WCRHA season-opener is a delightful event

By Eileen Maxinoski

CORNING — The West Coast Reining Horse Association started its 2020 season with a bang March 6-8 at the Rolling Hills Equestrian Center, as a record number of entrants showed their reiners for judges Janette Dublin from Texas and Cyndi Robbins from Oklahoma.

Overall, weather was sunny with scattered clouds during the four days, but on Saturday evening a thunderstorm hit — with a breathtaking double-rainbow over the equestrian facility.

Facilities manager, Terry Skevington, and the Rolling Hills Equestrian Center sponsored a pizza dinner on Saturday evening, complete with live sounds from Country Western singer Ethan Barmettler. The well-attended event was capped off with a “Battle for the Headstall” competition. Riders of horses that had won classes on Friday and Saturday “rolled the dice” for the chance to win a stunning Ricotti’s headstall which was donated by the Equestrian Center. Cady Shaw, Co-champion of the Prime Time Non Pro and Masters classes on her Xtra Playful, rolled two sixes early on. Her total of 12 was not to be out-rolled, and she earned a new headstall.

Another reiner who had a great showing was Hanna Hopper and her pretty, 6-year old Palomino gelding, Shine Superboy Shine, aka “Superboy,” by Shine Chic Shine and out of Spooks Stylin (by Greys Starlight). Hopper purchased him in late 2017 from Stefano Calcagnini and had a successful year of showing him in his 4-year-old year. Martin Padilla won the Open Derby L4 at the Star Spangled Slide on him, and Hopper won the NP Derby L4 at the WCRHA Year-end Show. After being sidelined his 5-year-old year in order to recuperate from an injury, he came back with a vengeance at this show, winning Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro, and Limited Non Pro classes as well as tying for the win in the Novice Horse Non Pro L2.

Cady Shaw of Madera realized a lifetime goal at this show, as unofficially her NRHA, lifetime earnings went over $100,000.

“It only took me 37 years to accomplish!,” she said.

Interestingly enough, Cady earned her first NRHA check at the first WCRHA affiliate show of 1983, and she reached her $100,000 goal at the first WCRHA affiliate show of 2020.

For the last few years, WCRHA has supported member interest in ranch riding. So, after the reining classes were finished, ranch riders had a menu of six different ranch riding classes. First place in the AQHA Open Ranch Riding, with a score of 70, was Texa Chexx, owned and shown by Deanna Texerira. Amy Walden, on Ron Butler’s Sparkling Cattitude, was second with 66.5. In the AQHA Amateur Select class, Derek Brummett maneuvered Thischicsamistress to a score of 73 to win the class. Cindy Laver placed second on Revolutionic with a 67.5. In the AQHA Amateur L1, Cindy and Revolutionic came back strong with a 73 for the win, with Michelle Cardenas on her Walla In Chrome close behind with a 72.5. Margaret Chancellor showed Dunnit With A Shine to a 73 to win the AQHA Youth class. Reed Hurley was second on Red Knight Boonlight with a 64. The last Ranch Riding class, WCRHA Ranch Riding All Ages, was won by Sue Owen on Kelly Staley’s Star Trek Tag with a 72, and Heidi Nash was second on her Driveslikea Mercedes with a 62.5.

Nineteen entries showed up to compete in the WCRHA Green As Grass class, held for riders in their first two years of showing reiners and having not won more than $100. Two “Ashleys” laid claim to share championship honors: Ashley Palmer on her Shining Boon Chick and Ashley Vieira on her Tinker With Gold both scored 71 to emerge as co-champions.

Arguably, the most exciting class of the show was the last class, the Novice Horse Non Pro Levels 1 and 2.

Indeed, there was a three-way tie for the Level 2 class. Besting a class of 23 entries with scores of 73 were Kelly Staley on her Like Madd, Cady Shaw on her Xtra Playful Step, and Hanna Hopper on her Shine Superboy Shine. There was a two-way tie for the top placing in the Level 1 class between Rica Macalvey on Doree Macalvey-Sims’ Got Guns A Blazin and Eileen Maxinoski on her Mister Smartypants.

More online: http://bit.ly/04wcrha

8-year-old shines at WCRHA opener

When the West Coast Reining Horse Association kicked off its 2020 season March 6 at the Rolling Hills Equestrian Center in Corning, 8-year-old Bella Hall was ready, along with Reeboks Rerun.
Bella and Reebok came away with wins in the Short Stirrup, 13-under Youth, and WCRHA Youth classes as well as sharing the Championship honors in the Unrestricted Youth class with scores from 68 to 72.
Her proud grandmother, Jeanne Levine of Nevada, has taken Bella under her tutelage and calls her “a natural” when it comes to horsemanship. The young reiner has been riding since she was about eight months old when she would ride in the saddle in front of her grandma at the WCRHA shows. This is Bella’s third year of showing reiners, and her second season with Reebok.
As soon as she could talk, she would say, “Lope, Gramma, lope!”
“She loved to go fast!,” said Levine, adding that winning the 13-under class at this show was probably Bella’s most memorable win to date. “She was a bit intimidated to show in her first 13-under class, as she had only shown in 10 and under classes before.
“She usually exits a class by wanting to know how she can do better. This time — she was speechless!”
Bella is home-schooled and gets to ride every day. Her favorite maneuver is the stops. She doesn’t get to practice the stops very much at home, so she really enjoys the extra stopping at the shows.
Seventeen-year-old Reeboks Rerun is owned by the McLeod Family Farms. Levine has just wonderful things to say about Reebok, who has carried many riders to great success over the years.
“I’ve never seen another horse like Reebok,” she said. “He is such a happy horse. He loves his job and looks forward to getting in the trailer and heading to the show.”
Levine added that Bella’s success with Reebok has “changed her life.”
—Eilene Maxinoski