Holy Cow Performance Horses
Santa Ynez, CA & Weatherford, TX
(805) 688-4241
www.HolyCowPerformanceHorses.com
Holy Cow Performance Horses opened its doors in 1999, becoming one of the leading breeding operations of performance cow horses in the state of California. In December of 2012 Holy Cow Performance Horses expanded operations to a second location in Weatherford, Texas, introducing Holy Cow Performance Horses Texas, LLC. Breeding, raising and showing quality performance Quarter Horses is our passion. Holy Cow Performance Horses is dedicated to breeding quality working cow performance horses that are world class in their respective fields. Reined cow horses, cutting and reining horses, as well as all around working ranch horses are raised here at Holy Cow Performance Horses.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Kicking off the medal finals season, Blenheim EquiSports hosted the California Professional Horsemen’s Association Junior and Adult Finals at the Blenheim Summer Classic, and Abby Jorgenson and Leina King took respective Junior and Adult titles Aug. 17.

An impressive crowd gathered at Blenheim Farms’ indoor ring for the Final Round, as three experienced equestrians made up the judging panel in Stacia Madden, Rita Timpanaro, and Debbie Sands.

After two qualifying rounds, the top 10 juniors and top 11 adults came back to contest for the overall top prize in the finalround of their division. Jorgensen, a rider from Woodside, held on to her second-round lead and won decisively, and King, of Santa Barbara, topped the Adult section.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Catherine Chamberlain found the formula. Dream large, focus small.

The 19-year old dressage competitor, who last fall moved to Murrieta to train with Kathleen Raine and David Wightman, dominated the USDF/Platinum Performance North American Junior & Young Rider Dressage Championships July 15-20. Her three rides at Rolex Stadium were her first beyond 70 percent, and they earned her three gold medals in individual, team and freestyle, respectively.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — At age 8, Ryan Melendez claimed his first Top Ten at the Arabian Horse Association Youth Nationals, and those who watched him agreed — it would be just a matter of time before he’d finish with National Champion roses.

That time was last month for Melendez, the 16-year-old son of trainer and judge Bill Melendez of Temecula. Riding AM Liberty Parade +/// — the same mare that carried him to that first Top Ten in 2007 — Ryan claimed his first Youth National Championship, winning the Half-Arabian Western Horsemanship 14-18 title. He then claimed his second, riding his Western trainer Jessica Bein’s 12-year old reiner, Khaarga Escobar Slik, in the Freestyle Reining competition.

ELK GROVE — It figures that on the most patriotic of weekends, in a show called the Star Spangled Slide, in a sport that is truly American, that the happiest reiner may have been the one from France.

Eric Laporte, who came to Pleasant Grove two years ago, was very happy after a standout showing in the West Coast Reining Horse Association’s fifth affiliate show of 2014, held July 3-6 at Brookside Equestrian Park. Laporte continued a strong year on Linda Hardy’s mare, Whiz N Steady, by taking the Open, Novice Horse and the NRHA $2,500-added Open Level 4 and Level 3 Derby titles — marking a 75 and 76.

Reiner Bill Norwood of Temecula is headed to the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, next month to compete for his native Australia with Pegge Aldrete’s Quinberry, and more than 120 friends and supporters came to Tucalota Creek Ranch July 12 to give his campaign a boost.

Hosts Alan and Kay Needle provided a beautiful setting for the fund-raising dinner and wine-tasting, and the entertainment came from three local world-class local trainers, cutter Tim Smith, eventer Tamra Smith and Norwood himself — all of whom took a stab at each other’s disciplines before an appreciative crowd. Smith and Norwood brought down the house by donning jumper helmets — not the pants — and clearing 4-feet on their first attempt. The evening of fun raised about $11,000 towards Norwood’s expenses.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Independence Day was a hit at the beach, especially for rider Kristin Hardin on Bert, who captured Saturday’s $25,000 GGT Footing Grand Prix, presented by S&S Bankcard Systems, at the Huntington Beach Surf Classic July 3-6.

The pair’s jump-off time of 28.841 edged Lane Clarke on Kiss The Sky, owned by Horsemanship Unlimited, who came in at 29.106.

“The horses jumped so great,” said Hardin, who put the pedal to the metal in crunch time. “You can really take a shot when the footing is that perfect in the jump-off.”

TEMECULA — Presidents Week was back in February, but don’t tell that to the current and immediate past presidents of the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association, Laura Edwards and Cindy Mendoza, who came away from the June 21 Summer Slide Show with titles.

Edwards, who took the reins of the club a few years back, rode her Dun Leanin to SCRCHA and NRCHA Intermediate Non Pro Bridle wins, while Mendoza showed her TMC Cielo Solo for the first time in the hackamore and came away with SCRCHA and NRCHA Non Pro Hackamore crowns.

Showing “Solo” is special for Mendoza, too, because she is competing for the first time on offspring of the stallion she and husband Tony stand at their Eastside Ranch, Cielo Hickory.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — On a beautiful day for a grand prix in Southern California, it was Chris Pratt and Vanotrouska, owned by Luce del Sole, winning the $30,000 Markel Insurance 1.40m Grand Prix. Second to last to go in the jump-off, Pratt narrowly beat the leading time.

With 26 entries, nine were clean and five double-clean. Gabriella Salick and Centuria 2 were the first double-clean, stopping the clock in a solid 41.34. The last few to go also posted clean rides, but neither Melissa Doddridge with Mucho Gusto in 42.46, or Tiffany Sullivan on Tristan in 44.18 could catch Salick.

Then came Pratt. Aboard the coppery chestnut Vanotrouska, he stole the top spot when he shaved .1 seconds off Salick’s time for the win in 41.24.

PASO ROBLES — One Time Pepto offspring were quite an Open Division one-two punch at the 2014 National Reined Cow Horse Association Jack and Phoebe Cooke Memorial Derby, held June 9-14 at the Paso Robles Events Center.

Get of the 2001 Peptoboonsmal son captured the Derby Open championship (Hickory Holly Time) and reserve (This One Time) and the Limited Open Championship (Tootsie Rey Time) as the NRCHA held the largest and richest limited age event for 4- and 5-year-old cow horses.

Randy Paul of Day Creek Ranch in Simi Valley won the Intermediate Open Derby on Mister Olena Chic (Mr Dual Pep x April Olena), capturing $6,881.

Other top West Coast finishers were found in the NRCHA Derby Bridle Spectacular, won by Phillip Ralls on Christian Larson’s Dom Dualuise. The duo’s 663.5 score earned $14,325 top prize ahead of reserve champion Nicolas Barthelemy riding Sheri Jamieson’s Jans Rey Cuatro. The Ramona-based Barthelemy recorded a 660 that earned $11,937.