A ‘Classic’ ending
SCRCHA wraps up 2024 season with September Classic
By SUE CARTER / for the Horsetrader
TEMECULA — The September Classic was the last show of 2024 for Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association. Soaring temperatures did not deter the hardy competitors from vying for the year-end points and coveted Doug Williamson Memorial Buckle, sponsored by Molly’s Custom Silver. The start time was moved up by an hour in an effort to save the horses and competitors from the heat.
Tina Lattanzio aboard her own Smooth Moves won both the Open and Non Pro Cutting, with Craig Cowley aboard Peppys Autumn Cat coming in second in Open Cutting.
Surf City success
Four-show series concludes its 2024 summer run
By Horsetrader staff
HUNTINGTON BEACH: The four-show Surf City Circuit series, put on by Track One Events for the Los Serranos Award Circuit, wrapped up its successful season Aug. 17 at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center.
Beautiful buckles and other awards were icing on the cake for winners at this refreshing circuit of open shows, which featured popular classes in ranch, reining, pleasure, horsemanship and trail.
One gratified Circuit Champion was open reiner Sophia Ritchie, an assistant trainer for Rick Baer Performance Horses that is based at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center. Ritchie rode I Whiza Gangsta to the title for owner Patricia Houk.
Winning with Style
Kailty King-Hale and Gotta Have Style are finding their groove
By Horsetrader staff
After a year, it’s safe to say Kailey King-Hale and Gotta Have Style, the grey mare she acquired last year, are connecting.
Kailey, a non pro who rides at her family’s King Performance Horses in Chino Hills, was looking for a next-level reiner to develop in spring 2023 when a friend at the Cactus Reining Classic in Scottsdale arranged an unforgettable test ride in a busy warm-up arena at the show.
Youth shine at Grant Berg Memorial Show
Popular ‘kids ride free’ SCRCHA event also inspires adults
By Sue Carter / for the Horsetrader
TEMECULA — The future of horses is the youth of today, and it looked bright at the 2024 Grant Berg Memorial Horse Show put on by the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association on July 4-7.
Green Acres Ranch hosted the four-day horse event honoring Grant Berg, and there was a nice turnout of horses and riders for the warm days that included three full slates of National Reined Cow Horse Association classes.
WCRH summer fun
Ranch Horse competitors say ‘mahalo’ for 2024 Summerfest
Special to the Horsetrader
TEMECULA — West Coast Ranch Horse has had a great 2024 season of ranch horse competition so far. Their popular Ranch Summerfest Show was held on July 21 at California Ranch Company, and exhibitors wore Hawaiian shirts to beat the heat and adorned themselves and their horses with festive leis.
The event featured tropical ranch trail, open disciplined ranch rail and a non-pro ranch rail stakes class with a Hawaiian-themed silver belt buckle to the champion. Saltwater Riders, the title sponsor for the third straight year, sponsored t-shirts of the winners’ choice for the Top 10 in the stakes and disciplined rail classes. Bentley Show Pads sponsored multiple show pads for the winners, too.
Surf’s up for Western riders
Surf City Western Series brings it to the beach
By Horsetrader staff
HUNTINGTON BEACH — The competition may be hot, but temperatures are cool for this summer’s Surf City Western Series Show Circuit at the beautiful Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center.
The four-show series kicked off May 11 with classes in reining, ranch, pleasure, horsemanship and trail. The kick-off show May 11 had a great feel, and several familiar faces finished at the top of the classes.
The beach goes Western!
The four-show Surf City Western Circuit brings it to the beach
From the Horsetrader sales staff
Summer and surf go together in Southern California, and the only way to improve that mix is to add horses! The four-show Surf City Western Circuit held at the beautiful Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center in Huntington Beach brings it all together for competitors in reining, ranch riding, pleasure, horsemanship and trail who want to beat the heat, have fun and compete. The first show was held May 11, with the rest of the summer schedule set for June 15, July 20 and Aug. 17. The series, presented by the Los Serranos Award Circuit, is PCHA-approved and offers fabulous year-end awards — trophies, buckles and cash! For more information, check out the Surf City Circuit display ad on page 7, and visit the circuit’s website at trackoneevents.com.
If you are interested in learning more about cow horse for yourself or your young riders, make plans to attend the Grant Berg Memorial Horse Show July 4-7 at Green Acres Ranch in Temecula. Put on by the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association, this event is the club’s annual “Youth Ride Free!” show, with all youth entrants receiving waived fees — for haul-in, stall, youth classes, office fees, cow horse cattle fees, and youth herd work cattle fees. Whether young or not-so-young, there will be three full slates of NRCHA classes, including classes in ranch riding, AQHA cutting and working cow horse — as well as six Spectaculars: Open, Non Pro Fence, Box Drive (new!), Non Pro Boxing, Youth Fence and Youth. For more information, see the SCRCHA display ad on page 19, and visit the association’s website at scrcha.com.
Spectacular Again
Cow Horse action heats up at Jimmy Flores, Sr. show
By SUE CARTER / for the Horsetrader
TEMECULA — The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association held its annual Jimmy Flores, Sr. Memorial Horse Show on May 9-12 at Green Acres Ranch. The temperatures in Temecula were moderate, and competition was high!
Highlighting the four-day competition were the Spectaculars in six divisions. Winning the Open Spectacular was Jason Grimshaw on his Diamond J Starlite. Grimshaw also took second on Chris Lytle’s Rebel Wilson. Alexandria Zingg took the Limited Open Bridle Spectacular aboard her Uno Im Smart, and the Non Pro Spectacular went to Sarah Bradley riding her Blind Ambition.
From GOOD to ‘GREAT’
Nicole Donahoo brings home 2024 NRCHA World’s Greatest Youth Horseman title
By Horsetrader staff
The packed Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, was a loud pressure-cooker when Nicole Donahoo and Very Smart Pearl stepped into the arena for her final go in the NRCHA World’s Greatest Youth Horseman finals in February.
Then, she nailed it.
Her championship crowned a 10-year youth show path from junior rodeo to cow horse, along the way putting tools into her toolbox that she continues to build as a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Which tool did she rely on as she entered the final? Start with her mindset.
Cow horse Kick Off
New year, same excitement in SCRCHA opener
By SUE CARTER / for the Horsetrader
TEMECULA — Southern California s cow horse community came together Jan. 5-7 to salute its 2023 champions and also launch the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association’s 2024 campaign.
SCRCHA members were glad to be back on their horses after the bustle of the holidays, and the Kick Off Show sponsored by Dr. Doug Lawrence and Dr. Wayne McNeel of Equine Health Management was a great start to the new campaign.
Tucalota Creek Ranch hosted the show, including a fun pizza party with wine tasting that took place while SCRCHA 2023 Year End Champions received their buckles and awards.