North American Working Equitation Championship Show comes to California

Special to the Horsetrader

DEL MAR—Seventy-seven entries from across the nation descended on a beautiful Southern California weekend at the Del Mar Horse Park Oct. 10-13 for the 2019 North American Working Equitation Championships, an A-Rated show licensed by WE United.

New dates. New season

One of the fastest growing expos in the United States, California’s Western States Horse Expo in Pomona, is a must-attend event for any horse owner. In three short days, you can catch up on the latest training and education, shop the nation’s premier equine vendors and connect with your horse friends. Attending the expo is a low-cost, high quality way to stay engaged in the horse industry, making sure you have the tools, knowledge and products to help make the most of your investment in the horse owning lifestyle year round.

SCRCHA season-ender at Green Acres is a wrap

From Horsetrader staff reports

TEMECULA—The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association wrapped up a super 2019 season with its September Classic and Year-end Awards Sept. 20-22 at Green Acres Ranch.

In Open Bridle, Roy Rich took both the Champion and Reserve Champion spots on a pair of Rocking J Ranch horses. Competing in 10 shows aboard Soula Shining Star, Rich accumulated 49 points to earn the top spot and its $1,875 payout. The Green Acres-based trainer also rode Very Smart Luck to 31 points in five shows to earn another $755. In the Open Two Rein, Rich also took first and second, taking the title on Siegfried Schmueckle’s Ruby Merada (10 shows, 49 points) and the reserve on Rocking J Ranch’s Cat From Ipanema (10 shows, 41 points). The horse’s respective earnings were $1,560 and $865.

CRHA annual Huntington Beach show marks summer’s end

Special to the Horsetrader

HUNTINGTON BEACH—Reiners from the Californai Reining Horse Association head as far west as they can each August—to the Huntington Beach Central Park Equestrian Center, to be exact—for a Slide on the Beach. The popular one-day show Aug. 4 offered a jackpot reining as well as CRHA and NRCHA classes in a (cooler) change of scenery.

In the Open Division, Bridgette Neese took Allison Williams’s Hesa Smokin Edition to the title, with Daphne Foran winning the Novice Horse Open Championship on Zins Rowdy Whiz.

In the Limited Open, co-champions were Karleigh Farmer on Stephen Silver’s Roocat and Luis Torres aboard Mobster Gold Gun, owned by Suzanne Farris.

Medal-winner Nicole McMillion edges Charlotte Murray in Blenheim Int’l Jumping Festival

Special to the Horsetrader

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO—Nicole McMillion of Huntington Beach topped 23 entries over two days and three phases of competition and a work-off to win the third annual EMO Insurance/USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Finals—West at the Blenheim EquiSports International Jumping Festival.

Coming into the Saturday, Nov. 20, competition, 14-year-old McMillion had the lead, winning the blue ribbon in both the flat and gymnastics phases aboard Hailey Link’s Loverboy. Earning fourth in the third phase, McMillion, at 376.5 total points, narrowed her lead when third phase winner Charlotte Murray of Los Angeles finished with a total of 375 points. A work-off between McMillion and Murray ensued with McMillion emerging as the champion.

Season-ender event at MEC brings out the best

Special to the Horsetrader

RANCHO MURIETA—And just like that, the year is over.

Well, the West Coast Reining Horse Association show year is over. From the first NRHA Affiiate Show in March at the Rolling Hills Equestrian Center through events in at Brookside Show Park to the late season contests at the Murieta Equestrian Center, exhibitors qualified for the Regional Affiliate Finals NRHA classes where they can then attempt to qualify for the Affiliate Finals classes at the NRHA Futurity.

Abby Steller, Avery Glynn and Juliette Joseph prove consistency leads to wins at 2019 CPHA Foundation Equitation Championships

Special to the Horsetrader

DEL MAR—Medal final season signals summer’s end and fall’s beginning, and on Aug. 24-25, 113 equestrians in three age sections were tested in the equitation arena in the California Professional Horsemen’s Association Foundation Equitation Championships.

The equitation tests are uniquely built into the two rounds. Those who had put in extra hours with the counter-canter had an edge throughout the Championships, held Aug. 24-25, at the Showpark Summer Classic at the Del Mar Horse Park.

The 20th edition of the Reining By The Bay spotlight stays on Andrea and Luca Fappani

Special to the Horsetrader

WOODSIDE—This summer’s Reining By The Bay marked the event’s 20th anniversary, so it was appropriate to have the past and future so well represented in the present.

Andrea Fappani, whose victories in this reining over the years helped push him to Elite $5 Million Rider status, and teen-aged son Luca, who once again scored major non-pro wins, made this year’s Reining By The Bay a Fappani family affair July 22-28.

$13,000-added Open Derby highlights WCRHA Star Spangled Slide

By Eilene Maxinoski/ for the Horsetrader

ELK GROVE—The Star Spangled Slide slid into action on July 4-7 at the West Coast Reining Horse Association last affiliate show of the year. Red, white, and blue decorated the grounds of the Brookside Show Park, from the U.S. flags that greeted exhibitors as they arrived, to patriotically-colored awards, to the giant U.S. flag that was unfurled in the arena before the derbies.

Many exhibitors use this show as a “showcation” for the family, as there are plenty of after-show activities to keep everyone busy. On-site meals were available every evening, preceded by libations and munchies beforehand at the Wine Down Bar, conveniently located next to the warm-up arena. Many families enjoyed the pool between and after classes.

Cow horse competition is keen at SCRCHA July Jubilee event

From Horsetrader staff reports

TEMECULA—Mike Berg rode Going For Dough to the high score of the weekend, and Roy Rich kept his hot pace going aboard Soula Shining Star in a pair of Bridle highlights at the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association’s July Jubilee held July 12-14 at Green Oaks Ranch.

Berg’s 145.5 mark Sunday on Going For Dough, owned by Rudolpf and Irene Petris, was tops and took both the Sunday NRCHA Open Bridle and the AQHA Senior Working Cow Horse classes. Rich, who took Rocking J Ranch’s Soula Shining Star to a 145 on Saturday, took the same two titles that day.