Question for Merry

[Coreene]

Saw in the dressage topic that you used to train with Bob McDonald. I did too, about 10000000 years ago at Hillsview Saddle Club (I'll carbon date myself even more and say that Ed Marcy was his assistant then and he was still married to Sue). Question is, did his daughter Kim keep riding? I always had fun going to shows with her and wondered if she continued riding.

[Coreene]

Saw in the dressage topic that you used to train with Bob McDonald. I did too, about 10000000 years ago at Hillsview Saddle Club (I'll carbon date myself even more and say that Ed Marcy was his assistant then and he was still married to Sue). Question is, did his daughter Kim keep riding? I always had fun going to shows with her and wondered if she continued riding.

[Merry]

So... my sister and I rode at the Orange Co. Fairgrounds with Katrina (ex-Flintridger). Then Bob came from Hillsview via Mr. Harris' place in Fountain Valley. At that time, Bob was married to Sue. My sister and I moved into Bob's barn about the same time he and Debbie got together (though not married yet). Deb still rode AO because that was okay under AHSA rules then. Her horse was a very flashy bay with chrome named Ask Anyone. She usually placed above me in hunters, but I must say I beat her in eq & medals, so there, LOL! My sister and I always had several horses, plus I catch rode a lot, but our big AO horse was Baba Yaga. Cynthia Campbell sometimes sent us horses on consignment to show for her.

About the same time Bob and Deb moved to Idaho we bought our own place. It's been kind of weird to show under Bob when he judges; but needless to say, he's never given me any gifts! In fact, he's more critical! As for Ed Marcy, he was a very sweet man, I thought, and a pretty good eq. teacher. I took some lessons from him when he was down in the Back Bay near Mary Slouka about a century ago. Then I heard he went off to be a bartender at a Colorado ski resort? /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Merry]

Oops! Sorry, you asked about Kimmie. Remember she showed Stride Rite? Geez, I saw Bob at Indio last year (looked exactly the same, just a tad less hair!) and he showed me all sorts of photos. I forgot to ask about Kim, but their son, Ryan, is very blond and cute, and a great hockey player. Not sure if he rides much if at all.

[dublin]

Carbon dating myself as well, I couldn't help noticing your comments about Cynthia Campbell, since we bought my best horse, Talkalot, from her way back when....

Here's a picture of us at the California State Fair in 1968:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=196497&a=1526984&p=15468369

Cynthia found her for us at the Agua Caliente Race track during an apparent jockey strike - and we sold "Maggie" back to her after I went to college.

It's obviously been many many years, but do you know if Cynthia is still alive? If so, is she still buying and selling horses down in Southern California??

[Coreene]

OHMIGOSH, so many memories flooding back. Mr Harris' place was closed down only in the last few years. Well, maybe five or six.

BB ROUNDABOUT CONNECTION: the Therapeutic Riding Center of HB, which used to located at Mr Harris' place when it first started out, went to my barn, where Taryn (another BBer) and I are and where Doubleclear used to work with the TRC.

I remember Stride Rite. I remember getting to ride him several times when I wasn't even 11 and thought it was utterly cool.

Mary Soluka is still in the Back Bay, but they've made Birch into a big whizzing four lane that connects to Mesa. Now she gets traffic noise AND airplanes.

As for Ed, he sadly passed away but I can't remember when. If memory serves me, he was training in Mammoth or somewhere around there.

Gosh I'll never forget in 5th grade we had a filmmaking class and my film was about Bob and Ed.

What memories!

[Merry]

Wow, Dublin, is that a June Fallaw photo? /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I believe Cynthia has passed away, although Gretchen Tank was alive and kicking just a few years ago. Amazing how Cynthia would shop around people's horses. One year our flat horse came up sore right before the Santa Rosa show, which was our favorite show. Bob McDonald made a call and suddenly there were 2 horses from Cynthia on our doorstep. My sister and I had 3 days to try them. We didn't know the name of the horse we chose, so we called him "Secret Harbor" after a rowdy bar down near the beach! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif So the two of us, without a trainer, hauled him about 400 miles to Santa Rosa. We won a lot on that horse. My sister (Beezer) even won the junior eq. championship. So, good for us, and good for Cynthia, as the horse didn't come home with us: a customer of Larry Larson's bought it at the show!

Those were the days when people I guess were more trusting and less sue-happy.

[dublin]

I loved her photos!

