BURBANK — The Bunny Slide, the California Reining Horse Association’s first competition of the year, hopped into the Los Angeles Equestrian Center April 5-7, attracting established regional talent along with some newcomers looking to enjoy the popular sport.
With 175 horses competing for payouts over $12,000, this was no Easter egg hunt, as reiners vied for the payout and a variety of points. Not only were CRHA year-end and Reiner of the Year points at stake, so were points for respective NRHA Affiliate and AQHA qualifications, as well as PCHA points for the popular Jack and Linda Baker Finals event.
“We had a really nice show,” said CRHA Secretary Marilyn Scheffers, whose club will host another NRHA Affiliate-qualifier, the $11,500-added Reiner Shine, June 5-7 at the LAEC. “It was big. We pretty much had every trainer that’s on board, and we’re enjoying looking at bringing in new people now.”
Two slates of classes covered the four days, and riders who rode in both slates of CRHA jackpot classes at the Bunny Slide were in the running for Circuit Championships that included headstalls for champions and day sheets for reserves. (See Circuit results, Page 21).
Competition was heated in the two slates of NRHA Affiliate classes, where the reiners hoped to qualify for the NRHA Regional Affiliate Finals in October that will be hosted by the CRHA for the second straight year.
A tie with respective 72s made co-champions in the NRHA Affiliate Finals Slate 1 Open, where Pat Wickenheiser rode Whiz N West Coast, owned by Chuck Arnold and Carla Meyer, to a deadlick with CRHA President Tom Foran on Gail Hutcherson’s Wimpys Whiz Steps. In Slate 2, Tanya Jenkins rode Tricked Out Spook to a 74.5 in a decisive win. Jenkins also won the Slate 1 Intermediate Open competition in the NRHA Affiliate classes, riding Monica Leavitt’s Cash To Diamonds to a 71 and the title. Dallas Wedel claimed the Slate 2 Intermediate Open with a 73.5 on Carolyn Shimada’s Colonels Flashy Gun.In Non Pro NRHA Affiliate qualifiers, Elaine Davis swept the Novice Horse L1 in both slates, taking her Custom Made Nic to titles with respective 70.5 and 70.0 scores. Cathy Copus and Gunball Machine also were Non Pro stars in the NRHA Affiliate action, winning the Slate 1 Non Pro (73.5), Slate 1 Intermediate Non Pro (72.0) and Prime Time Non Pro (73.50) classes.
Ron Lenhert won both slates of qualifying NRHA Affiliate classes in Rookie L1 with 72s aboard his Tivitos Top Starlet. He captured both slates of NRHA Prime Time Rookie (riders 50-over) classes, too.
Taylor Sheridan won the NRHA Rookie L2 class on his Crome Plated Step, marking a 71.
In youth NRHA Affiliate qualifiers, Kelly Carson of Temecula dominated the Youth 13-under, winning Slate 1 (70.0) and Slate 2 (70.50) classes on her Great Grullo Pine. The pair also won the 13-under Circuit Championship, with the Circuit reserve going to Peyton McGowan riding GS Red Corvette.
Tina Christie, who rode One Flashy Rooster to the Youth 14-18 Circuit Championship over reserve Taylor Stevens on Custom Big Chex, also won the Youth 14-18 NRHA Affiliate qualifier in Slate 1 with a 70.0. Slate 2 Youth 14-18 champion was Catalina Gonzalez on Illegal Reward with a 72.
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