Vale, Ore. From a young age, he worked on the ranch and developed his cowboy and horsemanship skills. After graduating from high school, he worked on several ranches where he was in charge of large herds of cattle and also continued training horses. He became a full-time horse trainer in his twenties and embarked on a successful career that spanned over six decades.

Over the years, he had training facilities in Nampa, Idaho, Bakersfield, and ultimately in Scottsdale, Ariz. His lifelong passion was to be the best horseman he could be. Two special accomplishments of his career included his induction into the NRCHA Hall of Fame and securing his place as a NRCHA Million Dollar Rider.

Four-show series concludes its 2024 summer run

By Horsetrader staff

HUNTINGTON BEACH: The four-show Surf City Circuit series, put on by Track One Events for the Los Serranos Award Circuit, wrapped up its successful season Aug. 17 at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center.

Beautiful buckles and other awards were icing on the cake for winners at this refreshing circuit of open shows, which featured popular classes in ranch, reining, pleasure, horsemanship and trail.

One gratified Circuit Champion was open reiner Sophia Ritchie, an assistant trainer for Rick Baer Performance Horses that is based at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center. Ritchie rode I Whiza Gangsta to the title for owner Patricia Houk.

PCHA ‘Pink Classic’ Show comes to LAEC Oct. 31-Nov. 3

From the Horsetrader sales staff

The very popular Pink Classic Horse Show is returning to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Always a very popular show in the past, it was sidelined — as many were — because of the pandemic.

This show has quite a history, as 32 years ago it held the first Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association Jack and Linda Baker Reining Classic. Managers Poncie and Larry Gimple of Track One Events started this special horse show at the Orange County Fairgrounds during the Orange County Fair over 30 years ago. Many great horse shows of the past were held in conjunction with county fairs.

Kailty King-Hale and Gotta Have Style are finding their groove

By Horsetrader staff

After a year, it’s safe to say Kailey King-Hale and Gotta Have Style, the grey mare she acquired last year, are connecting.

Kailey, a non pro who rides at her family’s King Performance Horses in Chino Hills, was looking for a next-level reiner to develop in spring 2023 when a friend at the Cactus Reining Classic in Scottsdale arranged an unforgettable test ride in a busy warm-up arena at the show.

Popular ‘kids ride free’ SCRCHA event also inspires adults

By Sue Carter / for the Horsetrader

TEMECULA — The future of horses is the youth of today, and it looked bright at the 2024 Grant Berg Memorial Horse Show put on by the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association on July 4-7.

Green Acres Ranch hosted the four-day horse event honoring Grant Berg, and there was a nice turnout of horses and riders for the warm days that included three full slates of National Reined Cow Horse Association classes.

Ranch Horse competitors say ‘mahalo’ for 2024 Summerfest

Special to the Horsetrader

TEMECULA — West Coast Ranch Horse has had a great 2024 season of ranch horse competition so far. Their popular Ranch Summerfest Show was held on July 21 at California Ranch Company, and exhibitors wore Hawaiian shirts to beat the heat and adorned themselves and their horses with festive leis.

The event featured tropical ranch trail, open disciplined ranch rail and a non-pro ranch rail stakes class with a Hawaiian-themed silver belt buckle to the champion. Saltwater Riders, the title sponsor for the third straight year, sponsored t-shirts of the winners’ choice for the Top 10 in the stakes and disciplined rail classes. Bentley Show Pads sponsored multiple show pads for the winners, too.