TEMECULA — The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association held its annual Jimmy Flores, Sr. Memorial Horse Show on May 9-12 at Green Acres Ranch. The temperatures in Temecula were moderate, and competition was high!
Highlighting the four-day competition were the Spectaculars in six divisions. Winning the Open Spectacular was Jason Grimshaw on his Diamond J Starlite. Grimshaw also took second on Chris Lytle’s Rebel Wilson. Alexandria Zingg took the Limited Open Bridle Spectacular aboard her Uno Im Smart, and the Non Pro Spectacular went to Sarah Bradley riding her Blind Ambition.
In a competitive Open Hackamore Spectacular, Craig Cowley earned the title on Magic Vintage Lace, owned by David and Gina Klang. Roy Rich, riding the Rocking J Ranch’s RJ Runaround Sue, finished second. The Limited Open Hackamore Spectacular winner was Lester Walker on his Talkin Shmack, finishing a half-point ahead of second-place rider Zingg aboard Jesus Roman’s RR Johnny B Wood. Ruth Noring captured the Non Pro Hackamore Spectacular on her Nacho, and the 11-entry Non Pro Boxing Spectacular went to Natascha Benz Stevenson on Sweet Little Ruby, owned by NBS Ranch.
The SCRCHA provided wonderful prizes for the winners and runners-up, including bosal plaques, handmade mecate reins, headstalls, blankets and more.
The show ran smoothly all four days, and some of the standout winners included Dustin Turk, who won the Open Herd Work riding Wright On Holly Time, owned by Rocking J Ranch; Rich riding Half Past Boon to the Open Bridle championship; Catherine Deal capturing Non Pro Herd Work title on her own RJ Boon Docs; and Hayes Stroschien winning the Youth Boxing and Junior Youth Boxing aboard Cee Mr Cats Merada with a whopping 147.5.
Jenny Kelly won the Limited Non Pro Boxing on her Im Ichin To Smoke, and she also took the Select Boxing and Box Drive titles. Amy Diener captured the Box Drive class victory in Horse Show No. 1 aboard her RR Brown Eyed Girl.
Ranch riding stand out riders and horses included Marie De Yesso riding RR Corona Cat, Rich on RJ Runaround Sue, and Sarah Holtz on Yea Little Lois.
The Flores Memorial Show commemorates Jimmy Flores, Sr., who passed away September 2015 after a life dedicated to horses in general and the reined cow horse sport in particular. Flores first trained professionally in the late 1940s, hanging a shingle in the San Gabriel area. In 1960, he and his family briefly moved to Oregon, then returned to California in 1963, eventually settling in the Perris area in 1966. His highlights in the show pen often featured his Quarter Horse stallion, Skunkface, an AQHA High Point Working Cow Horse who also was part of an international exhibition in Mexico that Flores was asked to perform by the AQHA and the governments of both Mexico and the U.S. in 1968. Later, Flores was inspired to spread reined cow horse to Europe, and he did just that, helping introduce the sport in 1981 to Germany, where he is fondly remembered today. In 2009, he was named the National Reined Cow Horse Association Stockhorse Man of the Year. Likewise, Flores is fondly thought of by the thousands he encountered at shows throughout the U.S.
Next up on the SCRCHA season schedule will be the Grant Berg Memorial Show July 4-7 at Green Acres Ranch. This event is the club’s annual “Youth Ride Free!” show, with all youth entrants receiving waived fees — for haul-in, stall, youth classes, office fees, cow horse cattle fees, and youth herd work cattle fees. Whether young or not-so-young, there will be three full slates of NRCHA classes, including classes in ranch riding, AQHA cutting and working cow horse — as well as six Spectaculars: Open, Non Pro Fence, Box Drive (new!), Non Pro Boxing, Youth Fence and Youth.
The show’s namesake is Grant Berg, the son of trainer Mike and Kristi Berg who inspired many people worldwide — both inside and outside the equestrian community — with his courageous battles with chronic health afflictions. He passed away in 2020 at age 13.
For more information on the SCRCHA or its upcoming calendar, visit the club’s website at https://scrcha.com.
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