Tis the Season….for Western Dressage

Erin Corey on Torque, Grace Davis on Casino, and Amy Dore on Ronni showed their “stuff” today in Western Dressage.  I love this picture of the three blaze-faced sorrels.

Western dressage is a great, low-key way to keep our competitive juices flowing throughout the winter.  Balance, rhythm, and obedience are all a part of this event, just as they are a part of our versatility.  But high stress is NOT a part…….so let me know if you’d like to take part in this Trail and Saddle Club endeavor this winter.

 

Winning Time for Its Remedy Time

Barbara Ditmore’s Little girl, Its Remedy Time (Bonny), came away with the Reserve Open Championship in her very first time showing.  It was her first time away from home, first, first, first for everything. The future is bright for this four-year-old.

Congrats to Holly Marsh on her Open win.

Here is that first reining, first cow work, first roping in competition.

Congrats to Isaac and Chase

I was pretty proud of this pair.  Isaac has had very little show experience in his life, and never on a cow until he came to California.  But with Chase as a partner he has revealed his good timing, natural athletic ability, balance, good cow sense, and competitive skill.  He is a natural horseman with good hands, a good seat, and lots of feel for the horse.  Result: Isaac won Open trail, and I’ll let the second photo speak for itself.

Dawn and Fred….Wonder Pair

Dawn and Fred have done it again.  They won every class in the Advanced Amateur.  Then, they came away with the highest score in the show, and the beautiful spurs shown in the second photograph.  I want to take the time to thank Travis and Meghan Mankins and their wonderful team for this amazing event.  For a first time show, they certainly did it right.  The event was well managed, with wonderful sponsors, great prizes, good footing, good cattle, and a positive, supportive atmosphere.  A great time was had by all!

Do you remember Sunny Sal Bar?

A little over a year ago, I sold a two-year-old filly to Kathy Torres’s niece, Ashley Valor.  That filly was barely started under saddle, but adorable and willing.  She belonged to my brother John Carrel, who also owned Poppin, recently sold to Kim Ruiz.

I thought you would enjoy watching Sunny Sal Bar (Sal) a year later in her first competition.  Wow!! Under Ashley’s skilled hand and hard work, Sal has become and amazing and capable versatililty horse……only three years old.  Woop woop!!!

Another Great Match!

I am so excited that Poppin’s new owner is my long time friend and neighbor, Kim Ruiz.  Kim deserves this lovely young boy and Isaac and I can’t wait to be part of their growth together.

That growth together has already begun.  Don’t these two look like they belong together?

 

 

 

The Perfect Pair

Congratulations to Kim Smoot on her purchase of Master Chexx (Junior), the fine bay horse in the foreground.  Kim and Junior are already coming together as a pair, and it’s wonderful to see.  But the other pair referred to here is Junior and Dillon, the lovely buckskin horse in the background, belonging to Kim’s husband, Peter.  Peter and Kim are going to have a fantastic time competing on these handsome boys.  Can’t wait to wait to watch this pair of horses, paired with this pair of people (o.k., enough).

Well…..one more……this pair of horses used to be stablemates, and it’s lovely to see them greet each other.  Junior and Pepsi Tonic.