TEMECULA – What do you do when your horse sustains bowed tendons on both hind legs, right before your key season-ending competition?

Nothing. Not for a whole year.

That’s the fate that faced Sandy Miller and Dual Ya Luv Me, a promising then-4-year-old on which she was gaining momentum heading into last year’s Southern California Reining Cow Horse Association Saddle Shootout.

“We still aren’t certain how the injury happened,” says Miller, a non pro from Winchester who was floored by her gelding’s October 2013 injury. “When the vet told me it was going to be a whole year, I was stunned.”

BAKERSFIELD – These days, when it rains, relief pours. That’s true even when a deluge disrupts a year-end event as big as the California Cow Horse Association’s Futurity and Bridle Spectacular.

After Friday’s herd work kicked off the three-day show at the Sundance Arena Oct. 31-Nov. 2, heavy rains canceled all Saturday action, and Sunday was used to complete non-Open classes. A make-up show has been scheduled Dec. 6, featuring one-day, single point classes with Shootouts for the saddle and buckle to be takenfrom the high cow scores of the day.

Handsome prizes from sponsors, including title sponsor Lucas Oil Products and Protect The Harvest.com, were given to winners of the classes held.

Nicolas Barthelemy rode a pair of Sheri Jamieson-owned horses, All That Boon and Sonita Lana Rey, to first and second, respectively, in the Open and Intermediate Open Futurity classes,taking home nearly $4,000 between them.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In true Las Vegas style, the final highlight event of the Las Vegas National opened with glitz and glamour. As eager spectators began to fill the stands, 44 of show jumping’s best and brightest prepared to compete in the $75,000 Las Vegas CSI-W Grand Prix on Nov. 15. After 10 went clean, it was Dutch rider Harrie Smolders and the speedy Regina Z who outran the rest for the win.

The Opening Ceremonies epitomized the grandeur of the week,which included a line-up of special classes and important year-end finals. A Parade of Nations in which flags from 11 countries waved as each rider was introduced to the crowd, led into a performance by the silk aerialist group Flight La Femme, a tumbling and twirling act from floating banners affixed to the ceiling.

In the jump-off, the 10 finalists challenged a track that offered options to leave out strides, take tight turns and gallop to the final oxer. In a showdown of speed, Karl Cook on Jonkheer Z, owned by Signe Ostby, set a time to beat in 39.33; Lucy Davis and Old Oak Farm’s Barron had the time, 39.16, but lowered the height of the last oxer for four faults.

Each year, the team behind the Horse Expo Pomona updates its Expo event at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, and this year, some of the innovations will be the venue itself! A new entry gate for closer parking plus moving the main horse arena and practice arena closer to the Expo halls are just two of the great updates for the 2015 Expo Pomona, scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Fairplex in Pomona. Horse Expo Pomona offers something for every horse enthusiast. Learn from renowned professionals such as Chris Cox, Craig Cameron, Jonathan Field, Kalley Krickeberg, Brandi Lyons, Larry Whitesell and many more! Popular returning attractions will be the California Classic, Young Rider Park, Breed Revelation, Trail Symposium, University, Ultimate Super Horse, and the Great American Truck Display.  More than 300 exhibits will offer the latest products and services from riding apparel, tack, nutrition, horse supplies and trailers to art, jewelry, equipment and items for your home and ranch.  For more info, call (800) 352-2411, or see the ad on page 20. For discounted tickets, schedules and a complete list of clinicians, go to or visit www.horseexpoevents.com.

NAMPA, Idaho — Although Smokin Little Ringo didn’t make the NRCHA Futurity finals last September, both rider Monica Caetano and owner John Pascoe knew there was something special in him. They were proved right at the Idaho Reined Cow Horse Futurity, where Smokin Little Ringo (Smart Little Pepinic x Smoking Sabrina x Mister Dual Pep) won the Open Futurity convincingly.

“It’s a very, very good little horse,” said Caetano. “At Reno, I let myself get too worked up and
I blew my herd work and lost the cow. Then I ended up marking a 220.5 in the reining and a 218.5 in the fence — the horse was fantastic. So, the owner said ‘let’s try it again!’ We loaded up, went up there, and this time it worked out.”

A blistering 151 preliminary fence work and a 149 in the final fence work carried Caetano and Smart Little Ringo to an Open Futurity title payout of $9,344. Their 592 cumulative score outdistanced reserve champion John Swales on SLR Won Smart Wolf by 8.5 points.

Fourth in a series
Before entering the arena, we take a closer look at the details of our snaffle bit.

I tend to ride with the snaffle fairly low in the horse’s mouth. Often I’ll have it a half-inch or more off (below) the corners. I find that the lower I have the snaffle the lower a horse’s head will tend to go.

Normally we want their heads low since our ultimate goal is to get the horse’s back rounded and his weight distributed to the hindquarters so we can maximize his performance. The one time I might be careful here is if I’m on a horse that has heavy shoulders, because if he carries his head too low it will be hard to keep his weight off of his front end.

DEAR DANA: Every day, when I ride my horse she is like a new horse. One day, she’s quiet. The next, she’s full of energy. One day the saddle is no big deal, the next day when I cinch her up, she grunts and moves around. One day the chairs by the arena are nothing, the next day she’s afraid of them. I really like this horse. She was a dream come true for me, but this one area is really disappointing. She is a 4-year-old Quarter Horse, bred for working cow and reining.
— Jean

Gerri Burger
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
(951) 719-5589
CA BRE# 01780155
I am a California native and have lived in the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley for over 40 years. Before becoming a realtor, I was a teacher for 20 years. I strive to build relationships with my clients, explain the process in an easy-to-understand manner, and make the experience as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. I know this valley and how to serve my clients! Call, text, or email me for any of your real estate needs.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the first recipient of the FEI Lifetime Achievement award Nov. 26 in recognition of her leading role as supporter of equestrian sport throughout her reign as British monarch.

The award was presented to Her Majesty by FEI President HRH Princess Haya at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace in the presence of former FEI President the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Phillip, and Keith Taylor, Chairman of the British Equestrian Federation.

Horses featured in The Queen’s life from a very young age. She had her first riding lesson in the private riding school at Buckingham Palace Mews in January 1930, when she was just three years old and was given her first pony, the Shetland mare Peggy, by her grandfather King George V on her fourth birthday.

FORT WORTH,Texas — Jennie Shrout of Clements was a California connection among the High Point Champions named at the 2014 World Championship Appaloosa Horse Show held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center Oct. 24-Nov. 1.

Shrout received the Reserve World Champion Non-Pro Halter Exhibitor honors at the nine-day show, which awarded World Championships in 170 classes including cattle, western, English, jumping, games, freestyle reining and halter. Some of the equine industry’s most exciting competitions are uniquely Appaloosa events such as the Rope Race and the horse against horse Nez Perce Stake Races –always among the crowd favorites.

In addition to the variety of classes, some of the most coveted honors in the Appaloosa industry were awarded at the 2014 World Championship Appaloosa Show, including World’s Best Appaloosa, Champion Cattles Horse, Western Horse, English Horse, Games Horse, World Show Leading Breeder and numerous high-point awards. (Awards listings are at the end of this press release).