CHARLESTON, S.C. — California Horsetrader Publisher Warren Wilson became the 26th member of the American Horse Publications “Circle of Champions” during a special Awards Luncheon June 21 at the organization’s annual seminar.

Wilson was recognized for his 25 years in equine publishing that have provided technical innovations bridging the transition from print to Internet. In addition to founding horsetrader.com in 1997, Wilson led development of online delivery of content as well as web-based business systems for publishers that remain a daily part of companies nationwide. Today, 15 AHP member magazines, websites and corporate members use technology his team developed in the last decade.

TEMECULA — Presidents Week was back in February, but don’t tell that to the current and immediate past presidents of the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association, Laura Edwards and Cindy Mendoza, who came away from the June 21 Summer Slide Show with titles.

Edwards, who took the reins of the club a few years back, rode her Dun Leanin to SCRCHA and NRCHA Intermediate Non Pro Bridle wins, while Mendoza showed her TMC Cielo Solo for the first time in the hackamore and came away with SCRCHA and NRCHA Non Pro Hackamore crowns.

Showing “Solo” is special for Mendoza, too, because she is competing for the first time on offspring of the stallion she and husband Tony stand at their Eastside Ranch, Cielo Hickory.

GLADSTONE, N.J. – The U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions presented by The Dutta Corp came to an exciting conclusion June 15 as Grand Prix, Intermediaire I, and Pony Rider Champions were all crowned. In the Grand Prix championship, Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 clinched their third consecutive National Title with their best performance of the week. For the third consecutive test, the top placings remained the same as Peters scored Champion and Reserve honors in The Dutta Corp/USEF Intermediaire I Dressage National Championship.

Peters, of San Diego, entered the arena Sunday like a man on a mission to not only add another Grand Prix National title to his resume but also to ride a completely clean test.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — On a beautiful day for a grand prix in Southern California, it was Chris Pratt and Vanotrouska, owned by Luce del Sole, winning the $30,000 Markel Insurance 1.40m Grand Prix. Second to last to go in the jump-off, Pratt narrowly beat the leading time.

With 26 entries, nine were clean and five double-clean. Gabriella Salick and Centuria 2 were the first double-clean, stopping the clock in a solid 41.34. The last few to go also posted clean rides, but neither Melissa Doddridge with Mucho Gusto in 42.46, or Tiffany Sullivan on Tristan in 44.18 could catch Salick.

Then came Pratt. Aboard the coppery chestnut Vanotrouska, he stole the top spot when he shaved .1 seconds off Salick’s time for the win in 41.24.

PASO ROBLES — One Time Pepto offspring were quite an Open Division one-two punch at the 2014 National Reined Cow Horse Association Jack and Phoebe Cooke Memorial Derby, held June 9-14 at the Paso Robles Events Center.

Get of the 2001 Peptoboonsmal son captured the Derby Open championship (Hickory Holly Time) and reserve (This One Time) and the Limited Open Championship (Tootsie Rey Time) as the NRCHA held the largest and richest limited age event for 4- and 5-year-old cow horses.

Randy Paul of Day Creek Ranch in Simi Valley won the Intermediate Open Derby on Mister Olena Chic (Mr Dual Pep x April Olena), capturing $6,881.

Other top West Coast finishers were found in the NRCHA Derby Bridle Spectacular, won by Phillip Ralls on Christian Larson’s Dom Dualuise. The duo’s 663.5 score earned $14,325 top prize ahead of reserve champion Nicolas Barthelemy riding Sheri Jamieson’s Jans Rey Cuatro. The Ramona-based Barthelemy recorded a 660 that earned $11,937.

Summer is upon us, and that can mean more encounters with rattlesnakes on trails, around the ranch, or at home. One of San Diego’s premier performance facilities, Poway Equestrian Center, will be hosting a Rattlesnake Avoidance Training Session, on Sunday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This informative course will expose your animal to live rattlesnakes indigenous to your area, and can help your animals learn to avoid danger. Snakebites to a human, dog or horse is a costly emergency -– protect your family by training your animals! Sign up at www.SRADT.com, and call Poway Equestrian Center at (858) 748-6441 for further details! See their ad on page 46.

70th in a series
Les left off last issue with your horse moving smoothly at all three gaits. Now we’ll focus on the set-up for lead changes.

Setting the horse up correctly for crisp, clean lope departures is a critical component for any reining pattern and a necessary prerequisite for lead changes. You should be able to get your horse in position, that is, be able to push his hip toward his eye like I show in the video, so that you will be able to ask him to lope off on the correct lead, although you might be getting a few trotting steps in the meantime.