Warm weather, hot competition greet WCRHA competitors

By Eileen Maxinoski / for the Horsetrader

CORNING — There was no “reining in the rain” at this year’s first show of the West Coast Reining Horse Association — as was often the case in previous years. Beautiful weather greeted a huge group of West Coast reiners who showed up with highly tuned reining horses for the annual NRHA-approved competition held at the Rolling Hills Equestrian Center on March 5-7.

The schooling day, held the day before actual classes began, ran for nearly 15 hours! In addition to full slates of reining classes, AQHA reining classes as well as Ranch Riding classes were offered, and the hospitality and accommodations provided by arena events manager Terry Skevington and the Rolling Hills Casino were much appreciated.

Christian Rammerstorfer, an NRHA Professional and NRHA judge, had a particularly good showing with his own mare, Reinsincalifornia. Consistent scores of 72 and 72.5 earned the duo championships and reserve championships in the seven classes that they entered. “Stevie,” as she is affectionately called, was bred and raised by Rammerstorfer and is a full sister to Maddox, Rammerstorfer’s beloved stallion. Stevie’s dam raised 13 foals for Rammerstorfer, with four of them full siblings. Nine-year-old Stevie already has two foals to her credit and will raise another this year.

Rammerstorfer calls her his favorite mare of all time.

“She has very powerful, naturally free stops which have contributed to her maturity into a solid show horse,” he said.

Open classes kicked off the first day, and Mike Boyle, riding Betty McHugh’s Chics Dream, laid down a blistering 73.5 to run away with the Open Championship and also took the AQHA Open Reining. Rammerstofer and Stevie took reserve with a 72.5. That score also made Rammerstorfer and Stevie champions of the Intermediate Open and Limited Open; co-champions for the Prime Time Open; and reserve champion in the AQHA Open Reining. Rammerstorfer also was reserve champion in the Limited Open with Kelly Staley’s Like Madd with a 71.5.

In the Intermediate Open, David Hanson scored a 71.5 on Anne Driscoll’s Xtra Needs A Drink to take the reserve championship. Taking reserve in the Prime Time Open with a 72.5 was Jason Richards and Ps Ice Queen, owned by Caitie Moulding, and Nickis Special Nite, shown by Ivan Flores for owner Tobyann Faingold, took the Rookie Professional Championship with a 69.5, closely followed by reserve champion Jan Humphrey on her Hot Electric Spark with a 69.

Over 60 hopeful equestrians competed for prizes in the Rookie and WCRHA Green classes. Sweeping the Championships of all three Rookie divisions, with a 72 score, was Stephanie Marcozzi riding her own Alpha Brave Hard! He is a six-year old gelding sired by Gunners Special Nite and out of Miss Brim Peppy. Stephanie has owned her pretty sorrel gelding for a little over a year and credits the Boyle Ranch trainers for all their help in prepping for the 2021 show season.

Ranch Riding classes, an offering of something a little different for the reining community, closed out the first day, and coming out on top of the AQHA Open Ranch Riding class was Alpha Gun Shiner owned and shown by Stephanie Boyes. Im Magnificent, shown by Rammerstrofer for owner Scott Johnson, took second. Other Ranch Riding champions included Codes Dun Express, ridden and owned by Lianne Talbot, in AQHA Amateur Ranch Riding; Kelly Staley with her Like Madd In the AQHA Amateur Select Ranch Riding; and Cindy Laver and her Revolutionic in the AQHA Amateur Level 1 Ranch class. In AQHA Youth Ranch Riding, Montana Berlin took first on her West Coast Hick, and in a competitive WCRHA Ranch Riding All Ages class, Paul Magistri won on Shelda Magistri’s Gay Bar Chic, topping reserve Heidi Nash on her Driveslikea Mercedes.

Day Two’s NRHA Green Reiner classes featured almost 40 horses, with the Green Reiner Levels 1 and 2 Championship going to Nicol Shroyer on her Hot Spook with a 71. Reserve Stephanie Marcozzi and her Alpha Brave Hard were close behind with a 70.5.

Highlighting Non Pro competition was Trish Eckhoff, who scored a 72 with her Chics Love Chrome to win titles in the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro classes, in addition to finishing reserve in the Limited Non Pro.

Thirty-five riders competed in all three of the Novice Horse Open classes, with Martin Padilla coming out on top of Leve3l 1 aboard Paula Martinez’ Sailin Gun Brina with a 71.5. Close behind in reserve with a 71 was Kain Emmons on Jan Humphrey’s 4-year old mare, Tricks At Midnight.

It took almost four hours of go’s to finish the three Novice Horse Non Pro classes. Paige Barton took home the winning plaque for the Level 1 with her Sweet Special Nite with a 71. In Level 3, whopping scores of 73 secured a tie for the championship between Michele Auzenne on her Oakanic and Cassandra Kindle on her Ill Be Smokinum.

More online: https://bit.ly/104wcrha