Gretchen Tank -- now there's a name I hadn't thought of in years!! Thanks for the info on Cynthia.

Here's another Fallaw picture of Maggie at the State Fair that I always liked:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=196497&a=1526984&p=15468370

[Merry]

Isn't it amazing how we all knew how to do 'automatic releases' back then, more or less? Great photos! I'm getting a scanner soon, and I'll attempt to display myself.

[Bumpkin]

/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

[This message was edited by Bumpkin on Feb. 23, 2001 at 01:46 AM.]

[Merry]

Hmmm... In all my adult eq.o/fences and medals, I never consciously used an automatic release, however, when jumping a fence off an angle or perhaps a roll-back turn, an automatic release "just happens". But in hunters: definitely, no; just the habitual and incredibly popular crest release. What became fashionable and really overdone to the point of lunacy was the obvious "early release" in hunters. So you're cantering down on a long approach to a single fence, and about four strides out you shove your reins up the neck, demonstrating just how soft and consistent your horse is all the way to the point of take-off. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Of course, it's also an incredible invitation for a horse to chip in at the last moment... or dive out to the side.

[C&C]

I almost posted on the previous thread when Merry mentioned Bob and Debbie. I did not exactly ride with either Ed or Bob and Debbie myself, but I rode in both of their lesson programs. I started at Ed Marcy's place in the late 70's I guess (I must have been 8). He had an awesome working hunter (I think) named Hoi Polloi. When he quit, the woman teaching our lessons moved over to Bob and Debbie's and I continued there until they left to Idaho. At that time Rogue was "the" horse in the barn. I remember Kimmie well. She was moving in with her Mom when Bob and Debbie left, but that's the last I ever heard of her.

I stayed on with numerous other trainers at the OC Fairgrounds until I quit riding in 88.

As for Gretchen, she is now in Arizona still riding and teaching.

[Merry]

C&C: Hoi Polloi was owned by Joy Carney, who also owned Hit Parade later on... I believe. So you remember Rogie? Who else? Debbie Call and Quiet Place? Jeanne Rodriguez?

There were some kids (a little younger than us), like the girl who had Night Flight and the one with Pappy J. Are any of those kids you guys? Wow, what a small world!

[doubleclearjumper]

When you mention Mary Solucka in the Back Bay, where is that located? I saw riders once along the top of the riverbed behind the Fletcher Jones
Mercedes dealer at Jamboree and MacArthur and called out to them where they were from, and they said they came from their own place. Where in Newport Beach along the backbay is that located? The Dunes? (I used to work at The Ritz in Fashion Island before the reading glasses and graying hairs sprouted!) Remember that stable on the beach side of PCH between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar? Did they make them move out becauseof the Disney project proposal of timeshare condos?

[Merry]

doubleclearjumper: Mary's place is where it has always been, near Orchard Street. Many years ago, we could ride across Newport Blvd. from the Orange Co. Fairgrounds, past Mary's place, and into the Back Bay. Then they built UC Irvine. Then all the condo's, etc. Virtually all the horse-keeping will end as each piece of property back there is sold off. The places along Pacific Coast Highway are all gone... for years. Again, used to haul down there and ride in the ocean. Joan Irvine of course has her place, and Coto de Caza is still going... though not nearly as nice or populated as when Max Bonham was there. Most horse-keeping in Orange Co. is relegated to major equestrian centers now. Very sad. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif I guess that's "progress".

[Coreene]

Some of the Back Bay places are still there. All those gorgeous ones on Mesa Drive still thrive, and a few of the houses in that neighborhood were upgraded and have small arenas, dressage courts etc. Most of the backyard stalls are still there, but the only place now to ride is along the Irvine Avenue side of the Back Bay.

A lot of people still have horses on the other side of Irvine Avenue and cross them over to go to the Back Bay as well. The stable that used to be off Irvine Avenue and Mesa (behind the old red barn next to the golf course) is gone, but part of one of the barns is still up.

The one on the beach side of PCH just south of CDM is gone, but none of the building has started yet. Any day now. Timeshares, dontcha know, which is no fun.

In Nellie Gail Ranch, Henry Samueli from Broadcom has caused all sorts of uproar by closing the trails around his place, posting security guards and having the landscapers cover the trail.

San Juan Capistrano is trying like mad to build more stables, which is nice. And Huntington Beach manages to hold on to the "undeveloped" trails behind the equestrian center, so we make do with what we've got...

