OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. –- Michell Anne Kimball instantly sensed something special in September 2009 when she was presented a 2-year-old reining prospect that had been started by the late John Slack.

Kimball, who just five years earlier had ridden her first reining horse after two decades of success as a Southern California hunter-jumper trainer, bought the colt, and Spooks Gotta Whiz has proved her right.

In three years, the flashy stallion has won more than $317,000 and reining’s biggest events, the latest coming June 30 when Shawn Flarida rode him to victory in the National Reining Horse Association’s Open Derby Finals. The win also slid Spooks Gotta Whiz into history as the second horse ever to claim reining’s “Triple Crown” – winning the NRHA Futurity, the National Reiner Breeder’s Classic and the NRHA Derby.

LONDON — As the world’s best horses and riders assemble at Greenwich Park for the 2012 Olympic Games, here is some information you didn’t know about Equestrian Team USA. (And, some infomration you’d like to know — the schedules of events and the NBC programming schedule).

* Tiana Coudray of Ojai won Team Gold at the 2008 FEI North American Young Rider Eventing Championships on her 2012 Olympic mount Ringwood Magister. This pair was second out of more than 100 horses at last fall’s Fidelity Investments Blenheim International CCI3*. They also won the Jersey Fresh CCI3* in 2010.

TEMECULA — The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association hosted the region’s top cow horse and reiners July 5-8 with The Grand, a four-day event that offered up SCRCHA, NRCHA, CRHA and AQHA classes.

The show, managed by Track One Events, drew 240 horses from Southern California and Arizona competing for a total payout of $23,000.

“The weather was unseasonably cool the first few days, and I think the Arizona exhibitors may have complained that it was cold,” kidded Poncie Gimple of Track One. “Folks did have to break out their sweatshirts and jackets.”

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — It was déjà vu as Josephina Nor-Lantzman and Tina Di Landri went head-to-head again in a jump-off for the second time in three weeks.

This time, Nor-Lantzman and Chello Z had the upper hand, winning the $30,000 Red, White and Blue Classic Grand Prix on June 30.

Three weeks earlier at the $30,000 Blenheim Classic Grand Prix, Di Landri had put up the final time and bested the field, leaving Nor-Lantzman in second.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Just 18 months removed from achieving Two Million Dollar Rider status, Andrea Fappani cemented the next step of his legacy by becoming the latest National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Three Million Dollar Rider. Fappani hit the $3 million dollar milestone while at the 2012 NRHA Derby, where he rode Tinker With Guns, owned by Rancho Oso Rio LLC, to the NRHA Derby Level 4 Open Reserve Co-Championship.

Helping to seal his fate at the NRHA Derby was a fourth-place finish in the Level 4 Open division on Lil Joe Cash (owner Russell Giles) and top 10 finishes in the Level 4 Open division on Smoking Whiz (owner Silver Spurs Equine). Fappani also won the Level 4 Open 7 & Up division, riding Dreamy Little Sailor (owner Morris Kulmer). A total Derby paycheck of nearly $75,000 pushed Fappani’s current NRHA lifetime earnings to nearly $3,022,000.

DEAR DANA: Can you provide me tips for getting my sensitive horse at her best for competing?
– Andrea Mitchell, Arizona

DEAR ANDREA: I have had many sensitive horses throughout my career, and I’ve learned that how you prepare this kind of horse for the show ring is even more important than preparing the average horse. A strategy to prepare your horse for the show ring is critical for any horse, but especially the sensitive or difficult horse.

SAN MARCOS — New owners of the prime equestrian facility and store in the north Twin Oaks Valley area of San Marcos moved into the facility formerly known as Discovery Valley Equestrian Center on July 13.

Ted and Elaine Olsen closed escrow on the 20-acre property in April, and plans are to re-open the store in August after renovations next month. In the interim, hay and shavings will be available for customers.

25th in a series
Last issue, Les reinforced communication with pattern exercises; now we’ll move to the key of a supple neck.

Objective: To begin to get your horse to give at the poll as a result of soft pressure on his mouth with both reins.

Skills You Will Develop
Timing – Timing is critical in this stage of the program. You want to make sure that you reward your horse instantly when you get the result you want so he learns to give and not pull.

The Valley Cow Horse Association will hold its VCHA Futurity July 27-28, along with an NRCHA Horse Show on July 29, both located at Sundance Cattle Co. Feedlot in Bakersfield. With four year-end award saddles to the first-place qualified riders in VCHA Youth Limited, VCHA Non Pro Bridle, VCHA 5K Non Pro Limited and VCHA Novice Non Pro (Green Class) it’s time to recruit your youths and non pros — those saddles are yours for the winning! VCHA is a local organization dedicated to promoting the growth and friendly spirit of competition in the sport of reined cow horses. VCHA promotes both youth classes and beginning cow horse classes in an effort to get the whole community involved. Clinics, as well as shows offer a chance to watch live cow horse action. VCHA shows also features the best of the best in the cow horse industry! Formore information, contact the show secretary at (559) 689-3535 and see the ad on page 74!

The legendary Gills Bay Boy, better known as ‘Scamper’, passed away July 4 — an appropriate date for an American equine icon.

Foaled in 1977, Scamper became one of the most iconic figures in the equine industry, dominating the barrel racing ranks from the early 1980s until his retirement in 1993. The gelded son of Gills Sonny Boy out of the mare Drapers Jay was in good health to the end, immaculately cared for by his constant companion, Charmayne James.

“What a gift he was,” said James. “It’s sad that he is gone but what life he had. It’s something to be celebrated.”