HUNTINGTON BEACH — This is early text. If you see this in production environment, be sure to alert Warren or Evan so we can resolve it.

International FEI course designer Anderson Lima of Mexico set a precise course that tested both the horses and riders. With three double combinations instead of a triple, the time proved possible, but rails continued to drop for many of the competitors, veterans and up-and-coming riders alike. “It’s a challenge for them,” Lima said of the course. “In every little place… it’s a Grand Prix.”

There were 35 entries for the class, and the first in the ring, Felipo Godinho aboard Sergio Nieto’s Google, posted the first clear of the class. All of the combinations, two one-strides and one two-stride, proved the most problematic. Last week’s Markel Insurance Grand Prix winner, Lane Clarke and Brooklane Farms’ Semira de Saulieu, Ashlee Bond and her second mount of the class, veteran partner Agro Star (owned by Little Valley Farms), and successful pair Josephina Nor Lantzman and her own Chello Z, each ended the first round with faults.

BURBANK — For the first time, the Special Olympic World Games came to the U.S., with the equestrian competition held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. This is early text. If you see it, be sure to alert Evan or Warren that the final text is missing from this editorial page.

This is early text. If you see it, be sure to alert Evan or Warren that the final text is missing from this editorial page. This is early text. If you see it, be sure to alert Evan or Warren that the final text is missing from this editorial page.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Folks have been expecting Nathalie Manning to record her first grand prix victory for some time, perhaps none longer than Nathalie herself.

At age 2 (“before I was walking”, she says), her legendary horseman grandfather, Morton “Cappy” Smith, would lead her around his Middleburg, Va., farm. By age 7, she was riding almost any horse on the property, and as an 8-year-old, she conceived her future barn name: Acorn Farm, “where every little acorn turns into a great oak.”

“My grandfather would put me on just about anything,” she smiles. “He had a lot of sale horses, and I was fearless.”

ELK GROVE — The West Coast Reining Horse Association celebrated Independence Day in patriotic style with their Star Spangled Slide show, the fifth and last NRHA Affiliate show of 2015. Red, white, and blue decorations were all over Bill Madden’s Brookside Show Park in Elk Grove, California. Winning exhibitors happily packed home red, white, and blue flip flops, backpacks, spur straps, and other patriotic themed awards.

The weather was quite accommodating this year with temperatures in the low 90s, thankfully disputing the local weatherman’s predictions of 105+ degrees. If that was too warm, exhibitors put on their swimsuits and cooled off in the Brookside pool.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — The competition continued after the Grand Prix with the $5,000 Pony Derby, also presented by Markel Insurance. A unique opportunity for this division, the classic and handy rounds were held on the grass. With an overall total of 175, Augusta Iwasaki rode Ava Peck’s large pony Kingston to a decisive win.

In her classic round with Kingston, Iwasaki received an 87 and in her handy round, scored an 88. “I’ve been riding him since Thermal. He’s actually owned by Ava Peck and I’m very lucky to get to ride him,” Iwasaki says of her win. “I like the hunter derbies since they’re different. It’s something new and fun.”

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Hunters, jumpers and the casual environs of the Huntington Beach Central Park Equestrian Center made for a special — if not low-key — holiday weekend July 1-4 at the Huntington Beach Surf Classic, managed by West Palm Events.

The headliners were Lane Clarke, who rode MH War Dance to victory in the $25,000 GGT Footing Grand Prix, and Jamie Taylor, who took Caroline Eliades’s Jager to the $2,500 Grand Prix Hunter Derby title.

MORE ONLINE: http://bit.ly/507B_beach

PASO ROBLES — While open competitors tuned their show horses in the two weeks before the National Reined Cow Horse Association Derby, Richard Winters was working in Parkfield.

Without pause, there was the all-women’s horsemanship retreat he and wife Cheryl conduct each year at the V-6 Ranch, followed by a pair of “ultimate horse” clinics — back-to-back-to-back — and then a haul straight to the Mid State Fairgrounds where he “got into horse show mode.”

“That’s the tough deal for me, knowing that I’ve got to compete against guys who have not been sitting out here talking to the average clinic participant about their horses,” said Richards, who loves his 25-year work as a popular clinician and teacher and who also has had a lifelong passion for reined cow horses. “They’ve been schooling their cow horses. They are getting ready to compete, and here I am out here. You just do what you can do.”

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Back in the saddle after being sidelined with a winter leg injury at HITS Thermal, Susie Hutchison was on fire a the Blenheim June Classic II, winning two major events in a single day.

You could call June 14 “Susie Sunday” after the Temecula-based star rode to wins in both the afternoon $30,000 June Classic Grand Prix and the $7,500 CashCall Mortgage Futurity earlier in the day. She rode St. Bride Farm’s Ziedento to the grand prix win over Francie Steinwedell-Carvin aboard Lapsus du Lavoir, and she took 8-year-old SIG Firecracker to the futurity title.

From the hilltop VIP tent to the grassy knoll, there was a sizable crowd soaking up the Southern California sun while watching show jumping at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park at San Juan Capistrano. Mexican course designer Javier Fernandez designed the track, with standout challenges in the first round, including a short turn to the Michael & Kenzie vertical line in five strides to the open water jump and an oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination going away from the in-gate towards the end.

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.

BURBANK — With $11,500 in added money, a pair of National Reining Horse Association Affiliate-qualifers, and added APHA classes to accompany PCHA and AQHA ones, the Reiner Shine Horse Show had a lot going for it.

Not to mention those talented reiners.

Good crowds and good times filled the weekend June 4-7 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, as the California Reining Horse Association hit its mid-year stride with a competition that boosted members’ campaigns to qualify for year-end opportunities.

From youth to non pros to open, competition was sharp. Ryan Kali and Ben Balow were judges.

Elaine Davis went home with a pair of Circuit Championships with her Custom Made Nic, taking the Limited Non Pro title along with the Novice Horse Championship. Finishing reserve to Custom Made Nic in the respective classes were Rebecca Armour on San Cielo Rey in the Limited Non Pro competition, and Taylor Stephens in the Novice Horse.