BURBANK — With the last big derby of the year, a tough pre-futurity and the NRHA Southwest Regional Affiliate Finals, it’s no wonder the Los Angeles Equestrian Center was at near-capacity for the California Challenge, held Oct. 22-26 by the California Reining Horse Association.

Perfect weather and good ground greeted a talented group of competitors from throughout California as well as five other states. CRHA officials said they sold a record number of stalls.

The futurity, always a big draw as NRHA Futurity hopefuls enter the show pen, showcased potential finalists for the Oklahoma City event Nov. 28-Dec. 6. Competing at home, Tom Foran took Gunnin For A Shine to the Open L4 Futurity Championship, topping reserve co-champions Tracer Gilson of Sanger on Gunna Spank You and Randy Paul on Gunnadeous.

BURBANK – When she’s in the saddle, Adina Valenzuela of the U.S. Navy has no other care in the world. That’s why, when her shore duty ends in January and she is deployed to the Pacific Ocean for three years on the USS Paul Hamilton, she’s going to miss her Zen Master.

Plus, she just loves the 5-year-old gelding that carried her to unexpected heights this year, winning the California Reining Horse Association 2014 Reiner of the Year. Valenzuela, an Orange County native who learned to ride at the Ortega Equestrian Center, earned the award at the CRHA Challenge show Oct. 22-26. After qualifying for the special class by virtue of her success in her division at CRHA shows this year, she went head-to-head against other club members of all divisions – non pros, novice non pros, and all – and finished on top.

“I’m still in shock that I actually accomplished that,” says Valenzuela, who also claimed the Southwest Affiliate Reserve Championship in her Rookie Division.

TEMECULA — Barbara Crabo rode Eveready II to victory in the CCI3* at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, scoring 53.2 penalties. Her faultless show jumping around, combined with the fastest time on the cross-country course, pushed her to the top when leader Buck Davidson lowered one show jumping rail with Copper Beech to finish second (54.0). Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair finished third (59.2).

For Crabo, of Scottsdale, Ariz., Galway Downs was her first victory in a CCI3*, and for it she received a check for $7,000.

“I’m trying not to swear, but it feels awesome. It means the world to me,” said Crabo.

Crabo bred Eveready II, now 15 years old, was the first person to ride him, and is the only person to ever compete him. “We’ve been working together so hard and so long. I think, why couldn’t he be 11 now and not 15? But when he was 11 he was unrideable.”

With the second-fastest cross-country time on Copper Beech, Davidson put himself in position to win the CCI3* at Galway Downs for the second consecutive year. Davidson won the CCI3* in 2013 on Petite Flower.

RANCHO MURIETA — When the dust settled from the reining action Oct. 7-12 at the Murieta Equestrian Center, champions had been crowned, affilate tickets had been punched, and another successful West Coast Reining Horse Association season went into the books.

The WCRHA Year End Show, held in conjunction with the National Reining Horse Association Northwest Affiliate Championships, attracted top reining talent to the MEC for six days on competition. From David Hanson’s spectacular run in winning the Open Derby L4 Championship on Giselle Turchet’s Gotta Nu Gun to Ellie Madsen’s victory on her Taris Topsail for the 13-under Affiliate Championship, there were dreams come true.

One dream-maker was Maddox, Christian Rammerstorfer’s maturity horse that went home with five championships, including three NRHA Affiliate wins. In addition to winning the Select The Best Open 7-Up Maturity class, Maddox took the Novice Horse Open as well as affiliate titles in Open, Intermediate Open and Novice Horse Open.

DEL MAR — Packed with world class competition, appreciative crowds and the likes of zombies and engaging contests, the Del Mar International each year adds to its late-October “must attend” faithful. This year’s line-up did not disappoint, from Dutch grand prix rider Harrie Smolders and Regina Z outdueling Rich Fellers and Flexible by .04 seconds in Saturday night’s $125,000 Rancho Valencia World Cup Grand Prix of Del Mar, to Hannah Von Heidegger and Geledimar taking the GGT Footing Grand Prix Series Final the next day.

There were many special classes, each with a compelling story, perhaps none more compelling than that of Buddy Brown and Finally Ours in the Grand Prix Hunter Derby Final. Brown’s win on “Joey” – nicknamed for the boy character in the 1960s television series “Fury” that inspired Brown to ride as a kid – capped the duo’s 18-month journey together.

TEMECULA — Another year of hard work and accomplishment in the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association came to a head Oct. 17-19 as the SCRCHA held its Cut For A Cause and Saddle Shoot Out event at Casner Ranch.

Four Shoot Out Champions were crowned on Sunday after the Cut For A Cause competition on Friday and the NRCHA and SCRCHA reined cow horses classes over the weekend. This year’s fund-raising cutting event garnered $5,000 for the El Rodeo Riding Club in Orange County.

The El Rodeo Riding Club is a Southern California group that promotes the equestrian lifestyle with a vast range of activities across many age groups, including providing a safe environment for children to become introduced to horses. Summer camps, riding lessons, horse show, trail and nature preservation activities are part of the line-up that helps promote core values while preserving tradition.

LOS ANGELES – More than 100 equestians from 17 of this city’s diverse associations converged on City Hall Oct. 22 to commemorate the Official L.A. Day of the Horse.

Tom LaBonge, Councilman Fourth District, was front-center of the ceremonies, which also featured words from Los Angeles Equine Advisory Council President Dale Gibson and Vice President Lynn Brown. La Bonge patiently took time to thank and be photographed with each group, including the likes of the Equestrian Trails, Inc. Junior Ambassadors and ETI Corral 20, the Enterprise Farms U.S. Pony Club Riding Center, the Interscholastic Equestrian League, the L.A. Equestrian Vaulting Club and others.

Brown, a longtime equestrian advocate in her hometown who has urged equestrian groups to reach out to local city councils for a rapport with bureaucrats and horse people, was thrilled to see the turn-out of young riders.

WOODSIDE — Aboard her own Basco, Bonner Carpenter, of Dallas, Texas, galloped to first place in the CIC3* at the Woodside International Horse Trials, finishing with 48.7 penalties.

The Area VI champions were: Preliminary Rider, Tristen Hooks/Learning To Fly; Training Horse, Ruth Bley/En Vogue; Training Rider, Jain Coert/Fail Safe; Novice Rider, Angela Cricelli/Sunsprite’s Cali; Beginner Novice Rider, Grace Illsley/Dancing Diva.

James Alliston, of Castro Valley, claimed second on Tivoli (52.1), and Kaitlin Veltkamp of Los Gatos, grabbed third place on Flashpoint D (57.0).

Carpenter, 26, earned $3,000 for her winning effort, along with the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and the CTETA Founders’ Cup, established to honor Robert E. Smith, whose vision established the Horse Park at Woodside in 1981.

BURBANK — After four days, six rings, and nearly 1,500 rides scheduled to come down centerline, final championship titles were awarded Sunday and the competition officially entered the record books as the largest edition in the 47-year history of the Annual California Dressage Society (CDS) Championship Show, held in conjunction with the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 7 Dressage Championships, Sept. 25 – 28.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The third and final show in the Triple Crown of Reining series that includes Cactus Reining Classic in Scottsdale, Reining By The Bay in Woodside, and the High Roller Reining Classic held at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center did not disappoint.