City of L.A. committee OKs venue; IOC meets in April

From staff reports

A Los Angeles City Council Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, meeting for the first time since June 2024, approved by a 5-0 vote March 26 to proceed with requested venue changes from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee. Relocation of all equestrian events are headed to Galway Downs in Temecula, pending one final approval step in April.

Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles group fundraiser April 10

TEMECULA — One of Southern California’s most important — and fun! — equestrian fundraisers is April 10 at Europa Village Winery, and one of the region’s most important trail proponents will be honored that night.

Gil Pankonin, a pioneer of Temecula Valley’s riding trails and a founding member and longtime President of Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles will be awarded the 2025 TVRL Trailblazer Award. His contributions on horseback, or working onsite to help construct the trails, or advocating in offices with county officials, surveyors, and attorneys, have all helped ensure that trails are a vital, permanent asset to the community.

Support, dissent both aired at meeting to reveal center’s plans, needs

From Horsetrader staff reports

TEMECULA — Galway Downs owner Ken Smith hosted a well-attended presentation Feb. 19 to announce plans and hear public comments in the wake of January requests his team made to Riverside County planners. Along with Galway Downs Manager Robert Kellerhouse and land use consultant Alan Long, all three took turns at the mic to field questions. The almost two-hour forum was at times heated — especially when traffic caused by soccer events at Galway was broached — and at times supportive: the mention of Galway Downs’s proposed hosting of the 2028 Olympic Games equestrian events drew a loud ovation.

When the January fires hit, volunteers stepped in

From Horsetrader staff reports

BURBANK — It will be a while before the Los Angeles community recovers from the wildfires that devastated the area. The tragic week of Jan. 7-10 charred more than 36,000 acres just with the Eaton and Palisades fires, where close to 16,000 structures were destroyed and another 2,000 damaged. Twenty-nine lives were lost.

Temecula horsepeople balk at altering General Plan, use permit

By Horsetrader staff

TEMECULA — A pair of requests to Riverside County to alter policies defining how Galway Downs and adjacent property can be used were submitted in January, and area equestrians are voicing their disapproval.

Galway Downs, a 242-acre centerpiece to the equestrian region of southwest Riverside County, originally opened in 1968 as a racehorse training facility and now hosts equestrian competitions, trainers and services. It lies within the area’s Wine Country Community Plan, a formal guideline adopted in 2014 and then incorporated into the County’s General Plan to recognize and preserve the area’s equestrian and vineyard elements.

These keys open doors to equine-inclusive communities

By Danielle Bolte / courtesy elcr.org

Horses bring many benefits to our local communities — including economic, ecological, and aesthetic — and they enhance our general health and well-being. Plus, horses can be local economic drivers; according to the American Horse Council 2005 National Economic Impact of the U.S. Horse Industry Study, the equine industry accounted for 460,000 full-time jobs with an annual impact of $39 billion annually to our economy, generating $1.9 billion in taxes.

San Marcos horse group introduces new parks head to equestrian community

From Horsetrader staff reports

SAN MARCOS — It was a postcard-perfect afternoon on Sept. 23 at Walnut Grove Equestrian Center — excellent for introducing the facility and its supporters to Mark Olson, who became Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of San Marcos last January. Patty Morton, President of the Twin Oaks Valley Equestrian Association, along with other board members, led Mark on a tour of the grounds. The walk-and-talk ended in a meeting hall where additional local equestrians engaged in a town hall meeting that included a Powerpoint presentation on TOVEA, some area equestrian history, and the value of an equestrian lifestyle in a community. They also invited him to the Horse Heritage Festival and the 18th Annual Ride & Stride fund-raiser Oct. 20 at the park.

Survey by district agency could determine future of equestrian park

From Horsetrader staff reports

THOUSAND OAKS — Equestrians are banding together to keep horses in the future of their beloved Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Deadline is Dec. 6 for anyone to complete an online survey by the Conejo Recreation and Park District “to assess the entire community’s interests and needs for future use.” Here is a link to the survey: https://bit.ly/2410survey.

“It’s a horrifying thought that this could be the slippery slope of us losing our horse park in the next one to two years unless the equestrian voice is loud right now,” said local equestrian Diana Merville of Thousand Oaks.

Rancho California Horsemen’s Association celebrates its success

Special to the Horsetrader

TEMECULA — Rancho California Horsemen’s Association recently celebrated 55 years as the premier equestrian organization in the Temecula Valley.

A wonderful BBQ dinner catered by South Fork and sponsored by Darrell and Brenda Cowan, a silent auction sponsored by Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles, and line dancing led by Nita Bowers were highlights of the evening which also included the awarding of an RCHA-sponsored Scholarship at Green Acres Interactive Therapy (GAIT) to Kaylee Long so she can pursue her love of riding, and the annual Friend of RCHA Award to Lorraine Harrington for her support of the equestrian lifestyle in Temecula Valley.

SIGN OF THE TIMES: Young equestrians joined the April 25 demonstration at Costa Mesa City Hall against proposed boarding fee hikes at the Orange County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center. (Courtesy photo)

Boarding rent hike stirs equestrian center protests at OC Fairgrounds

From staff reports

COSTA MESA — Equestrians of all ages, sizes and disciplines — many with their horses in-hand — gathered outside Costa Mesa City Hall April 25 in protest of stabling rent increases at the Orange County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center. It was the most recent of multiple demonstrations over the past 18 months by local equestrians who are concerned that the big rent increases would impact and eventually lead to the closing of the facility altogether.

The effort came during a scheduled meeting of the Orange County Fair & Event Center’s Board of Directors.