Kim Schnittger and I are on our way.

As we head for Montana and Wyoming, our first stop is at John and Janie Welch’s in Winnemucca, Nevada. Wow, what a great dinner!

Yes, we had to dodge some weather in Lincoln.

At the tail end of the show, we moved inside to finish up the reining.  I did my ranch riding outside in gale force winds.  This is kind of a cool shot.  Not pictured:  the funnel cloud that actually appeared for a short time.

From Corning it was Straight to Lincoln, Ca. for a GSVRHA event.

This facility, Triple Crown Equestrian Center, is where we will hold our WSVRHA finals in October.  It was new and lovely, and should serve our purposes well.

Friend and fellow trainer, Chris Bugenig, put on a fabulous show, ably assisted by show secretary Carolyn Gohary.  Chris’s show was the biggest so far in our HISTORY, with 44 riders.  Good job, guys!

Chris’s numbers were certainly enhanced by the donation of this great Jeff Smith saddle.  The saddle went to the high aggregate score over the course of the day.  That deserving rider was our GSVRHA board member and membership chair, Leslie Vitale.  Thanks to Mary Nelson and all who donated from Chris’s barn.

Another good shot of the interior of the main arena at Triple Crown Equestrian Center.

AQHA Show in Corning!

Dawn Poston, Barbara Ditmore, Charmain Weiser, and I traveled to Corning to compete in an AQHA versatility that was placed within a larger AQHA show. Here, joined by Andrea Pasek, the ladies work to keep the Clifford Horse Training barns spic and span.

This is an all-time favorite photo.  Barbara had the presence of mind to rent a golf cart. It made the best place to hang out during a busy day of showing.  These are lovely ladies with lovely bay horses under the lovely skies of Corning, California. I like the way the horses are all snoozing.  They all showed multiple times that day.

It was a treat to show Barbara’s Tesla Lanta Lena in her second show.  I was really proud of this great girl.  She showed in Trail for her first time.  Barbara showed her to a second place in Open VRH halter.  Tesla also placed as high as third in Junior Ranch Riding…..and she is a joy to be around.

I was also honored to show Charmain’s Just Very Smart (Millie) in the open, while Charmian showed her in the Amateur.  That fabulous girl won the cow horse under both judges and the reining under one judge.

Congrats to Dawn Poston and Fresno’s Plain Peppy (Fred) for winning the cutting with a 74 and a 75.  Wowzers!!  They also won the trail under one judge.

Finally, I was happy to win the open cutting on Very Smart Cowopony with a 73 and a 75.  Hmmm.  Don’t think I have EVER had a 75 in cutting.  Chase also won the trail under one judge.

We left the show not knowing who had done what in the all-around.  So now I guess the wait begins.

Limited Line-ups

Here is a great shot of most of our competitors in this year’s Limited AQHA.  These photos have become a tradition.

….And this has become another tradition: a photo of me with my limited students, minus just a couple.  Left to right: Alexi Connell, Janet McGarvey, Dru Meyenberg, Margaret Pare, Grace Davis, Meghan Carr, Dawn Poston, Larry Bacon, Charmain Weiser, Bev Sparrowk, Cheri Gladstone, Carol Kurtz.  Missing: Karen Zofcin

 

More pictures from the Central Coast Ranch Horse Classic..thanks to Gerry Montgomery!

Grace and Margaret were fifth and sixth in this tough crowd.  I love this picture of them.

I have wanted Chase’s name on this trophy for years.  Now my buddy gets it done.

Look Who Graduated….Again!!

And mom, Suzanne Dorrance, was able to attend this one.  The good news?  Suzanne is now home and officially on the mend.