GAINSVILLE, Texas — At the 2007 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity, Shining Spark made history as the first NRCHA $2 Million sire when his offspring won enough during the event to propel him past that milestone. Two years later, his talented progeny did it again, and he became the association’s first $3 Million Sire before any other horse could reach the $2 Million mark.

Of the 19 Shining Spark offspring that competed in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity in 2009, 13 made their way to the various finals and earned $233,558 in the process. The total earnings of his foals at the event were $246,640.

Also, at the 2008 National Reining Horse Futurity, a Shining Spark daughter, Shining N Sassy, won the Open and $175,000. Those earnings helped push Shining Spark over the $3 Million Mark in NRHA offspring earnings. At that event, 11 of the Open Finalists were by “Shiner” or out of one of his daughters.

Outside of the competition at the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s 2009 Snaffle Bit Futurity, NRCHA recognized the best of the reined cow horse industry during various events Sept. 20-Oct. 4. Among the honorees were Californians John Ward of Kingsburg, and Jimmy Flores, Sr. of Perris.

NRCHA honored its newest Million Dollar Rider, John Ward, during the Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Finals opening ceremonies on Oct. 4. The name “Ward” is almost synonymous with the reined cow horse, bringing to mind a long family history of great wins and top-notch cow horses. Ward won his second NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity title in 2008, on the home-bred Black Pearl. Ten years earlier, he won the championship on Masteroani.

BURBANK — Eleanor Hellman won the 2009 Riding For Reading Class during the Woodside Labor Day Classic, while Ashlyn Matheus won the Los Angeles Riding For Reading Class for the second year in a row at the Gold Coast 6 Show at Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Every rider in the classes earned grants to their school libraries from Riding For Reading.

Riding For Reading is a non-profit organization which promotes reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities. The Riding For Reading class is open to riders from 1st through 12th grade. Since the program began, more 500,000 students have benefited from Riding For Reading library grants, organizers said.

SYLMAR — Patrick Swayze, a member of the Arabian horse community, died Sept. 14 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. Swayze was known to many as a dancer and actor in films such as “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost,” but to the Arabian horse community, he was also an accomplished horseman and active participant at horse shows throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Swayze and his wife, Lisa, own ranches in the Sylmar area of Ventura County, Calif., and Santa Fe, N.M.

In 1991, Swayze bought Tammen, an Egyptian Arabian stallion, from Tom McNair and during the next year the stallion was honored with several halter championships. “Over the years, it happened–people gradually started seeing that I am serious about this and I care more about the horses than my little image. I am accepted now, so going Grand Champion there was like a big event for me,” Swayze said about winning at Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals.

TEMECULA — The horse community came out to support the Norwood family at the Ella Norwood Benefit Horse Show on Aug. 29 at Casner Ranch. Friends of Bill and Kelli Norwood organized the fund-raising horse show, auction and dinner to help pay for medical costs of their daughter, Ella Maree Norwood, who at just 5 weeks old this past April, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer. After a successful surgery at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, doctors reportedly are confident they were able to remove all of the tumor. However, insurance coverage is limited, and hospital bills are high.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Eight different wildfires in California from August through September forced the evacuation of horses throughout the state. The biggest one, called the Station fire in Los Angeles County, has consumed more than 160,000 acres. Many Southern California horses took shelter at major evacuation sites, such as Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster, and Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

By the beginning of September, about 90 horses found safe haven at Los Angeles Pierce College’s Equestrian Center, which has accommodations for up to 200. Most of the horses came from the evacuated areas of Tujunga and Acton.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — The future of Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park had been up in the air for the past few years until the San Juan Capistrano City Council voted unanimously Aug. 19 that $27.5 million from an open-space bond approved by voters in November 2008 will be used to buy 132 acres of Rancho Mission Viejo property at La Pata and Antonio Parkway. The land will continue to be used for equestrian events, sports fields and an annual rodeo. The property will be called the “Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park at San Juan Capistrano.”

Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park is widely known for its year-round equestrian events, especially hunter/jumper shows managed by Blenheim EquiSports. The grounds have hosted several national championships, along with Olympic and FEI World Cup qualifiers.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Northern California resident John French riding Rumba went down in history as the inaugural winner of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s International Hunter Derby Finals held Aug. 20-22 at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Johnson Arena.

“I couldn’t have been happier with his performance; he was unbelievable tonight,” French said of Rumba. “He is very adjustable and is happy to have courses that ask more of his scope, range and handiness.”

RANCHO SANTA FE — A reward of up to $12,500 leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever left a mix of food containing toxins for 23 show horses at a Rancho Santa Fe ranch is being offered. The Humane Society of the United States added $2,500 to the $10,000 already being offered by Rockridge Farm owners Bill and Debbie Tomin, who run a 10-acre boarding and training facility that houses about 30 American Saddlebreds.

One of the animals sickened by the toxins, a 14-year-old gelding named Forever Aptor, remained hospitalized, but veterinarians said he is making progress and may be released soon, at press time.

AMARILLO, Texas — Three individuals and three horses will be inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame at the 2010 AQHA Convention, March 5-8 in Kissimmee, Fla. Among the honorees are two people with California ties: Carol Rose and Frank “Scoop” Vessels III.

Carol Rose of Gainesville, Texas, began competing in 4-H horse shows at age 8 in California. Born in Palo Alto, Calif., Rose inherited a love of horses from her mother, Elizabeth. In college, she was earned a degree in animal science and ag business. Early adulthood found Rose devoted to competition in the California Reined Cowhorse Association, which evolved into today’s National Reined Cow Horse Association.