Happenings of the Sacramento Horse Community
Possibly one of the most popular activities to watch at Horse Expo is the sale. The sale has outgrown it’s usual locations and was presented in the large rodeo arena (Ram Truck Freedom Arena) so everyone could come and watch. The wind made for some exciting moments, but both horses and riders managed it well. There was a vast variety of horses from the usual performance Quarter Horses all the way to a zebra.
Prices can be seen here
Enjoy some pictures from this year’s Project Cowgirl at the Western States Horse Expo.
The results were as follows:
Next Great American Horsewoman is Jenny Sherbo; 2nd Robin Bond; 3rd Sarah Winters; 4th Alesa Jones; 5th Katie Hill; 6th Mary Kitzmiller; 7th Alyssa Plackemeier; 8th Shauna Branley; 9th Kelly Saunders; 10th Jaime Hinton.
The AQHA Fan Favorite horse, The Goob, owned by Jaime Hinton, was presented a beautiful trophy by AQHA’s Jim Bret Campbell.
The cowgirls voted among themselves for the Cowgirl Spirit Award for a three-way tie: Katie Hill; Mary Kitzmiller and Willow Newcomb! AQHA donated each cowgirl a SmartPak $100 gift.
Here is an unofficial list of the Magnificent 7 Prelim results. I apologize for not having better notes. Check out the photos from the fence work. All were great goes!
285 Jake Gorrell Smooth N Cash 563.5
297 Justin Wright A Dazzlin Prize 568.5
296Â Shes A Catty Lady Ken Wold 551
282 Corey Cushing Smart Boons 575
285 Clayton Edsall Wynsome Chex 565.5
290 Darrell Norcut Fairlea Steady Betty 556.5
292 Phillip Ralls Smart Rewind 575.5
283 Russell Dilday Pepinic Chex
Ron Emmons Olena Oak 576.5
28? Corey Cushing Pink Jeans ?
291Â Les Oswald MH On A Full Moon 568.5
295 Doug Williamson Shining Lil Nic 574.5
293 Ted Robinson MH Its Only Boon 557
286 Clayton Edsall Fresnos Dual Bar 558.5
294 Jon Roeser Moody Blues Brother 549
289 Mark Luis BHR Mardi Gras Time 571.5
284 Russell Dilday Topsails Rein Maker 562
The biggest horse event for the Sacramento area starts this week! There is something for every horse person to enjoy. The Western States Horse Expo is the place for shopping, clinics, demonstrations, and more! Here are some highlights to check out:
Thursday is the Magnificent 7 preliminary competition. 15 horse and rider teams compete in rein work, herd work, steer stopping, and fence work for a spot in the finals on Friday night. Thursday is free to watch, so go and cheer on your favorite team. The list of goes and more information are here The Friday night finals require a different ticket to get in and can be purchased at the expo. The tickets are $15 and the show starts at 7pm. This years judges include Benny Guitron and Bob Avila.
The expo officially opens on Friday at 9am. Friday and Saturday are open from 9am to 7pm. Sunday is 9am until 5pm. Tickets are$18. A three day pass is $45. Kids 7-13 are $5 (6 and under are free) Sunday is Senior day and tickets are $12 for 60 and older. $3 off coupon can be found here Half off tickets are available here
New this year is Project Cowgirl. It will test riders skills with their horse and in front of a camera for a chance at their own show on RFD-TV. Rounds 1 & 2 of the competition are free to watch and happen on the morning of Friday, June 8th, at 9am. The other eliminations are on Saturday at 9am. Finals are on Sunday at 10am. More information here
Young Rider Park is a great place to take the horse crazy kids in your life. Kids can paint a real horse, go on a pony ride, and there is a petting zoo. The Young Rider Park is open all day everyday. More info here
If you have never watched horse driving then the Expo is the place to check it out. The Driving Darby is an competition where horse(s) and driver(s) complete an obstacle course with speed and precision. It is always great fun to watch. It runs on Friday from 4-6pm and on Sunday from 9-11am in the Ram Truck Freedom Arena. Check it out here
Make sure to swing by the horse sale to see a nice selection of 90 riding horses, broodmares, and yearlings consigned to sell on Saturday. There is even a Zebra in the sale! Check out more information and a list of consigned equines here
If you are looking to purchase some art or just enjoy it don’t miss the annual art show. The art show is open the whole expo and be sure to vote for your favorites! More info here
Interested in learning something new? Check out this list of presenters for this year’s Expo:
Like to learn about new breeds? The following breeds are having demonstrations:
SacHorse.com was out in force at the Sacramento County Fair this year. We’ve already featured photos from the 1st Sacramento County Fair Open Horse Show that was held on May 24th.
This Fair was held the inaugural edition of the Annual Sacramento County Fair Ranch Sorting which was held on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28th. Six divisions were offered, from Beginner to Open. $300 dollars was added in each division and $500 was added for a division with 50 or more teams. In addition, there was a 50% payback in each division. The winner of each division won a beautiful silver belt buckle.
The sorting was Ranch Sorting National Championships (RSNC) sanctioned. The RSNC is a 15,000 member-strong organization based in Wellington, CO. It’s mission to lead the industry in developing and improving the sport of Ranch Sorting through affordiability and a fair rating system. RSNC wants to preserve the heritage and integrity of the ranching lifestyle while providing a family oriented, competitive riding experience at the grassroots level. This year, RSNC will sanction over 400 shows throughout the United States. The organization’s National Finals will be held from July 3rd through the 8th in Oklahoma City, OK. Last year there were over 4,000 teams entered in the Finals.
1st Place Results for this year’s Ranch Sorting:
#10 Beg RH (1 cap sorter): Linda Lind
#10 Handicap Masters: Tag Nomelli & Wendy Wedemeyer
#12 Handicap: Lester Leslie & William Sanguinetti
#6 Handicap: Josetta Griffin & Rusty Milliken
#8 Handicap: Brian Jacobs & Kellie O’Donnell
All Levels Handicap: Les Pacheco & Janece Stitser
For full results please visit the RSNC Results Page for the SCF Ranch Sorting
For more information about ranch sorting, visit the Ranch Sorting National Championships
For more information about the Fair, visit the Sacramento County Fair
As Rose Ellis, 14, gently pulled the sparkly purple hula hoop to the side, Nike, her yearling mustang, responded flawlessly, moving away from the pressure and turning her body.
The hula hoop technique begins to teach the horse, who just two weeks ago had hardly been touched by humans, to respond to the contact of reins, explained Gena Wasley, who is helping Ellis train Nike.
The two said it’s still very early in the process, but the progress so far has been remarkable.
“When we first got her, she was afraid to be touched. She was scared out of her mind,” Ellis said.
A situation involving the Humane Society of the Sierra Foothills earlier this year has raised questions regarding the structure of the organization, particularly its chain of command.
Although the incident happened in February, a couple involved has only recently taken the matter to law enforcement, and the incident is now reportedly being investigated by another humane society.
Roseville resident Alexis Reynolds said that she and her husband, Michael, and friend Dominique Landis were helping care for two horses after they were removed in 2011 from the A Chance for Bliss sanctuary, which turned its animals over to HSSF when faced with foreclosure.
The horses were Mystery and Ranger, a blind horse in her 20s and her 36-year-old friend. The pair was pastured in Loomis, and the Reynolds and Landis checked on and fed them regularly for four months. When Alexis Reynolds, who has ridden horses since she was a child, requested that she and her husband adopt the pair, she said, Humane Officer Rosemary Frieborn told her no.
Read more here
LAS VEGAS, May 29, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — When most people think of Las Vegas, their first thoughts turn toward casinos, resorts, clubs, and gaming. But according to James Hoke, president of TourGuy.com, LLC, there is a growing interest in horseback riding that takes visitors beyond city limits and into Red Rock National Conservation Area.
The Red Rock National Conservation Area, also known as Red Rock Canyon, is located 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip, just outside the city limits. It is best known for its red rock formations and natural canyons, protected by almost 200,000 acres of land. The area has more than 30 miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, and rest stops along a 13-mile scenic route.