[C&C]

Merry you know more than me. Like I said I was 8 to 10 back in those days and don't remember much. Debbie Call sounds really familiar. Other girls that were closer to my age that also moved from Ed's to Bob's were Maria Cardigan with Quincy and Lisa Argyros (sp?) with a junior hunter I was in love with named Good Christian. Her parents are still in Newport Beach and live down the street from my dad. I can't recall too many other names just remember the faces and horses come to mind these days.

As for the state of that area, it makes me sad. We moved to Irvine in 74. It was all open land back then. I started my first riding lessons at the place you all referred to down by the beach between Corona and Laguna. Wasn't it called Seahorse Riding Academy?? I can't remember why they got closed down, but it was their demise that moved me to the fairgrounds. Now its all development everywhere you go. Kinda sad. I hardly recognize things anymore when I go home to visit the parents.

[Coreene]

I remember Lisa. Her dad is one of our clients.

Wasn't Seahorse the one on Laguna Canyon Road? It's sad to see that lovely old barn remade into something else.

I remember when you could stand at the back of Top of the World School in Laguna Beach, or anywhere on the ridge there, and see all the way to Orange/Tustin with very little in between. Mission Viejo was three houses and Irvine wasn't born yet. Those were the days.

[Beezer]

Coreene, are you perhaps thinking of Joe Lifto's place out on Laguna Canyon Road? The one where Betsy Breen started out? That may indeed have been called Seahorse at one time, but I think the old (as in really, really OLD) Seahorse was out on PCH; at one time eons ago you could rent horses to ride out on the beach. (I think Judy Martin's place up in LA was also called Seahorse at one point too ... popular name, it would seem! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif )

There were a couple of stables out on Laguna Canyon Road ... Dixie whose-last-name-I-can-never-remember was at one of them at one time. That's where Liza Applebaum (a fairly well-known judge who maybe has a married name now) got her start.

And C&C, I remember Maria! (I'm Merry's sister, btw) I recall her having an old Appy that she showed quite a bit; not sure if his name was Quincy though (brain fade setting in). Maybe Quincy was a later horse? I saw her several years ago in a tack shop out near us; she was getting somewhat back into riding, but not really showing. She was a blast in those days. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

And isn't indeed terribly sad what's happening out here? Even where we are, the self-proclaimed Horse Capital of the U.S.A., everywhere you look there's construction. The latest idiocies are the huge houses that take up most of these (allegedly) half-acre lots clinging to hillsides that the builders are proudly billing as "horse property." Only if they come disguised as mountain goats! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[doubleclearjumper]

Yes, I kept my TB at Dixie's on Laguna Canyon Rd. Is Sycamore Stable still in San Juan Cap? Last I heard, stables were shutting down in SJC. Did Joan Irvine ever resolve the death of South Pacific?

I used to live next to Nellie Gail in Laguna Hills, how can the Broadcom guy do that to the trails? I saw a young lady riding at the corner of Oso Pkwy one day while I was out jogging. She was riding on that main highway with a halter and said that her horse was perfectly safe! Great to have that much confidence, but I still was concerned for her. Went to a show up in Rancho Santa Margarita a couple of years ago. I talked to a really nice lady instructor there. I have to say, for advertising Coto de Caza as an upmarket area, I thought the equestrian center would be on a scale like Del Mar Horse Park with all the well-kept facilities. They did say they were planning rennovations.

[This message was edited by doubleclearjumper on Jan. 18, 2001 at 02:18 AM.]

[C&C]

as I just love to remember the area back when it was such a wonderful place to live!! Before all the multimillion dollar homes perched on hillsides waiting to go down in a landslide -- don't these people learn??

Beezer, yes, Maria did have an appy, but his name was Duke. What a cool horse he was. Would jump over jumps left in the arena when he was turned out. Quincy was a very dark bay that Maria bought not long before she quit riding. Neat that she is getting back into riding after all these years. One other name that came to mind is Julie Gibbons with Ben (can't rembmer his show name) and Terri Richards with Standing Room Only. Hmmm and their was a girl there too named Brandy that rode with Bob and Debbie too that was really good.

And yes, Judy Martin's place in LA was (and still is I think) called Seahorse as well. Or is it gone??

