Roy Rich hauled in the SCRCHA Year-end riches with four champion and three reserve champion buckles to go along with Top 5 and qualifier awards.

SCRCHA photo

TEMECULA — The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association honored its 2017 winners at Journey’s End on Saturday, Jan. 13, wrapping up a successful year and setting the stage for an exciting 2018.

The club honored recipients competing not only in cowhorse classes but cutting/herd work and ranch riding as well.

Roy Rich brought in the riches, earning four Champion and three Reserve Champion buckles, as well as Top 5 and qualifier awards. The Temecula-based trainer ended the year with SCRCHA titles on threee different horses owned by Rocking J Ranch, including RJ Wheres My Sock (Junior Ranch Riding), Very Smart Luck (Open Herd, Open Bridle) and Soula Shining Star (Open Two Rein). His three reserves came aboard Very Smart Luck (Open Two Rein), RJ Wheres My Sock (Snaffle Bit) and another Rocking J Ranch horse, Cat From Ipanema (Open Hackamore).

“I just have a lot of good luck,” said Rich, whose longtime client, Candy Flock, enjoyed a stellar year, too. Flock, riding her Smart Remedy Olena, outdistanced the field in the Select Non Pro Limited, the 5K Non Pro Limited andthe Non Pro Limited.

“Candy has a phenonemal horse, and she can show as well as anybody,” said Rich. “You put her on a good horse, and she’s tough to beat.”

Flock’s pursuit of the NRCHA World Championships ended with a shoulder injury in early January, but Rich says she’scapable of coming back just as strong in 2018.

This year’s SCRCHA show schedule has shiftedto more summer shows to wrap up the seasonearlier in the year, reducing schedule conflicts with a growing list of fall competitions. The March and May events will take place at Casner Ranch, with the July, August and September shows at Galway Downs. Rich is looking forward to meeting new folks this year with the addition of ranch riding and ranch trail classes to complement the cowhorse and cutting.

“It will be a great way to open things up and meet new people, and to give them an introduction to cow horse,” he said.

Glen Aspinall’s barn enjoyed several year-end accolades. Catherine Vincent, riding Raygun, placed third in the select non pro and non pro limited rookie, fourth in the 5K Non Pro and also qualified in the Non Pro Herd. Nancy Nyjordet, riding Chickaroos Chance, walked away with championship buckles in the Non Pro Herd Work and Non Pro Limited Rookie Rider. She took the Reserve Champion in the Select Non Pro Limited and placed third in the 5K and Non Pro Limited. Shari Ransford, riding Badgers Jazzy Kitty, won the Non Pro Cutting Championship. Alexandra Veen, riding A Boy Named Su, won Amateur Ranch Riding and placed fourth in the Non Pro Limited Rookie Rider. Tracy Lynch, riding Cd Rock Slide, earned a Reserve.

Championship in the Novice Non Pro Bridle and Non Pro Bridle, and was champion in the Intermediate Non Pro Bridle. Glen Aspinall placed third in the Open Cutting aboard Badgers Jazzy Kitty. In the Youth Bridle, Kelsey Lynch rode Smart Ronnie Shine to the Reserve Championship.

Another star of the SCRCHA season in 2017 was Dick Hershman, who rode Meet Rippen Diamonds to the Non Pro Bridle Championship and placed fourth in the Intermediate Non Pro Bridle. Rudolph Petris, riding Slic Shiner, placed third in the Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro Bridle, as well as fifth in the Novice Non Pro Bridle. Jessica Saenz, aboard Blingblingboom, took the Reserve Champion in the Int. Non Pro Bridle and third in the Novice Non Pro Bridle. Tracy Lynch, riding Cd Rock Slide, took Champion in Int. Non Pro Bridleand Reserve Champion in the Non Pro Bridle.

Katie Mason won the CHampion and Reserve titles in Youth Ranch Riding on Susan Mason’s Cowpen Cat and Just Plain Peppernic, respectively, and Alexandra Veen took her A Boy Names Su to the Amateur Ranch Riding championship.Senior Ranch Riding went to Terrie Leahy riding her Splash Me With Cash.

2018 SCRCHA Show Line-up
March 16-18, CRC Ranch
May 18-20, CRC Ranch
July 13-15, Galway Downs
Aug. 13-15, Galway Downs
Sept. 21-23, Galway Downs