“There are a number of unrelated public interests that are driving the revived interest in horseback riding,” says Hoke. “Everything from the recent success of the movie War Horse to the promise of the upcoming Olympics with Elizabeth ‘Beezie’ Madden vying for her fourth gold medal in London.”
Although the horseback riding experience offered through Hoke’s tour company is different than the team jumping of Madden or a sensationalized story like the movie, people take an interest in all forms of riding anytime horses are brought back into the public eye. Hoke says some people suddenly realize that they have never seen a horse up close, touched one, or ridden one and they want to feel the unique connection they see on the screen.
At Red Rock Canyon, riding horses in an authentic and beautifully striking area is also part of the allure, especially because ranchers in other states have added more luxuries like swimming pools, day spas, and ATV rides. As much as such luxuries are welcomed, there are fewer horseback tours that retain the authenticity of the American West.
“The horseback rides we offer are authentic for two reasons,” says Hoke. “They follow the Old Spanish Trail, which is the same trail used by frontiersmen, pioneers, traders, and outlaws; and because the area is located on federally protected land, which means any luxuries are confined to Las Vegas. Out here, there is just you, your horse, and miles of open wildness right out of the American West.”
The Old Spanish Trail is a historic trade route that once connected Mexican settlements near New Mexico to Los Angeles. The trail itself spanned 1,200 miles across five states, including Nevada. The trail was a popular route between 1829 and 1848 until the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.
After the war, the trails were largely abandoned except by outlaws and bank robbers who helped make the Wild West famous in American history. One of the most famous gangs included the Wild Bunch a.k.a. Butch Cassidy’s Hole-In-The-Wall Gang, which operated in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.
They were never captured, fleeing to Argentina in 1902. Some say the gang’s leaders — Cassidy and Harry Longabaugh (a.k.a. The Sundance Kid) — were killed in Bolivia. Others say they came back to the United States and lived out their remaining years anonymously.
“When you are riding a horse in the Mojave Desert, your entire perspective changes,” says Hoke. “You can feel exactly like these men felt as they transversed washes, followed trails hidden by brush, and touched sheer canyon walls. Nothing has changed, not even the trails themselves, which were originally carved out by Native Americans.”
TourGuy.com offers two tours in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, one that includes a Western-style breakfast and another that includes lunch. Saddle time for both tours is approximately two hours, with the entire adventure taking four hours. Both also include stops at Bonnie Springs Ranch, which maintains a replica of an 1880s mining town.
In addition to horseback tours, TourGuy.com offers dozens of one-day eco- and adventure tours from Las Vegas. Las Vegas visitors can book guided tours to national landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park or more specialized tours like Death Valley and Area 51.
Excursions offered through TourGuy.com include complimentary pickup and dropoff from Strip hotels. All tours have strict limitations on the number of participants. For reservations and information, call toll-free 1-888-801-1575 or visit http://www.tourguy.com
TourGuy.com is the fastest-growing tour and travel reservation service with the lowest prices for eco- and adventure tours in Las Vegas. It offers a variety of tours, ranging from one-and-a-half hours to two days. Group tour arrangements and custom tours (unlisted) are also available.
Photos: http://www.ereleases.com/pic/TourGuy.jpg http://www.ereleases.com/pic/TourGuy-2.jpg
Contact:
James Hoke, President lhoke@tourguy.com 702-664-2599www.tourguy.com
There were plenty of horse activities at the Sac County Fair this year!
The fair started with the Open Horse Show. There were English and Western classes. Many of the classes were money classes and there were buckles for High Point and bags of feed for prizes. Ribbons were awarded in the remaining classes.
“We also [had] great prizes for the top horses in each class donated by local merchants,” says Pamela Fyock, the Sacramento County Fair Manager. Â “The community is really getting behind the Fair and joing in.” Â Horses entered at the CAQHEA show received a discount on Fair entries. Â The CAQHEA (California Quarter Horse Exhibitors Association) show was held at Brookside Equestrian Center in Elk Grove from May 25th through the 27th.
The show was small, but I hope they continue to have it. Please contact the Sac County Fair to encourage them to have this show next year!
