ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — California youth made their leadership known at the 2013 Arabian Horse Association Youth Nationals Championship Show, held July 20-27 at the Expo New Mexico.

Golden State exhibitors returned home with 11 National Championships and 29 Reserves, as 56 young Californians in all captured finishes in the Top 10.

This year’s AHA Youth Nationals attracted 513 exhibitors from across the nation and Canada, competing on 837 horses in 2,602 classes.

BURBANK — No one expected Kelli Norwood NOT to win the 2013 Jack and Linda Baker Classic Reining more than, well, Kelli Norwood.

“I worked really hard for this event, but I still can’t believe I won,” said Kelli, who topped the large, competitive amateur field under the lights Los Angeles Equestrian Center Equidome Aug. 17 on One Flashy Rooster for the title. “I had never won a buckle in my life, so my goal was to qualify for the event and hopefully win a buckle. I still cannot believe it.”

BURBANK — Gina Hitchman, trained by David and Cheryl Busick, rode Only Good Sox to the championship of the 2013 PCHA Trail Classic, held Aug. 16-18 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

ESCONDIDO — When the fledgling Southern California Reining Horse Association brings Hunter Equestrian Center to life Sept. 22 with its one-day reining show, it will be the culmination of many volunteer efforts.

DEL MAR — On the final day of the Showpark Summer Classic, three divisions in the 3’3″ CPHA Foundation Equitation Championships — 14-under, 21-under and 22-over, competed for the top calls. After two rounds and a work-off, cumulative scores from judges Rob Gage and Chris Wynn determined the winners.

The CPHA Foundation classes have a work-off built in to each round with two tests from the USEF Eq 1-18.

50th in a series
Last issue, Les finished up details of turnaround exercises. Now, we’ll look at what we’ve covered, and how to keep our efforts on track.

The Rancho California Arabian Horse Assn. Fall Horse Show is just around the corner! The 27th Annual Purebred and Half Arabian Class A show will be held at Galway Downs in Temecula, on Sept. 14-15. The show offers performance, sport horse and dressage classes, and is approved by AHA, USEF and USDF. Working on qualifying for Pacific Slope, U.S., Canadian, Youth and Sport Horse Nationals? You do not want to miss this show! It’s also a Region One qualifier. See ad on page 14, and call Nancy Harvey for more info and premiums, at (626) 355-9101, or visit www.rcaha.org.