TEMECULA — Rancho California Arabian Horse Association made efforts to both serve its members and outreach to non-equestrians at its “Night of the Arabian Horse” Sept. 19 and annual Fall Show Sept. 20 at Casner Ranch.

“Night of the Arabian Horse” was an exhibition and included freestyle reining, costumes, dressage freestyle and a liberty class, in addition to having raffles and food available.

As an outreach program, the Rancho California AHA hoped to have both equestrians and non-horsemen enjoy the event and make more people aware of the beauty of the Arabian horse.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Cayla Richards of Calabasas, Calif., dominated in a class which is often called the “proving ground of champions” for young riders at the Western regional qualifying competition for the 2009 ASPCA Maclay National Championships.

The 15-year-old Richards topped the Region 8 qualifier for California, Nevada and Hawaii, held at the Oaks Blenheim Fall Classic Show, managed by Blenheim EquiSports, at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park. Richards trains with Jenny Karazissis and rode her horse Asparagus, a 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to the win.

This was Richards’ second time competing at the regional qualifier, and this year will be her first trip to the ASPCA Maclay National Championship, to held at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament from Oct. 28-Nov. 1.

AMARILLO, Texas — The American Quarter Horse Association’s 2009 Bayer Select World Championship Show continued to draw exhibitors from across the United States as the world’s largest, single-breed horse show open exclusively to amateur exhibitors age 50 and older.

Select exhibitors traveled to the Amarillo National Center to compete Aug. 31-Sept. 6 in 41 classes for champion prize packages that included custom-designed trophies, Montana Silversmiths belt buckles, Tex Tan or WeatherBeeta products, Cripple Creek jackets and prize money.

Entries for the 2009 Bayer Select World Championship Show increased over 2008 numbers with 1,217 for 2009 compared to 1,167 for 2008. Ranch sorting had the largest number of entries with 89 teams slated to compete.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Some of the nation’s best riders, including many from California, tried their luck and skill at the High Roller Reining Classic held Sept. 4-12 at South Point Equestrian Center and Casino. The NRHA “AA” rated event, managed by Brumley Management Group LLC, featured $200,000 in added money and prizes and also included an FEI qualifier for the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

Shawn Flarida wins $40,000 Open Futurity
In the $40,000 Open Futurity, Shawn Flarida of Springfield, Ohio, and Whizkey N Diamonds, owned by Clinton Anderson and Kathy Worley, nailed each spin, rode quickly through their circles, and slid into their stops with ease to earn a score of 221 for the championship trophy and $14,657.58 payout.

Continuing in a Series
In the next few installments, Les Vogt takes you through exercises of his Five Easy Pieces. When you’ve mastered them, you should be able to put any part of your horse’s body where you want it, without resistance. This time, we continue discussing the second piece, Exercise No. 2: Shoulder Control.

BURBANK — Eleanor Hellman won the 2009 Riding For Reading Class during the Woodside Labor Day Classic, while Ashlyn Matheus won the Los Angeles Riding For Reading Class for the second year in a row at the Gold Coast 6 Show at Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Every rider in the classes earned grants to their school libraries from Riding For Reading.

Riding For Reading is a non-profit organization which promotes reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities. The Riding For Reading class is open to riders from 1st through 12th grade. Since the program began, more 500,000 students have benefited from Riding For Reading library grants, organizers said.

SYLMAR — Patrick Swayze, a member of the Arabian horse community, died Sept. 14 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. Swayze was known to many as a dancer and actor in films such as “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost,” but to the Arabian horse community, he was also an accomplished horseman and active participant at horse shows throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Swayze and his wife, Lisa, own ranches in the Sylmar area of Ventura County, Calif., and Santa Fe, N.M.

In 1991, Swayze bought Tammen, an Egyptian Arabian stallion, from Tom McNair and during the next year the stallion was honored with several halter championships. “Over the years, it happened–people gradually started seeing that I am serious about this and I care more about the horses than my little image. I am accepted now, so going Grand Champion there was like a big event for me,” Swayze said about winning at Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals.