RANCHO MURIETA – What do you get when you take a premiere facility in a central location, mix in weekend dates that are scheduled just prior to a large regional cutting, and add a fund-raiser for a heart-felt cause?

You get success, something that the El Rancho Spring Classic, presented by Carol Ward, enjoyed in spades during its four-day run April 22-25 at the Murieta Equestrian Center. Ward, owner of Carol Ward Cutting Horses and also of the MEC, went to great lengths along with her crew to provide another fun-filled show that included tough competition, too.

Competitors from throughout the region participated in El Rancho, many of them appreciative of the chance to get some work in before the 6666 Ranch National Cutting Horse Association Western National Championships 140 miles away in Reno on April 26-May 5.

Here’s a good exercise to remind you of how little rein pressure it takes to send a signal to your horse. To try it, just hang your bridle on a doorknob, like it would hang from a horse’s head. Now stand about five feet away, take one rein in your hand and just lift it until you make contact with the bit and it starts to move. You’ll see that it doesn’t really take a lot of pressure or movement on your part to get movement out of the bit. Our goal is not to force the horse’s movement through the bridle, but to teach him to respond in a certain way when he feels contact, not necessarily pressure, from the bit. The faster you can train yourself to cue him with a lighter touch, the faster you will get the light response we all want to achieve.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — The Spring Series in San Juan Capistrano at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park was a full four weeks this year. Offering classes for young horses and young riders as well as Hunter Derbies and Grand Prix events, there was an abundance of winners during the circuit. Highlighted below are four female champions, three amateurs and one professional, who not only enjoyed the experience but brought home some top prizes.

Estelle Navet and Revann de Lojou
Blenheim Spring was a comfortable and rewarding venue for the young and elegant Estelle Navet. Trained by her father, international show jumping champion Eric Navet, the two have formed an undeniably successful partnership. Her victory in the Modified Junior-Amateur Jumper Classic was particularly sweet with her family in attendance. Estelle credits both parents and her sister for valuable help and support.

Blackjack Farm
Vista
760-310-5717 * BlackjackFarm.net
“The Compound,” as they like to call it, is the ongoing dream of Robin and Dionicio Martinez.  Their desire was to create and maintain a place that would suit two of their passions: horses and fitness.  After starting from scratch three years ago, they’ve been able to build a place that is perfect for people to reach both their riding goals and their fitness goals.  There has been a cross-over, as horse people work out, and fitness people have started to take riding lessons.  It’s a great combination,and the vide is grounded, serene, supportive, friendly and fun! Whether you are a horse person looking for that hard-to-find facility that provides high-end care for your horse and access to professional trainers without requiring that you be in full-training, or are a person looking for a fitness facility that’s as far from the typical gym setting that you can get, this is the place.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat was a happy man when claiming the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 2015 title at the Thomas & mack arena April 18.

I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment!,” said the 32-year-old Olympic champion whose last-to-go ride was an absolute thriller.

He came into the drama-filled final competition sharing the lead with Rich Fellwers of Oregon, but it was French rider Penelope Leprevost who lined up second at the end of the day, while 19-year-old Irish talent Bertram Allen finished third.

Fellers and Flexible finished a very respectable seventh, one of three Americans who broke into the Top 10. New Yorker Beezie Madden ended up fourth, and another West Coast rider, Lucy Davis of Los Angeles riding Barron, was ninth.

LAS VEGAS, Nev.– The High Roller Reining Classic announced May 4 that it will host two divisions of WPR/AQHA-approved Para Reining this September during its annual show at the South Point facility. Bob Haley of Bob’s Custom Saddles will provide two trophy saddles to be awarded to the winners of each class.

“We’ve worked with Arizona Veterans and wheel chair-bound riders in the past,” said Haley, who plans to be in Las Vegas to personally present the award saddles. “We’ll customize them individually to suit the WPR class winner’s particular disability.”

When WPR creator, Lisa Coulter was asked to Chair the Para Reining board for Equine Canada, she was intrigued and interested.

HAVERFORD, Pa. — California-based jumper star Susie Hutchison received another career honor April 13 when she was named to the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.

Hutchison, based in Temecula, is one of five riders who will be inducted during a ceremonial dinner May 26 at the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford.

“This is a huge honor,” said Hutchison. “I’ve been nominated in the past and haven’t been chosen, so it’s really an honor and a special place to have my name listed with the top hunter riders from years past. To even think that people still remember that I rode hunters is nice.”

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