THERMAL — Rich Fellers of Wilsonville, Ore., and Flexible, owned by Harry and Mollie Chapman, continued to prove why they are the hottest horse-and-rider combination at the 2011 HITS Desert Circuit when they topped the field in the $31,000 Strongid C 2X Welcome Classic, presented by Pfizer Animal Health at HITS Desert Horse Park Feb 24.

The triumph was the third of the circuit for the decorated duo, as they were the best out of the 39 starters to challenge International Course Designer Marina Azevedo’s (Sao Paulo, Brazil) first round course, and the 13 teams that advanced to the jump-off.

POMONA — With such nationally known trainers as Sheila Varian, Jim Lowe, David Garrett, Cynthia Burkman and Lou Roper, as well as many fine local Southern California trainers and others, the Sierra Empire Arabian Horse Association started the 2011 show season Jan. 28-30 at the Fairplex.

Show officials were pleased: Entries were up to 190 horses from 130 horses last year at the same show, and the weather was perfect for Friday and Saturday’s events with clear skies and 70 to 80 degree weather. Sunday afternoon, however, brought some rain that threatened snow in mountain passes, forcing several exhibitors to pull out early to beat the snow before major highways closed to traffic.

HEY RAY!: My wife just purchased a third-level dressage mare in foal that is due this spring, and we want to show her in the fall. When can we start training the mare and when should we wean the foal?
— Brenden Johnson, Eureka Springs, Ark.

HEY BRENDEN: Congratulations on your new addition! The first question that comes to mind is whether or not your mare has been ridden through the pregnancy. If she hasn’t, I suggest you do nothing until after the baby is born. If she has been ridden and your goal is to show her this year, continue to ride carefully and considerately right up until she gets ready to foal, providing she feels up to it.

The trail of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association traces back only two years, when Texan founders Tom and Carrie Scrima created more than a club – it’s now a movement. Since 2008, when 87 ACTHA members held 13 rides, the organization has grown like grass under a leaky spigot. This year, more than 14,000 members will ride in 1,000 ACTHA events.

“Hard to believe,” says Tom. “The whole idea was a one-day venue requiring skill and reasonable conditioning that would be casual in nature – and offer rewards for excellence. But, always, the ’cause’ has been in the forefront.”

You don’t have to be a record-setting quarterback, point guard or track star to letter in high school sports anymore. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is writing a new chapter in the recognition of high school sports — one that honors Equestrian athletes. The USEF’s High School Equestrian Athlete program will offer specially designed emblems and pins, exclusively for equestrian athletes in grades 9-12.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) director Bob Abbey announced Feb. 24 that less mustangs will be removed from the range and more mustang mares will receive anti-fertility treatment under a new BLM management strategy plan.

The plan calls for the BLM to reduce the number of wild horses slated for removal during the next two years from 10,000 to 7,600, unless conditions such as drought or other emergencies require removing more animals. In addition, the BLM will treat more mares with the contraceptive porcine zona pellucida (PZP). Injected as a liquid or fed in pellet form to fertile mares aged 4 to 20 years, a single PZP vaccination renders treated mares infertile for 22 months.

Next in a series
We’re going to be asking the horse to yield and bend to either side in a willing, balanced manner in response to pressure from a single rein.

You’ll quickly find that most horses are more comfortable turning one direction and loping on one lead vs. the other. To get them to be light, responsive and flexible in both directions is a challenge of training, and it will take some time and practice.

We are proud to announce that California Horsetrader is now “the Official Regional Horse Publication of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association” – and we’re also honored to be ACTHA’s only publishing partner in California! We’ll be keeping our readers current on ACTHA news, topics and events — like the upcoming auditions for “America’s Favorite Trail Horse” April 9-24. You could win up to $100,000 and be a star! The auditions, to be held in California and all across the U.S., will be limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis, so contestants will need to register early to ensure their place in the Regional Auditions. At the audition, horse-and-rider contestants will perform ACTHA trail obstacles, while being judged on style and time by ACTHA staff. But most of all, judges will look for personality. Regional finalists will be invited to ride in the National Finals held May 8-12 in Austin Texas, where they’ll compete for cash and prizes, and the title of “America’s Favorite Trail Horse.” Finalists will ride in a one-day, six-mile Competitive Trail Challenge, and receive coaching/schooling from ACTHA’s founders and well-known clinicians. For more information, and to sign up for an audition, visit www.ACTHA.us. Also, be sure to check out the article this issue on page 20.