Feb. 17 Cover

SAN ANGELO, Texas – With a gritty fence work against a challenging cow, Russell Dilday and Topsails Rien Maker outdueled Ron Emmons and Olena Oak and Todd Crawford on Play Dual Rey to claim a record third National Reined Cow Horse Association World’s Greatest Horseman title in four years.

In a field of the world’s best riders and stock horses, Dilday regained his crown by the slimmest of margins -– 874.5 points to 874 for Emmons and Crawford — after an intense series of four events: herd work, reining, steer roping and cow work down the fence.

Flying Horse photo

A red-hot Rich Fellers and McGuinness topped 37 starters Feb. 6th in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix in Thermal.

THERMAL– Rich Fellers put an exclamation point on Desert Circuit II when he rode Harry and Mollie Chapman’s McGuinness to the blue ribbon in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix Feb. 6th, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at the HITS Desert Horse Park.

Winning Sunday’s feature class was icing on the cake for Fellers who, less than 24 hours earlier, captured Saturday night’s $50,000 Strongid C 2X CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Harry and Mollie Chapman’s Flexible.

Flying Horse photo

HITS Senior Vice President Tony Hitchcock (center) joins Sonoma Valley Stables' Heather Rhodes and horse owner Sabrina Hellman in congratulating rider Hope Glynn after winning the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Thermal.

THERMAL — It’s no secret that Hope Glynn of Petaluma is planning on making HITS Saugerties her destination this fall when the Diamond Mills $500,000 3’3″ Hunter Prix Final takes place at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York during Pfizer Million Weekend.

The veteran hunter rider is on track to become one of the top contenders to compete in this extraordinary new Hunter Final. Glynn dominated the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on Sunday afternoon when she rode Sabrina Hellman’s Woodstock to a first-place finish and piloted two other horses to third and fifth place.

HEY RAY!: I am hand-raising two colts, and I am afraid one will be too aggressive – he is already too friendly. What do I look for and do?
Kaitlyn Lebo, Valley Center, CA

HEY KAITLYN: Clearly, you are in touch with your instincts. Your feelings about your colt are probably right, and I bet you are on the right track in addressing these issues now. The way we will assure that you will have a strong and happy relationship with both of your colts will be to have an ideal picture of how you will want them to be – and then work backward from there.

Whether you were one of the standing room-only crowds for the nightly Extreme Cowboy Race or an attendee to any of the popular clinician presentations, you had to sense the popularity of the 2011 Equine Affaire at the Fairplex Feb. 3-6. There was no better barometer for economic activity than the trade show, which left many of the hundreds of traditional vendors content with a successful show. Here are some snapshots.

Next in a series
In this issue, we finish what we started on gaining control of the shoulders.

Let’s review the sequence of exercise No. 2, moving the shoulder to the right:

WELLINGTON, Fla. — Ashlee Bond of Hidden Hills scored her first win in the big arena at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, as she and Chivas Z won the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Jumper Series Classic title Feb 5.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — On the heels of last fall’s popular Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, reining and the first-ever World Championship Freestyle will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, April 28-May 1.

One of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and the only CCI**** in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bridgestone, annually attracts 50-100,000 spectators and millions of viewers on international telecasts including a 60-minute domestic broadcast on NBC.

Join Rancho Santiago in Norco for “March Madness!” Sponsored by Robart, they’ll be offering a different trainer each weekend to help you and your horse. March 4-5 will feature Stacey Turner, who will assist novice riders with executing obstacles safely and with tips for building equine partnerships. March 12-13 will feature Kenny Ennis, who will assist in competitively negotiating a cowboy race obstacle course – and also discuss what it takes to win! March 20 will feature Kathy Thistlewaite, who will assist with driving obstacles (carts only, please). March 26-27 will feature Molly Jenks, who will assist with green horses and how to get them started on obstacles. Cost is $15 per day, with a “Trainer’s Choice” award and FREE drawing each practice day for participants in the obstacle course. Call (951) 582-0333 for more info!