KATY, Texas – It’s been four years since Martin Muehlstatter established his own training barn in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the highly-regarded 31-year-old Austrian native continues his steady climb to recognition.

His latest step came at the 2011 National Reining Breeders Classic, where he rode Wimpys Little Buddy to a convincing win in the first NBRC Open Classic Challenge competition for horses 7-years-old and up. In a field of heavy-hitters, Muehlstatter deftly rode what he calls “the best-minded horse on the planet” to a score of 228.5 and the $6,147 champion’s paycheck.

She never missed a class…
Susan Hutchison
Temecula, CA
I don’t have a specific story about my Mom…I just am so lucky that I had such a great Mom. She never missed a class, came to most of my lessons and was supportive in every way. I was a very lucky kid.

Crisis, and the best time ever…
Shannon Clark
Hemet, CA
Our first trip with the truck and trailer to Des Moines, Iowa, for the POA International Sale and Futurities. One blow out, two leaking tires, a 2-year-old with stitches, buying five horses and only having a three-horse trailer AND an insane freak storm with lightning, hail, and black ice…yet having the best time ever!

John Slack 1968-2011

PORT ANGELES, Wash. – Memorial services for reiner John Slack, 42, who died of natural causes on April 21, will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church at 1 p.m., May 6, in the trainer’s hometown.

Mr. Slack, a Reno, Nev., native who moved to Port Angeles at age 8, grew into a successful trainer who won the National Reining Horse Association Futurity.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Hundreds of participants attended a celebration April 17 at Blenheim Farms of the life of Julia Bunge, a well-known figure on the hunter-jumper show circuit known for her gracious behind-the-scene contributions. Mrs. Bunge died April 9 of colon cancer at age 54.

Born in Galveston, Texas, in 1956, Mrs. Bunge settled in Orange County in the early 1990s with her husband Les, daughter Jessica, and son Morgan. The devoted full-time mother in 2000 went to work for Blenheim Equisports as manager of the unit’s “Medal Club”, which redefined the standard of show circuit hospitality.

Flying Horse photo

Morgan Geller and Fabrico shined April 15 in San Juan Capistrano, winning the $10,000 USHJA Hunter Challenge.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – It was a good Friday April 15 for junior rider Morgan Geller, as she topped an impressive field of 44 entries in the $10,000 USHJA International High Performance Hunter Challenge during week three of the Blenheim Spring Series. And the junior rider reign did not end there. On Saturday, high school senior Lucy Davis fired around the jump-offs, claiming the top prizes in both the $10,000 1.35m Jumper Classic and the $50,000 Royal Champion Grand Prix.

Course designer Scott Starnes offered several options for riders to illustrate style, manner and flow in the first round for the High Performance Hunters. The 13 who returned for the Handy Round all scored in the 80s or above. In a group of 11 riders (John French rode three of the 13 horses) four junior riders made the cut: Destry Spielberg and Rumba; Whitney Downs on Coffeetalk; Samantha Sommers aboard Small Kiss; and Morgan Geller riding Fabricio.

GEORGETOWN, Texas — The Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover is set to be the richest wild horse competition in history, and now the trainers and adopters know which Mustangs they will be working with for the 2011 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover. The Superior Livestock Auction studio held a standing-room-only crowd and the phone lines were lit like a Christmas tree on April 16 when 208 American Mustangs were offered for adoption. The 185 approved adopters, family, friends and supporters filled the Superior Livestock Auction offices in Fort Worth, Texas, and kept the phone operators busy during the televised adoption event that was aired on RFD-TV.

HEY RAY!: I’ve ridden over 20 years under several trainers, and they all have used a term that I am embarrassed to admit that I don’t know – a “half-halt”. What is this, and how do we apply it?
Anonymous rider, San Diego, CA

DEAR A.R.: Your situation is a lot more common than you think. You would be surprised how many riders have confided in me that exact same question over the years. This is a topic that I actually like to explain and talk about. Once you have the right visual, it’s a very helpful and effective tool in helping with balance and self carriage.

Next in a series
Our look at on-the-fence body control continues with focus shifting to the hip.

Start by walking along the fence. Pick a point to stop the horse and then make a very light contact with your inside (away from the fence) rein while you reach back with your fence-side leg and push or bump your horse’s hip around. You’re creating energy with your leg to push the hip, and your brace rein contact will lightly block him from pushing through with his shoulder. With the fence in front of him you don’t give your horse any other options but to move his hip. Do this exercise repeatedly (it’s called a turn on the forehand) both directions. Start by just asking for a step at a time and then increase the number of steps as your horse’s responses get more consistent. Remember to keep life in your reins and leg as you ask for this exercise.

If you, too, are a Facebook user, be sure you check out how easy is to share your favorite current ads in the Horsetrader – just go to horsetrader.com, find the ads to share and click on the “Share on Facebook” button! Not just classifieds, but display ads, Fototraders – you find it, you share it! It’s our latest new feature, and one that you will surely “like”! View PDF with EASY step-by-step instructions.

Are you appreciated? Let American Horse Products, with the largest selection of tack, supplements, English and Western attire in Orange County, show you how it feels at their 12th Annual Customer Appreciation Day Sale on Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. They’ll have free samples, demonstrations, drawings and they’re even serving up a nice catered lunch from Las Golondrinas. Manufacturer reps will be on site to answer all of your questions and give discounts on their products. They invite you to join them for a day of fun and BIG Savings. And if you’re looking to find new homes for some of your tack and saddles, bring it on by as they’re having a free tack swap meet. What a day! You could even be the winner of the Grand Prize Drawing! Save the date and don’t be late, see ad on page 70.