And Merry I loved your post on the "rich vs. not so rich" thread. Back in the days at the fairgrounds, I never had much money to show. I had to ride the bus or my bike (traffic wasn't so bad back then although going past the airport could be scary!) from Irvine to the barn which took an hour after school every day. Then I cleaned, groomed, and rode whatever they would send my way. (I should note that Richard's Mom worked REALLY hard to give him what she did, and I don't mean to take that away at all.) I was lucky to work for many trainers over the years that let me have an occational break on a wonderful ride from time-to-time. So now, my motto I think is much like yours, I try to make my own horses and whenever possible give rides to hardworking, talented juniors who have the desire but not the funding to have quality horses.

[Merry]

doubleclearjumper: You've got to be kidding? You had your horse at Dixie's on Laguna Canyon Road? When? Were you there when that young boy, Manuel, rode there?And Liza's married name is Mortimer. She's an AHSA judge and a trainer at Del Mar Horsepark. I taught lessons at Dixie's with Liza and kept my horse boarded there during my first few years in college. (My one experience with being "pro" and see how it soured me? Amateur for life!).

Dixie was a... tense person. I totally lost it when I found out she disposed of two of the oldest school horses. I thought she had the dear old things put down. But no, she proudly told me she sold them to a pack station!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif Needless to say, that was it!

Joe Lifto's place was called Stoneridge and it was down the back road from Dixie's. I met/knew Joe when he had just stopped riding in rodeos! Wow, and I knew Bob soon after he had stopped selling furniture!

My sister's post (Beezer) about the alleged horsekeeping lots in our town is so true and very sad. When we moved out here it was totally rural. We came straight from the Orange Co. Fairgrounds to our own place, with this great view of the hills and a valley. We could hack thru the hills on our show horses forever. Now, we can see Target and Starbucks! /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

[rusty]

Although I am up North the area is changing just like you are talking about. YUCK
I was also one of those kids that worked for the trainer and braided etc. I am teaching all my students these skills because you never know when you will need to make extra cash. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif I am going to sign off now because I am to tired to type up more memories of the good old days. I never thought I would refer to the 70's as the good old days. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Coreene]

Re South Pacific, last I heard she was still looking for a culprit.

C&C, do you mean Richard Spooner? His mom is at my barn. She's a scream - we just love her. She knows now to take orders for stuff whenever she's off to Spruce Meadows or World Cup, and has become our official personal shopper.

Sycamore is still there and has a waiting list. Most of the stables in San Juan are full, and the city is looking for land to build more. Fortunately it is remaining a horsey community.

Has anyone been into the barns at The Oaks/Blenheim? Had a leisurely walk through there during the George Morris clinic and was drooling. I was also really surprised to see that giant stallion Joan Irvine used to have living at RJ's. The 18.1 Holstein ... damn, the name escapes me ...

Where did Betsy Breen go?

[Merry]

Coreene: Didn't you ever hear/remember about Betsy's awful accident? Where the horse flipped over with her and jellified her brain? There were charity shows, etc. From what I recall, her mom totally took care of her and helped nurse her back to health. I have not seen her personally, but I understand she did begin riding again to some extent. Remember she rode all those jumpers like Grandstander for Joe Lifto?

[Coreene]

Gosh, you're right, I had totally forgotten. I lived overseas for a few years and I think it happened when I was gone.

Thanksgiving marked five years since I did the Humpty Dumpty headfirst on cement and I still have a few problems with it on occasion, so I can only imagine how bad it must have been for her.

I propose a Topic Vote that one day we all meet up and reminisce.

Other names from the past/questions: does Anita Linn still work with Mickey Hayden? What ever happened to Tammy Hickock? I know she was doing jumpers still when I was working at Santa Ana Feed (the old one on First and Grand) while in college. That's more carbon dating.

[doubleclearjumper]

I don't think Dixie ever liked me. She trailered my horse to Laguna Beach from Monrovia. He was kept in the box stall barn on the east side, the very southerly stall on the end. It was $90 a month! She absolutely castigated me for my TB not standing for the farrier when he was being shod (I was not there at the time). His nice leather halter was destroyed, so he must have had a severe pulling match with the hitching post and won! She mellowed out when I took on more hours at work and couldn't get out to the stable as often -- then she sweetly offered for a student of hers (who did not have a particular caliber of horse) to use my horse in her lessons. I obliged this, but eventually moved him to Huntington Beach on Edwards. Until then, I drove out twice a day, before and after work to ride, coming down the 405-Laguna Canyon Road from Huntington Beach. Guess I had the energy then! Sorry, I don't remember the young man you mention.

