They call themselves the Backbone Trail Cowgirls — an appropriately strong moniker for this trail-riding quintet.

Last month, led by 81-year-old Ruth Gerson, the Cowgirls covered 67 miles of spectacular but rugged terrain from Pt. Mugu State Park in Ventura County to Will Rogers State Historic Park in Santa Monica. Yes, the six-day journey was a challenge, but the group’s objective was to bring attention to the Backbone Trail, not them.

“I rode this ride for a lot of reasons,” said Gerson, a former Tevis Cup endurance rider whose drive to completion remains intact. Her passion to share a trail ride along the inimitable Backbone Trail, just recently made contiguous after decades of effort, is as strong today as it was 25 years ago when she last rode it.

The ride, she says, was to inspire others to be adventurous, and to show her gratitude that she could make the trip.

Friends, dignitaries and fans celebrate U.S. Show Jumping Team Aug. 21 at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

Capturedmomentphoto.com photo

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Fresh off the plane from Rio de Janeiro, where the U.S. Show Jumping Team won a Team Silver Medal, U.S. Coach Robert Ridland returned from the 2016 Summer Olympic Games Aug. 21 to a warm greeting from his family, friends and the community with a special congratulatory ceremony on the pristine Oaks International Field at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

Ridland, surrounded by his peers and a group of city dignitaries, spoke of the Brazilian experience with pride and true respect for the ups and downs of the sport of show jumping.

Noting that Beezie Madden’s horse Cortes C had sustained a minor tendon injury, he further explained: “On the final day, we were left with just three riders — all three scores had to count, meaning no discard score which is a fundamental disadvantage in our sport. No one can find in the records anywhere in this century or any century a team who won a medal with just three riders.”

He was then congratulated by several for his role in earning this admirable honor for his country, for California and, of course, for the city of San Juan Capistrano, where he is President of Blenheim Facility Management and Blenheim EquiSports, both based at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

We are getting closer to the end of the year, and show season is in full effect. As fall nears, many of our show horses will be traveling great distances to compete to see who is the best of the best. In order for our athletes to be at the top of their game, we need to get them there safe, sound and well.

In July of 2013, UC Davis published a group of articles in the Center for Equine Health Horse Report that covered this topic in great detail. Today, we will go over the highlights from my point of view.

DEL MAR — The Showpark Summer Classic hosted the California Professional Horsemen’s Association (CPHA) Foundation Equitation Championship Finals Aug. 26-28. Divided into 22 & Over, 14 & Under and 21 & Under age divisions, after completing Round 1 on Friday, courses with work-offs built in as part of the Foundation format, the competition continued Sunday morning with Round 2 and further work-offs as needed. The honorable Scott Williamson and Mark Jungherr judged the hotly contested event. After two days of tests, three champions stood on the top of the awards podium: Tonya Johnson, Elli Yeager and Grady Lyman.

Tracer Gilson takes the Level 4 title of the $16,000-added Open Futurity on Da Big Kahuna, owned by Joe and Karen Moran of Laguna Hills.

John O’Hara photo

WOODSIDE – According to Pat Warren of Rancho Oso Rio, the Horse Park at Woodside, home of Reining By The Bay, is the ultimate place to hold a horse show. Pat should know as she’s lived near the Park for many years and, along with Amanda Brumley of Brumley Management Group, is one of the founders of the Reining By The Bay.  Now in its 18th great year as the California Reining Community’s all-time favorite show, Reining By The Bay offers world class competition in the most beautiful setting imaginable. “The facility has really grown over the years,” Pat muses. “From a place of fenced, dirt fields, to a grand facility that hosts many, many shows annually in eight different arenas. They can handle #1000 show horses now. We would do even more reining shows here if we could just get the dates.”

The Andalusian World Cup, the largest Iberian Horse event in North America, will fill the South Point Casino & Spa in Las Vegas, Nev., Sept. 21-24. Out of a dream to create a world-class event that unites all Iberian breeds and disciplines, the Andalusian World Cup was born. The event has a unique format, hosting WEIAUSA Working Equitation, PSL (Lusitano) classes, PRE (ANCCE) classes, dressage, dressage sport horse in hand, and Andalusian World Cup halter and performance classes that are open to all Iberian Horses (both pure and part-bred), regardless of the association into which they are registered. Championship, supreme championship and sweepstakes classes will offer significant prizes, such as saddles and prize money to participants. Entries for the show, which opened on May 1, closed Sept 1. There are limited sponsorship and advertising (show program) opportunities available for corporate sponsors, as well as individuals and breeders. These sponsorships sell out quickly and offer significant perks, so reserve early to avoid disappointment. Be sure to check out the ad on page 13, and for information or questions about the show or sponsorship opportunities, contact info@andalusianworld.com. The event website is http://awc.andalusianworld.com.

Last issue, Les wrapped up Exercises 3 and 4. As we move into more athletic maneuvers, we examine a critical piece: collection.

Objectives
• To concentrate on driving your horse from the back with your legs, in order to create a soft, round frame
• To continue to integrate the concept of 50 percent hands/50 percent legs into your riding
• To learn how to handle a tough or belligerent horse
• To learn about the elevator bit and how it can help you in your training program