EXETER — Richard Winters rode Hip Adams to the Open Bridle championship in one of the highlight performances of the Fairlea Ranch Spring Classic held May 29-30. It was the latest in a series of accredited 2010 shows at the ranch which is undergoing a rennaisance under owners by John and Kate Hyde.

After conducted a small, well-received fall show last year, plans were set for the Spring Classic under the management of Kathy Gould. Judged by Billy Cochrane, the Spring Classic had about 100 entries daily. The good line-up of classes included a “Fence Off” where the high-score fence runs of both days from each National Reined Cow Horse Association-approved class returned to compete down the fence for a saddle sponsored by Dave Archer of Target Constructors.

“These localized NRCHA shows finally give all the NRCHA competitors a place to come and compete,” said Gould, the current NRCHA President. “The NRCHA has worked hard at developing the celebration of champions, and more shows will make it easier to qualify for the right to run at that `World Championship’ title, not to mention the regional awards.

“It was hard in the past because three of the NRCHA’s premier events are in this Southwest Region, and those are really big horse shows with a lot of points up for grabs,” she added.

Gould was a founder of the Valley Cow Horse Association, and one of the last things she did as a VCHA board member was to restructure the classes so most of the VCHA shows can be easily approved by the NRCHA as well.

“Between the VCHA and what the Hydes are doing, you can live in the Central Valley and easily go to an NRCHA-approved show each month,” Gould said. “The reined cow horse industry is poised for even more growth as we emerge from this economic recession.”

The Hydes, who acquired the Exeter Ranch last year, are almost finished with a big new arena that will also feature roping and bucking chutes.

“They’ve given the complete San Joaquin Valley horse industry a new and beautiful facility to hold a variety of shows,” said Gould.

A three-weekend series approved by the NRCHA will be held there in the fall, managed by Gould’s show management firm. The Fall Series at Fairlea Ranch will take place the weekends of Spet. 11-12, Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 13-14.

Other top finishers at the Fairlea Ranch Spring Classic included: Limited Open Bridle: Becky Holman on her Saturday Night Dual; Non Pro Bridle: Mike Brautovich on his Diamond J Wil Smokum; Intermediate Non Pro Bridle: John Pascoe on his Miss Smoking Remedy; Novice Non Pro Bridle: Murray Thompson on his Smart Time Tuck; Non Pro Hackamore: Russ Greathouse on his Smokums Dixie; Youth Bridle: Shelby Ray on Nu Flash Of Cash (owner, Morya Gularte); Open Hackamore: Lyn Anderson on Meet Rippen Diamonds (owner, Dick Hershman); Limited Open Hackamore: Monica DeBie on her Shes A Daisy; Open Two Rein: Lyn Anderson on her Lil Time To Smoke; Non Pro Two Rein: Heather Livingston on her Allthatglittersisme; Non Pro Limited: Kay Williams her Smartie Plan; 5000 Non Pro Limited: John Bush on his Somebody Cashin In.

READ MORE: Fairlea Ranch events website http://fairlea.com/Events.html