[Beezer]

Ha! I can beat Merry to the answer re Tammy! She actually rides out of the farm in Temecula where Merry and I send our "kids" out for their first days with a rider. (We do all the groundwork and backing at home, then they go away to kindergarten for walk-trot-canter-with-a-rider lessons, then come home for Merry to, ahem, "finish" them before Beezer climbs aboard for her joy rides. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ))

All together now: "It's a small world after all! It's a small world after all!"

[Coreene]

BEEZER! My goose pimples now have goose pimples. Does Tammy still have her own horses or is she riding for other people?

[Beezer]

that we probably know each other?? Or at least know OF each other??

Anyway, not sure if Tammy "officially" owns any horses herself. She's one of the main riders at Hunter Hill (Sandy Nissen's place), still shows on occasion and judges. But mostly she rides the babies.

As for Mickey Hayden, I haven't seen him in awhile. I remember the name Anita Linn but can't really recall hearing it around the shows recently. But that doesn't mean much ... I hang around the jumper rings mostly these days and have discovered, as I've gotten endlessly older, that my neurons are basically too filled up to pay attention to much more than the course directly ahead of me. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Merry]

Hey now, I'm double-dipping in on this! Tammy is married and has a little girl. She totally stopped riding for a while, but got back into it; came out to Sandi's place, and away she went! She still looks about the same as when she was a kid: small, dark hair, very gutsy, accurate rider.

As for the Betsy Breen accident, gosh, that was about 15 yrs. ago, I'm thinking. It happened outside the ring at a big show (LAEC?) and her horse reached around, caught his bit in the stirrup iron, and before she could rectify the situation, he flipped up and over!

[C&C]

throwing this to the top. yes, coreen, I did refer to Richard Spooner. Seems I didn't totally delete the reference I wrote about him. What I was really trying to say was that he and I rode in the same ring at that same time taking our lessons when we were teenagers, and when he really started to get well know I remember feeling so jealous!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Yes his Mom is incredible!! and I'm sure she is every bit as generous and helpful now as she was back then.

Anita Lynn is one of my old trainers too. I haven't heard anything about her in several years although I did see a Mickey Hayden add in Horses Magazine (which I now only purchase just to see the old names from time-to-time) from him a year or two ago.

OK, I got one for you OC people. Does anyone remember a trainer that was at the fairgrounds named George.... can't recall the last name and its making me crazy. His wife and daughter rode and taught with him in a small barn. I remember him riding this awesome GP horse when I was pretty young, and I also recall my trainer saying that the horse was eventually sold (for a tidy little sum) to an east coast rider (Margie?? -- my memory cells are working overtime). And if I remember correctly the horse was The Natural. Can anyone confirm??

[Coreene]

C&C, I know who you mean but now I can't remember his surname. I'm not going to the barn today (have spent a glorious day shopping in LA for things for me and not for my horse, which only happens once a year), but I'll find out tomorrow and post it on Monday.

Last that a friend heard re Mickey H was three years ago; he was at Nellie Gail and Anita's mom was doing his office work. Anita had been working for him, but who knows now. I don't know if Mickey is still there - we had zillions out at Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center for the (used to be GTE) Summer Classic in August, and though I think he was there I'm not 100%.

Beezer, email me at coreene@yahoo.com so we can find out if we do actually know each other. Do you live near EVA? This is the only place I know in Yorba Linda, but I think my vet lives there now, too (Christina Garloff).

When you rode with Bob, did Kim Ostman still ride with him? She was a few years older than me, but I remember I was madly in love with her horse Fun N Games.

Doubleclearjumper, do you remember when Rosie Hennes had her four or five stalls behind Huntington Crest, which was previously Horse World and Gold Bar before that? Where was your horse in HB?

Oh, the memories. I had my first horse at Meadowlark. This is really going back a long ways. They still had 8-track tapes then.

Am now blowing the carbon dating materials off my sleeves...

[Merry]

Ha ha, I've beaten my sister to the punch on this one.

You mean George Meyer. He came from to the Or.Co. Fairgrounds from Peacock Hill... now THERE'S a barn from the past!Carbon date that place, Coreene! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Beezer bought the horse Beezer from George when he was at Peacock Hill and had stopped teaching high school and gone into training full-time. We owned that horse for 24 years!

