If you are keeping an eye for top performance horses for sale, there’s a sale July 10 at the 101 Livestock Market along Highway 101 between Salinas and San Juan Bautista that you don’t want to miss. The inaugural Wright Quarter Horse Production Sale starts at 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon, with a preview scheduled from 1 p.m. to sale time, and a barbeque from 4-6 p.m. Ranch horses, rope horses, reined cow horses and finished cutting horses – including well-started Snaffle Bit Futurity prospects — will will be sold. You’ll also find beginner, kids and high school rodeo horses – well-bred registered AQHA and APHA mares, geldings and stallions. For more information, contact Justin, Walter or Sharon Wright at the ranch (831) 623-4281 or on the cell phone (831) 801-0322, and be sure to see the ad on page 26.

The Grand Ballroom of the Los Angeles Equestrian Center came to life May 22 for the third annual Compton Junior Posse Fund-raiser. The beautiful evening of good friends raising money to keep kids on horses and off the streets took the organization well on its way to reaching its $1.3 million campaign. The grateful group is thankful to all who found a way to give, including sponsors like O.H. Kruse, contributors like jumper star Will Simpson with daughter Sofie, NFL Hall Of Fame lineman Bruce Smith, and so many more. Honoree Autumn Burke pledged two college scholarships to CJP students, and Saundra Price is giving a full year riding sponsorship to AA horse shows for one student! Special kudos go to the fabulous fundraiser committee: Mia Boudreau (Malibu Valley Farms); Saundra Price; attorney Beth Palmer; riding instructor Victoria Faerber; photographer Susie Randall; Patti Adair; Juana Cardiel and event coordinator Jaleeza Hazzard. See ad on page 73.

California’s biggest homegrown horse exposition since 1999 — the Western States Horse Expo — returns to Cal Expo June 11-13, and the Horsetrader will be there! If you plan on going – or if you are thinking about it – be sure to check out our “Expo Shopper’s Guide” online at http://www.horsetrader.com/expo. We asked every vendor “what’s new in 2010”, so here’s a chance to learn what’s new. And – save BIG, too, with coupons for select vendors in this issue on Page 11. (More online, too!)

The Western States Horse Expo arrives at the Cal Expo in Sacramento June 11-13, and our next issue (June 3) will be in demand there! This will be our 12th straight year of sponsorship the Expo, and this year we’ve got some great new things going – bringing “buyers and sellers together.” We think both readers and advertisers will be winners! Our “Expo Shopper’s Guide” will be in print AND online (www.horsetrader.com) for everyone to read through and find from the vendors themselves what their hot, new items are. Plus, we’re offering vendors the chance to add a coupon to (in print AND online)their Shopper Guide listing. On top of it all, we’ll be sending to our email recipients a link so they don’t miss this special info! Our June 3 issue is a “don’t miss” issue – one of our most popular of the year. For more info on advertising, call Lori today (760-546-1184) or email to lori.wilson@horsertader.com. Deadline is Monday, May 24!

Congratulations are in order for Cindy Mendoza, who is saddling up and competing in reined cow horse events in 2010 after a half-dozen years behind the scenes as a director of the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association –the last three years as club president. She’s making up for lost time! In the Novice Bridle competition at the NRCHA Hackamore Classic in Paso Robles April 23-25, Cindy and CP Remedy (Tangys Classy Peppy X Miss Remedy) were reserve champions. This came two weeks after she won three Novice Bridle classes at one-day NRCHA shows put on by the Arizona Reined Cow Horse Association in Queen Creek.

Grab your breeches—Its Broken Horn’s Third Annual ALL ENGLISH SALE! For two days only, April 17-18, you’ll find everything English 10 to 50 percent. You’ll find $20,000 in English saddles, English tack that is 20-50 percent off plus savings throughout the store. To add a little excitement and fun to this event, there will be hourly and grand prize drawings for thousands of dollars in merchandise, including three English saddles. However, in order to enter the drawings, you MUST WEAR ENGLISH RIDING ATTIRE (or present a photo of yourself in English riding attire)! So mark your calendar and plan on joining the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Broken Horn’s All English Sale this month! For more info and directions, see the Broken Horn ad on pages 52-53.

Hawthorne Country Store in Escondido makes it a habit to be more than just a feed store, and Heather and Terry Thelen and the rest of Hawthorne’s gang are doing it again by helping customers go green with their horse operations. For example, they can guide you to finding many ways to control pests naturally around your ranch — large or small – by encouraging beneficial species like owls, bats, hummingbirds and chickens to assist in controlling fly, mosquito, gnat and rodent populations. The use of their owl and bat houses, hummingbird feeders, chicken coops and chicks helps establish a natural balance in a closed system of control. Hawthorne’s also will be hosting a Purina HOW (Horse Ownership Workshop) Series event on Tuesday, April 6, at 6:30 pm. These exciting, informative workshops are filled with nutritional and research information and offer prizes and savings for those who attend. Bring a friend for a special offer! See ad on page 32.

Grand Otero Equestrian in Fillmore and the Extreme Cowboy Association (EXCA) are hosting their “Spring Fling” featuring Craig Cameron’s Extreme Cowboy Race in April. To help you prepare, they are hosting their first clinic prior to the event! Being held by EXCA National Champion, Cam Schryver, the clinic will focus on jumping, reining, roping, scary obstacles and course strategies. The clinic is being held March 20-21, so plan on registering early. The weekend will be packed with excitement, as well as a 50 percent payout, pot luck dinner and camp fire Saturday night for those interested. Bring your favorite dish, stories and instruments! See ad on page 85.

Glen Aspinall opened for business at Casner Ranch in Temecula on Feb. 15. Glen is a multiple finalist in all major NRCHA events as well as World Show qualifier. In addition to NRCHA, NRHA and AQHA training, there is colt starting and horses for sale. Casner Ranch is located at 34520 DePortola Road. For more information, contact Glen at (559) 303-0627, or see their ad this issue on page 33.

“If you can’t run with the Big Horses…stay in the barn!” might be the slogan for Big Horse Feed and Mercantile in Temecula, but this weekend it might be changed to “If you can’t buy it at Big Horse…stay home!”

This is a sale not to miss June 26-28 — the 11th Annual Customer Appreciation Sale. As if prices marked 10-to-50 percent off wasn’t enough, Big Horse will throw a free customer appreciation barbeque each day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plus, if you’re one of the first 100 customers each day, you’ll get a free Big Horse Grain Scoop with fun give-aways. The store is off of Temecula Parkway, and the ad is on Page 9.