BURBANK — The successful year for Ashlee Bond and her Cadett 7, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Little Valley Farms of Calabasas, Calif., continued when she won the $50,000 Los Angeles International Grand Prix Sept. 20 at Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

The L.A. International win—a World Cup Qualifier as well—followed up Bond and Cadett 7 taking consecutive victories at the $40,000 Summer Classic Grand Prix on Aug. 22 and $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark on Aug. 29.

TEMECULA — Rancho California Arabian Horse Association made efforts to both serve its members and outreach to non-equestrians at its “Night of the Arabian Horse” Sept. 19 and annual Fall Show Sept. 20 at Casner Ranch.

“Night of the Arabian Horse” was an exhibition and included freestyle reining, costumes, dressage freestyle and a liberty class, in addition to having raffles and food available.

As an outreach program, the Rancho California AHA hoped to have both equestrians and non-horsemen enjoy the event and make more people aware of the beauty of the Arabian horse.

PASO ROBLES — Minutes after their roar in the night air of the Chumash Arena, spectators filed from the grandstand, right past him. Bob Avila sat on Chics Magic Potion near the gate, thanking by-passers for their congratulations after a textbook, 225 fence work had left the rider atop the talented field of the 2009 National Stock Horse Association’s Golden Hills Auto World’s Richest Stock Horse Competition.

There, Avila and the horse stood, awaiting their queue to return to the arena for a line-up trophy photograph. Then quietly, casually he said this would be the “Magic’s” final competition.

“He’s been a great winner, and I want him to go out a great winner,” said Avila, whose last win on the 9-year-old stallion came six years almost to the day of his first one — the 2003 NRCHA Cow Horse Classic. “He’s done so much for me. I’ve had him since he was a 2-year old. I want him to retire when he’s on top.”

DEL MAR — The Showpark Summer Classic hunter/jumper show from Aug. 19-23 at Del Mar Horsepark featured the $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Among the riders in that class were some of the West Coast’s best junior-and-amateur riders who have the potential to become future Grand Prix stars.

Some of those riders recently returned from representing California and competing admirably at the 2009 FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in Lexington, Ky.

Samantha Harrison and Santika, owned by Harrison Farms LLC, were part of the Zone 10 riders to take the Team Gold Medal home to California from the North American Junior Team Show Jumping competition. Back at the $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, Harrison and Santika finished in second place.

WOODSIDE — Andrea Fappani successfully pulled a hat trick by winning first, second and third places at the Reining By The Bay Derby Open. The event at the Horsepark at Woodside was one of the biggest reining events annually on the West Coast.

The competition from July 21-26 featured more than $150,000 in total added money and prizes, and it was also an FEI qualifying event. The proceeds from this year’s event benefited the Peninsula Humane Society and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Paint Horse Association debuted a new format for its World Championship Show by splitting it into two events: a Summer World Show and a Fall World Show. The Summer World Championship Paint Horse Show from June 24-July 4 at Will Rogers Memorial Center featured a full schedule of Youth events, followed by a smaller selection of Amateur and Open classes.

Next, the APHA Fall World Show from Nov. 5-14 will focus on Open and Amateur divisions.

Alexie Estrada of Bakersfield may have won the 2009 All-Around Youth 14-18 title at the APHA Summer World Show riding Predictably Perfect, but for her, it was the culmination of years of riding, training and finding a balance in life. Her discipline in both studying hard at school as an honors student and spending several weeks out of the year competing at horse shows has paid off.

Estrada said winning her first World Championship was so rewarding and oh so sweet. “It’s the most amazing feeling ever. All the hard work to become the best you can be; all the blood from the boot blisters; all the sweat from the hours and hours of riding; all the tears from the frustration and exhaustion; all of that has finally paid off,” she said.

PASO ROBLES — The National Reined Cow Horse Association Derby paid out more than a half-million dollars, the lion’s share of which was awarded during the Open Finals, held June 16-21 at Paso Robles Event Center.

Corey Cushing and Smart Boons, owned by Kevin and Sydney Knight, blew away the competition to win the Open Championship by eight points–a margin of victory almost unheard of in the elite competition of the Derby–and that win was worth the big prize of $45,866.

“Everything fell together. It was very special, because there were really great riders with really great cow horses here,” said Cushing, who is based in Arizona. “It was very tough, and this win means a lot because of it.”

Sacramento — Benny Guitron, a National Reined Cow Horse Association Hall of Fame inductee rode Too Smart For You to win the 2009 Magnificent 7 all-around stock horse competition as part of the 11th annual Western States Horse Expo, with the Magnificent 7 finals held June 13 at Cal Expo.

“This is one of the premier events to win and, fortunately, being one of the founding fathers of the event—I competed in the very first one—it’s pretty special to win it,” said Guitron, of Merced, Calif., who added that the quality of horses and riders who compete each year in the Magnificent 7 is “as good as it gets. To be able to come out on top and be respected by your peers is an honor.”

DEL MAR — Arabian Horse Association’s Regional Championships are an opportunity to achieve local recognition and qualify for the annual AHA National Championships. Californians have four nearby Regional shows held annually, and the Region One Championship showcased among the state’s best riders and horses.

The 30th annual All-Arabian Region One Championship Horse Show, was held May 27-31 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Show officials and many participants agreed that the competition drew top purebred and half-Arabian horses and their riders from all over the western states to compete for championships in a wide variety of classes.