George's wife (Carol?) died of cancer about 10 years ago. We had the same doctor, so that's how I found out. It was hopeless (I believe breast cancer that had metast. to bone quickly). He has remarried. He now trains at Sycamore Trails in San Juan, and his place is Pacifica Jumpers. Every now and then I run into him at a show. He's always very cordial. Kind of funny that way, how when you both know where each other started from, the humble beginnings, how that sort of breeds familiarity and a level of respect. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

The horse you're referring to that George was the agent for at $1M was... gosh dang it, I can see the stupid beast in my mind... it was a dark bay with a white stripe. AUGGH! I don't think it was the Natural...

Paging my sister...

[RAF]

Was the horse Pressurized? Ridden by Leslie Lenehan?

[Chef Jade]

But I now live in OC and just bought a new horse and keep her at El Toro stables. I searched high and low for a barn to keep her at and visited many barns in OC. I was shocked at how full all of them were and many totally dilapidated. I started to conceive a plan to build a great new eq. center off the 405 near the Laguna freeway. Well turns out that area isn't zoned for that but I may be looking into an area on the 133 towards the beach. I have a name of someone at the Irvine Company that owns that land so I just need to call and see if it is at all feasible. Hopefully my job in real estate will help me but if anyone has any ideas, tips, can offer moral support, i'd appreciate it!

[Merry]

Ding-ding-ding! Alright, RAF! Honest to goodness, the name came to me while I was sitting in the movies tonight ("The Pledge" w/ Jack Nicholson). Yes, the horse was Pressurized! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I was just wracking my brain trying to remember that stupid name. I knew it started with a "P".

You may proceed to the head of the class! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Merry]

Chef: Yes, many of the stables in OC are dilapitated, especially the old ones. As for horse keeping property, come east, come east! Orange Park Acres, parts of Fullerton and Yorba Linda, Norco, Temecula, etc. Lots of horse property of all calibres and values will only go up!Take the toll road to cut over to the 91 Fwy.

Coreene: Last time I saw Mickey Hayden in the flesh was at Ride America this past year on warm-up day. Since I had my 3yr. there for the weekend just to "camp on", I didn't pay any attention as to whether Mickey showed or not.

And I do remember Meadowlark stables, on the lop-sided hill in "old" Huntington! I was probably 14 or 15 the few times I went there. The trainer lady there always had a string of horses and ponies for sale. I went with my trainer; I was the guinea pig kid who got to try everything.

[doubleclearjumper]

I used to live in Sunset Beach at the very last house (the gray one) on the beachfront across from the water tower. So many kids used to climb it at night, we used to yell at them to get down! I used to drive up past Meadowlark Airport on Warner to get to work. Are there horses still there (you see horse droppings along the mesa in back of the wetlands bordered by PCH)? I cannot even remember the name of the stable on Edwards I was at! I was not there long because they wanted the boarders to train with their instructor or leave beause so many people came looking to board when stables were being sold in the area and stall space became tight. The fee they wanted I felt was too high, so I did not stay.

[AAJumper]

Well, this is sort of late in the conversation, but Gretchen Tank is definitely still around and going strong! She lives in San Bernadino County I believe. She occasionally trains my trainer at shows, and has been out to our barn a few times. In fact, I just saw her at the show at LAEC today!

[C&C]

OK, so maybe I was wrong about Gretchen being in AZ now.... but she was for a while I thought. Jumper (another ex So Cal rider) used to ride with her... maybe I'll get her to confirm.

Anyway, back to George Meyer!! Yes that is the one. I thought maybe my memory made up the 1M price tag, so I didn't actualy write it here, but I guess I had it right. And yes it was Presurized too!! Sorry to hear about his wife though. She was really the PR person in the barn. It is kinda nice to see that soem of the same names and faces are still out there and that they all haven't gone on to other careers sans horses.

[Ozman]

You said you do freelance work. What type? Do you do magazine work? horse related? just curious, I love writing and am looking toward my future and wondering what exactly I'd like to make my career. Thanks. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Chef Jade]

Were you at the LAEC Season Opener? Were you showing? I was there...too bad we couldn't meet up! I might add it was a good thing I was there. I learned I have plenty of kinks to work out before Indio!

[Coreene]

I did this huge post yesterday and my computer kicked me off before I could post.

As soon as I got off the computer the other day, I remembered George's surname. It is amazing how many trainers are at Sycamore right now. Surprising they don't have pileups in the covered arena.

Peacock Hill - gosh, I haven't been there for years! Bob McD got me as a very cheap groom (I used to beg to go along when I was about 10 or 11 to do just that) and that was one we always went to.

