DEL MAR—The 10th Annual Pink Classic Championships came to Showpark Oct. 18-21, bringing the seaside venue to life with an all-breed show that kept multiple arenas humming.

Held every October, this cancer-awareness horse event featured signs throughout the venue that displayed cancer facts and statistics, emphasizing early detection. Pink Bandanas and wrist bands were free to exhibitors and spectators—pink wristbands symbolizing support and white wristbands for cancer survivors.

Ranch horse versatility classes have created a wave of interest, says show manager Poncie Hermann-Gimple, because they offer an opportunity to compete with your horse without the expense of an expensive show tack and outfits, and also becasue of a better sense of camaraderie that stems from a more level playing field due to the difficulty of patterns. Show management is allowed to draw and present original patterns that have not been seen prior to the show.

New this year was the High Point Ranch Horse, with the champion receiving the Emily Jungers Perpetual Mel Lawson Trophy. Emily, who succumbed to cancer nine years ago, was on the Track One Events staff many years.

The horses competed in ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch on the rail, and conformation at halter.

Robin Bond rode Lynn Rivers’s Sunkissed Peppy Rider to the championship and had the highest open ranch riding score of 76½.

The amateur high scoring ranch riding was Nicinthemix, (aka “Talley”), owned and ridden by Birdie Avery with a 75½.

Avery, a lifelong horsewoman who has competed in a range of disciplines from stock horse and intercollegiate rodeo to reining, has enjoyed her move to ranch riding.

“I was inspired to compete in the ranch riding for many reasons, but really the number one would be its fun!,” she said. “ It’s a challenge for your mind learning a new pattern to follow each event, keeping your horse going forward in a natural moving gate, not too hard on the horses body, like many other disciplines. And it’s a easier on the pocketbook!”

Avery and “Talley” earned four AQHA points with the highest score in Novice Amateur division (17 entries) and Amateur division with (24 entries). “We now have qualified for the 2019 World AQHA Show!” added Avery—a huge achievement in their first AQHA show together with very little help. “We have basically trained each other.”

Katie Cachat and Hollywood Boomtown won the Champion Saddle in the PCHA Jack & Linda Baker Reining Final, and Casey Bibbs on Spooks For The Chics took won the Rookie Saddle.

More online: http://bit.ly/811_Pink