RANCHO MURIETA — A new season of West Coast Reining Horse Association competition was launched Feb. 8-10 at the Murieta Equine Complex, and with it was a familiar pattern: the nation’s largest affiliate continues to grow.

“We always judge our year on the first couple of turnouts,” said incoming WCRHA President Ollie Galligan. “We had our schooling show at the end of January, and it was a huge turnout, and then the Affiliate 1 show was good. We’re growing and growing some more.”

BURBANK — California’s spring CDI season got underway this weekend at the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair and CDI 3*/Y/J, held Feb. 22-24 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Riders were looking to get their 2013 international competition season off to a strong start. Some of these exhibitors were also showing off fresh-faced mounts, and in the case of Olympic veterans Guenter Seidel and Steffen Peters, their extensive experience helped guide their exciting new horses to blue ribbons.

LOS ANGELES – Services will be held Friday for Lisa Kursinski, whose impact as a hunter-jumper trainer and competitor had touched equestrians nationwide. Kursinki, who was 48, died of a rare form of liver cancer on Feb. 24 and an 18-month battle with the disease.

TEMECULA — The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association wrapped up a banner year with their awards banquet Feb. 17 with buckles and stirrups awarded to the association’s top performers of 2012.

The new year starts March 8-9 with the Pot O’Gold event at Green Acres Ranch in Temecula.

MORE INFO: http://www.scrcha.com

THERMAL — A grand prix victory is always impressive, but when it’s your first, and it’s in a 1.60m class, that bumps it into the realm of stunning, and stun the crowd is exactly what Tiffany Sullivan did Saturday night, riding Tristan to the front of the pack in the $54,500 Purina Animal Nutrition CSI-W 2* Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis.

Competing before an overflow audience for the last of three FEI World Cup qualifying classes at HITS Desert Horse Park, the Los Angeles-based Sullivan rocked the house as the first to go clear in the order of 22 horse-and-rider pairs.

“This is my first year competing in the meter-50s, let alone meter-60s,” said Sullivan.

THERMAL — It was twice the talent and double helpings of prize money at the top of this weekend’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix class results as Jamie Taylor of Tarzana rode to first place on Grand Noir, owned by Inspiration Farms, and second on Natasha Ledon’s Conteros. Taylor Ann Adams of Calabasas notched third and fourth on Iwasaki & Reilly’s Small Affair and Small Kiss, respectively.

The 28-year-old Taylor, assistant trainer at Huntover, points out that both Grand Noir and Conteros are former jumpers introduced to the hunter ring within the past few months.

TULARE – Master Remedy, a gifted performer and extraordinary sire with the kindest of natures, died Feb. 14 of age-related, natural causes. He was 33.

The 1980 stallion was one of only four horses to sire three National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champions, an elite group which also includes King Fritz, Nu Cash and Smart Chic Olena.

THERMAL –The crowd had plenty to cheer about as Canadian rider John Pearce and his majestic grey mount, Chianto, sped to victory in the $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, on Feb. 24.

With 10 making it into the jump-off from a field of 55 starters, there was no question that the final round would provide a fast and furious finish to HITS Desert Circuit IV. And it did. Pearce’s jump-off time of 39.56 seconds was less than a half-second faster than Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum’s 39.96 second-place finish on Octavia Farms’ Malou. In third, Mexico’s Enrique Gonzalez and his own Quilebo Du Tillard broke the beam at 40.97 seconds.

38th in a series
This issue, Les points out that patience and discernment are keys when your horse’s attention veers.

Sometimes when you’re riding you’re going to lose your horse’s attention. I say don’t make a big deal out of it. Some might not see as well as others, or may be more spooky, especially as far as young horses go, when they go off to the Bahamas every now and then; leave it alone and it goes away. Be patient.

The Galway Downs International Horse Trials will welcome top-level riders & horses from the United States, Canada & other countries, on March 28th-31st at the Galway Downs Equestrian Center. Riders will be competing in three international divisions—the CIC3*, the CIC2* and the CIC1*. Each of the more than 60 horses expected to start will perform in dressage on Friday morning & then negotiate the demanding show jumping course in the late afternoon. Then, on Saturday afternoon, they’ll gallop over the more than 30 jumps on the cross-country course designed by Ian Stark of Great Britain, the Galway Downs course designer since 2007. General admission for the event is only $10 per day in advance, $12 at the gate, with children under 12 free when accompanied by a paying adult. Patron’s passes—which include seating in the ringside tent, lunch & a full selection of beverages—are also available for $55 per day or $150 for the weekend in advance. See the ad on page 77, and for advance reservations, go to www.galwaydowns.com.