POMONA — Cal Poly Pomona administrators decided in August to put future students out to pasture. A crunch for student housing had led school officials to examine 10 sites on which a new phase of student lodging would be built, and despite protests by students and others, 13 of 45 acres of on-campus pasture got the nod.

The property, for decades an iconic emblem with grazing Arabian horses from the school’s venerable program, was not the first choice of ag students and horse enthusiasts who called the designation for housing “short-sighted.” A protest last January caused school officials to pause, but the plan is back on track after a six-month reevaluation.

University spokeswoman Esther Chou Tanaka said new President Soraya M. Coley, who took the reins of the university in January, paused the project in February, mindful of a need for additional student housing.

Karen Stives, who helped lead the U.S. Equestrian Team to a 1984 Olympic gold medal in three-day eventing in Southern California and who just missed an individual gold medal of her own, died Aug. 14 at her home in Dover, Mass., from a rare form of cancer. She was 64.

Stives earned her place in three-day eventing history when she rode her mother’s big grey gelding, Ben Arthur, to win the individual silver at the Los Angeles Olympics. A single rail down in show jumping cost her the individual gold, but the pair’s strong finish helped earn the team gold for the U.S. Karen became the first of two women ever to win an individual Olympic three-day event medal; British rider Virginia Holgate Elliott won the individual bronze at Los Angeles.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Forty-seven small, medium and large ponies competed on the grass in the Zone 10 Pony Challenge open and green divisions. With model and under saddle classes on Saturday morning, ice cream and cupcakes in the afternoon, and an over-fences portion on Sunday morning, the tinier yet talented troop had an excellent showing.

Ten-year-old Augusta Iwasaki had her work cut out for her, riding seven ponies between the open and green divisions. After the two days of competing were complete, Iwasaki and her medium pony Somekindawonderful garnered a model score of 88, under saddle of 92 and another 88 over fences for a total of 268 points and the Overall Grand Champion honors.

Overall Reserve Grand Champion went to Small Addition, piloted by Juliette Joseph and owned by Iwasaki & Reilly, who finished with scores of 90, 92 and 82 for a total of 264.

LAS VEGAS, Nev.– The High Roller Reining Classic announced May 4 that it will host two divisions of WPR/AQHA-approved Para Reining this September during its annual show at the South Point facility. Bob Haley of Bob’s Custom Saddles will provide two trophy saddles to be awarded to the winners of each class.

“We’ve worked with Arizona Veterans and wheel chair-bound riders in the past,” said Haley, who plans to be in Las Vegas to personally present the award saddles. “We’ll customize them individually to suit the WPR class winner’s particular disability.”

When WPR creator, Lisa Coulter was asked to Chair the Para Reining board for Equine Canada, she was intrigued and interested.

HAVERFORD, Pa. — California-based jumper star Susie Hutchison received another career honor April 13 when she was named to the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.

Hutchison, based in Temecula, is one of five riders who will be inducted during a ceremonial dinner May 26 at the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford.

“This is a huge honor,” said Hutchison. “I’ve been nominated in the past and haven’t been chosen, so it’s really an honor and a special place to have my name listed with the top hunter riders from years past. To even think that people still remember that I rode hunters is nice.”

FORT WORTH — Corey Cushing won the 2015 Kalpowar World’s Greatest Horseman competition on PRF Spoonful Of Gold, and California riders and horses also made their respective marks at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Celebration of Champions, held Feb. 13-21.

PRF Spoonful Of Gold (Hes A Peptospoonful X Sons Miss Sprat) is a 2008 sorrel stallion owned by Cathy Corrigan. The reserve championship went to Phillip Ralls of Paso Robles on Dom Dualuise (Dual Rey X Smart Little XX), an 8-year-old gelding owned by Christian Larson of Park City, Utah. Jake Gorrell took fourth place on Smooth N Cash, owned by the Roloff Ranch in Temecula.

RANCHO MURIETA — Sandy Arledge of Encinitas was inducted into the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame during the organization’s Feb. 14 banquet.

In addition to her lifelong contributions to California’s Quarter Horse scene, Arledge has contributed at a national level with the American Quarter Horse Association. Arledge has been an AQHA director since 1997 and was elevated to director emeritus in 2011. She has served on the AQHA membership, shows and Professional Horsemen, judges, stud book and registration, and hall of fame selection committees. She also served on the nominations and credentials committee and served as the committee’s chairwoman in 2010. She currently serves on the American Quarter Horse Foundation Council.

WELLINGTON, Fla. — Before Steffen Peters competes this winter in Los Angeles and San Juan Capistrano qualifying events for the 2015 Reem Acra World Cup of Dressage in Las Vegas, he took a cross-country trip to Florida — and won the hearts of East Coast fans.

At the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival, Peters rode Rosamunde to a first-place finish in the FEI 3* Grand Prix with a 71.3 percent, and Legolas 92 to a 71.2 percent in the FEI 5* Grand Prix. The top-ranked FEI rider also received the People’s Choice award, presented by Ann-Louise Cook, for his riding skills and contributions to dressage.

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) Board of Directors expressed anger and disgust after reports of three equine fatalities occurred at a national Concours Endurance Nationale (CEN) event held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Jan. 31.

TEMECULA — More than 100 of Southern California’s top reined cow horse competitors attented the the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association banquet Jan. 10 at the Journey’s End clubhouse to honor its best performers of 2014.

Champions and reserve champions were awarded with custom buckles from A Cut Above Buckles, while the Top Five were awarded with custom breast collars created by Trophy Tack. Qualifiers were awarded with custom SCRCHA split reins donated by Thrifty Horse in Norco.
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Yvonne Mathieu Award, a custom saddle stand by Trophy Tack, to Jimmy Flores.