PASO ROBLES — After getting close the last few years to the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s wealthiest bridle contest, Jake Gorrell and his longtime partner, Smooth N Cash, just plain took it.

The Hanford-based Gorrell and Roloff Ranch’s gritty 2005 gelding topped the field of 14 elite equines to win the CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular. Held in conjunction with the NRCHA Derby June 13-19 at the Mid-state Fairgrounds, the CD Survivor Memorial is a $50,000-added contest named in honor of the late, great stallion owned by NRCHA sponsor Holy Cow Performance Horses.

It was the first time for Gorrell and the little sorrel he calls “Gadget” to win this particular coveted title, although they have come close before.

“It’s awesome. It’s nice to put it all together, finally. Last year I fell down [in the fence work], the year before I had a switch [penalty in the herd work], came back and marked a 232 [down the fence] and almost got a check, but this was the first time for me to win it,” Gorrell said. “We worked hard at it. We worked and worked and it finally paid off.”

Twenty-two year old Los Angeles native Lucy Davis is on the four-person U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team heading to Brazil for the Aug. 12-19 games.

USEF photo

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lucy Davis, a 22-year-old jumping rider from Los Angeles, will join fellow Californians and dressage riders Steffen Peters and Kasey Perry-Glass when the respective U.S. Olympic Show Jumping and Dressage teams head to Rio De Janiero, Brazil, next month for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The USEF announced the squads last week. The Games will be held Aug. 12-19 at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center in Rio.

Davis, who will ride Old Oak Farm’s Barron, a 2004 Belgian Warmblood gelding, will be flanked on the U.S. Show Jumping squad with an abundance of international experience, as she will be joined by Kent Farrington of Wellington, Fla., riding Voyeur, a 2002 KWPN gelding owned by Amalaya Investments; Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y., on Cortes ‘C’, a 2002 Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Abigail Wexner; and

McLain Ward of Brewester, N.Y., on HH Azur, a 2006 Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Double H Farm.

Sixteen-year old Serenity Phillips and LCC Samson soar pathe Six Bar High Jump Challenge.

Amy McCool photo

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Whether attending as a competitor or a spectator, Blenheim EquiSports offered something for everyone at the June Classic III, held June 23-26 at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

From taking quizzes and enjoying cupcakes and ice cream, to a six-bar class that went up to 1.80m with a teen-aged champion, as well as continuing popular classes, series and championships, it was a week of big winners.

Super Sunday at the June Classic III featured three premium events: the $30,000 Markel Insurance Grand Prix Series qualifier, the $2,500 Interactive Mortgage U25 Series Qualifier and the wrap-up of the USHJA Zone 10 Pony Challenge.

In the grand prix, 27 horses vied on Kenny Krome’s 16-effort course.  built by course designer Kenny Krome. Six went clean, but Mandy Porter aboard Abigail Weese’s Milano could not be touched for the win. Two of the six in the grand prix jump-off competed in the U25 Qualifier jump-off, with Delaney Flynn riding Taxo de la Nutria to the top of the class, as well as taking third in the Markel Insurance Qualifier.
Porter is keeping “Cookie” in shape while owner Weese is out of the saddle.

Summer is here and show season is in full force. Many horse owners are traveling whether for shows or just fun with their horses. It is a great time to get your horses out to see new environments, explore the country or ride on the beach. In preparation for traveling, there are some important things to consider.

First, you need to make sure you have the required paperwork. This is going to require a visit from your veterinarian (This is also a good time to make sure your vaccinations are up to date!). For every state, a Coggins test and a certificate of veterinary inspection (Health Certificate) is required. The Coggin’s test detects the disease Equine Infectious Anemia. Once your horse has contracted the disease, it has it for life. The certificate of veterinary inspection is just from your veterinarian stating that the horse was free from clinical signs of disease on the date of inspection. Some states have additional requirements. It is important to check the website of the destination’s state veterinary office to determine any additional requirements.

Heaven’s Ranch comes to Norco! Since 2002, Heaven’s Ranch in Chino Hills has been sharing its distinctive version of paradise with area horse lovers, both young and old. Anne Capelle, owner and founder of the historic, working cattle ranch recently announced the opening of a second Heaven’s Ranch facility in Norco. The Grand Opening is planned for July, 2016. The new establishment, located at 4036 Pedley Ave., has the ability to house more than 40 horses and will feature box stalls, outside pens, a 60′ x 200’ arena, round pen and hotwalker, and is a short ride to river trails. Heaven’s Ranch specializes in assisting newcomers to the equine world by providing the foundational skills and education necessary to truly enjoy life with an equine companion. As with the Chino Hills location, horsemanship skills for all levels, as well as lessons on cattle, will be in the offerings at the Norco site. For information, contact Heaven’s Ranch at 909-597-4920. For updates on their grand opening, visit their website at www.heavensranchllc.com.

After Les showed us turns on the forehand last issue, let’s go the opposite direction and back up.

Your goal when you back is to not have to pull back hard on the horse’s mouth to get him to move backward, but to be able to use just enough contact with the bit to tell him to not go forward—kind of like shifting him into reverse—and then using your legs, like the gas, to move backward. Yes, you might have to tug a little to get him started, but your goal is to take it from an active rein cue to an active leg cue as quickly as possible.

The timing of your command and correction, if it’s needed, is really important as well. You can’t say “whoa” and correct at the same time. You have to say “whoa,” wait for him to try, and then correct him if he doesn’t stop. In order for the horse to learn, you have to give him a chance to do it right. When he does give you an effort, make sure he knows it was the right one. He just made his first move toward a great sliding stop! Nothing you see in a reining class is done overnight; it’s done through years of consistent training, but the hardest part can be the consistency.

HEY RAY! How do you get a “chargey” Mustang to rate at the canter? Mine does everything well at the walk and trot, just not the canter. —Dennis Parker, Zamora, CA

HEY DENNIS: The good news is you have 66 percent of your horse under control! I assume you didn’t have a stuck accelerator issue with the other two gaits. If you did, I would simply advise you to use the same approach and technique for the canter. The simplest way to get your horse to understand that racing at the canter is something he can do—but not necessarily a good idea— is to allow him to lunge around you at whatever speed he chooses until he slows down. The keys here are:

A. Be sure you don’t encourage or motivate him to move in any way unless he breaks out of the gait. (This means hands down, quiet and little-or-no foot movement at all.)
B. If and when he breaks, remember to jump start him back into the canter assertively and then back off immediately to a passive state on your part.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Horse Council’s Annual Meeting concluded June 14 with the National Issues Forum, sponsored by Luitpold Animal Health, an update on the “Time to Ride” campaign, and a panel on benefits of Microchipping.

Christie Schulte of Lead Change Management Inc. and Marketing Manager of the AHC Time to Ride campaign, emphasized that the campaign’s goal is not to just grow the horse industry, but to make the equine experience attractive and accessible to newcomers. She also gave an update to meeting attendees on the progress of Time to Ride in 2016, as well as the new programs and sweepstakes that were introduced this year. Most notably, Time to Ride will be working with the U.S. Equestrian Federation on the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign to engage youth in as many Olympic sports as possible.
Schulte added that Time To Ride has introduced over 60,000 new people to horses.

1st Place, American Horse Publications Print Media

California Horsetrader was presented with the first-place award for winning the best Publishing Media Equine-related Specialty or Custom Publication in 2015 at the American Horse Publications banquet July 18 in Orlando, Fla.