LEXINGTON, Ky. — Fritz and Phyllis Grupe of Stockton and Leslie Berndl of Newcastle were named this month to the 2011 United States Equestrian Federation Driver Training Long List.

Fritz Grupe made the Pair Horses and Single Horse disciplines, Phyllis Grupe the Single Pony discipline, and Berndl both the Single Horse and Single Pony disciplines.

LOS ANGELES – A traffic-related incident that resulted in a euthanized mare and a shaken 100-year-old equestrian has galvanized the community to appeal use of storm grates termed unsafe.

On Dec. 4, a car driving on Wheatland Avenue reportedly brushed Bert Bonnett on his Tennessee Walker, Cassie, and spooked her to a curb that had been outfitted with a type of storm drain designed to prevent large debris from entering run-off. Bonnett, who was thrown into the street, survived. The mare, however, became trapped in the curbside debris screen and did not survive the ordeal despite valiant efforts by volunteers and emergency personnel, including Rene Herrera, founder of the Foothill Mounted Patrol and a city firefighter who responded.

TEMECULA – Russell Dilday, Todd Crawford, Don Murphy and Jake Gorrell will all be part of four days of stock horse clinics at the Casner Ranch Jan. 6-9, which includes a fund-raising effort for youngster Grant Berg, the son of trainers Mike and Cindy Berg who is suffering from Dandy Walkers Syndrome.

The Thursday and Friday of the clinic are for Open trainers and advanced Non Pros, while Saturday and Sunday will be open to all skill levels. Crawford will join the other three world-class trainers for the Saturday and Sunday events.

BONSALL – First Down Cash, the top Paternal Grandsire of barrel horses from 2005-2009 who was still in demand as a breeding stallion, passed away Thanksgiving Day at his home on the Vessels Stallion Farm.

The 26-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was quietly eating hay in his stall when observed by ranch manager Kevin Dickson at 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving. Three hours later the night man observed First Down Dash taking his last breath.

“He laid down and went to sleep peacefully. He was missing Scoop and his sunflower seeds,” said Bonnie Vessels, referring to her late husband, Frank “Scoop” Vessels.

LAKE VIEW TERRACE — Eighteen high performance saddles were reportedly boldly stolen in the night recently from the Middle Ranch boarding facility in Lake View Terrace.

The saddles, taken after 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26, were taken from the Meadow Grove Training Stables tack room, and included eight Antares, five Amerigo, one CWD and one Devoucoux saddle.

NORCO, CA – Memorial services were held at Nellie Weaver Hall Tuesday, Nov. 23, for Norco Mayor Malcolm Miller, who passed away Nov. 17 after battling with liver cancer that had been diagnosed in August.

Dr. Miller, 65, a retired anesthesiologist, was in his first four-year council term after being elected in 2007. His gentle, intellectual manner were combined with a drive to preserve and enjoy his community’s equestrian lifestyle. He saw his role as one who could influence long-term implications of City Council decisions – and also prevent council members’ political differences over them to become personal. Two weeks before his death, he had announced that he would take a 10-week leave of absence to receive treatment.

NAMPA, Idaho — Wright On Time, a flashy 3-year-old stallion in the top tier of the 2010 reined cow horse season, was humanely euthanized Oct. 24 after a show pen injury in the finals fence work at the Idaho Reined Cow Horse Association Futurity.

Wright On Time (Lenas Wright On x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark) suffered a broken front leg during the finals fence work. Shown by Bakersfield trainer Doug Williamson for owner Barbara Hastings, Wright On Time was on pace to win the Futurity Open — after two events, he held a solid lead with a 144 in the herd work and a round-winning 149.5 in the reined work.

BURBANK– While the temperatures in Colorado and California are dropping, five trainers will have the opportunity to warm up on the beaches of Maui, courtesy of Langer Equestrian Group’s Maui Trainer Incentive awards. Maui trips are awarded to the professionals whose students earn the most points at the Woodside, Colorado, Verdugo Hills and Woodside Dressage series, as well as a fifth prize for the professional member of the winning team in the Memorial Day Equitation Challenge.

Larry Langer started the Trainer Incentive to reward professionals for the hard work they put into the sport. Most trainers rarely get the chance to take a vacation, and when they do they are rarely extravagant.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Hagyard Equine Medical Institute has been named the official veterinarians for the 2011 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal for the fifth year.

The show will feature six weeks of “AA” rated hunter/jumper competition from the end of January through mid-March. Hagyard veterinarian Dr. Duncan Peters will lead the team and is the FEI-accredited veterinarian.

Based in Lexington, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s Sport Horse program specializes in the care and maintenance of show horse athletes, aspiring to bring the same quality of treatment to sport horses that the institute has provided for the race horse and breeding industries.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The American Paint Horse Association has named Tonya Ratliff-Garrison editor of the Paint Horse Journal, the Association’s award-winning monthly magazine.

Garrison comes to APHA with close to 30 years of experience as an editor, writer, photographer and graphic designer in the newspaper, television, Internet and magazine industries. During the past six years, Garrison has worked as a writer, photographer and field editor for the American Quarter Horse Journal. She has written for a host of equine associations and organizations, including American Quarter Horse Association, National Reining Horse Association and the National Reined Cow Horse Association.