Here's another one from the past: who remembers showing at Villa Park Country Club? This was so long ago that everyone did hunter hack, and lots of times you did Junior Jumpers on the same horse. What a blast.

Isn't Gretchen Tank the one with Showcase Stables in Redlands? It's some Gretchen ... not sure if it is her.

Doubleclear, the stables that were at the dead end of Bolsa Chica - Smoky Stables USA - were closed down about two years ago. Now the only ones in HB besides HCPEC are "the Green Stables" and the floating stalls on small plots of land behind the houses on top of what used to be Huntington Crest/Horse World/Gold Bar and the American Landscape Supply.

The one you were at on Edwards - was it Ocean View? Kathy Gerjets went there after Meadowlark closed. She is now at River Trails, trying hard to keep the Edison Company from shutting it down since they own half the land (hello, they don't have the money to pay for employees or electricity - what do they want with a few acres of field?).

All this Blast From The Past is very warm and fuzzy.

C&C, email me if you need additional help with the Irvine Company and local government. My email address is coreene@yahoo.com. It sounds like a brilliant idea, especially if you can get a show facility built into it. I'm picturing Hickstead or Aachen...

[Beezer]

Villa Park, Villa Park! YES!! But I fear that like most things around here, it has been paved over. Those shows used to go on forever, didn't they? And during the worst of the summer, they'd start in the afternoon and go way into the night. We thought we were so cool, being able to stay up past bedtime to SHOW. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

Two horses I can still see clearly from those days: Day Tripper (a big red roan with a lot of white) and Sand Duster (I think? It was Sand something), a chestnut with a lot of white. What made the biggest impression on me about him was that he would be orange every winter after his body-clipping. I thought that was too cool and always wanted an orange horse. Oh, the things that stick in a kid's mind!

[Merry]

Humph! My sister keeps beating me to answering these posts!

Coreene, how many people could there be who A) rode with Bob and B) remember showing at Villa Park? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

This is getting freaky here!

I remember the roan-with-the-chrome Day Tripper, too. That gal won EVERYTHING locally, but one year when we went to Del Mar, and she was in a hack class with all the Lakeside Ranch horses, our trainer dryly said, "Well, water has found its own level." Poor Day Tripper was definitely out-classed. There was also a girl named Jill Johnson who rode a horse named Superstar. She was at all of the Villa Park shows.

And now, here's another name for Coreene: Peggy Osterkamp/Pinza! Or how about the Oertleys and the original, old Winrock Farm, before the Stewarts took the name? Am I frying your brain? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Many, many years ago I took lessons at Ocean View when my horse was laid up. That's when Mickey Hayden was there with Mark Mullen and his sister, Janet. They let me ride Funny Face, Janet's gray horse. Ring a bell?

And now, for OZMAN: Yes, I write for magazines. And newspapers. And some Internet sites. Recently I finished a section for a book that was freelanced. And if I could get some free time, I need to get beyond my rough draft of MY book. Horse related? Much (but not all)of it. I've been doing it for many years, so I'm fortunate that editors contact me for all the work I can possibly handle, rather than having to send queries out. Get your foot in the door by starting small. Every editor always tells me they are desperate for more writers, but that not many people write well, or write in the style they need. Oh wait... this is a riding BB, not a job search /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif !

[Merry]

The Gretchen at Showcase Stables in Redlands is Gretchen Lauritzen/Clark, not Gretchen Tank. Gretchen Clark is very nice, trains a lot of girls in collegiate competition, and does the B and county shows. Unfortunately, she's kind of in the boondocks, but she owns her place and it's quite nice.

[Coreene]

Gosh, I remember Superstar! Mary Warren, who owns HCPEC, named her foal the same a few years ago and I think of the old one whenever I see the new one.

WHO REMEMBERS BABY CLYDE?

Vauge memories of Peggy O. Do you remember Kim Ostman with Fun N Games? Can't remember - think I asked this before.

There was also a girl at Hillsview when Bob was there who got a horse named Dominique for Christmas and was killed a year later when she had an accident at the stables. Riding double, bareback, in the rain.

I remember Janet's horse. Still hard to believe that Mark is gone. I remember when, between Ocean View and HCPEC, he was at some place on Ortega Highway on or near what is now The Oaks. That was when he was working with Victor. One of the arenas at HCPEC is now the Mark Mullen Arena. It was just devastating at the barn when we found out he'd passed away.

Merry, the three of us really need to meet up one day.

[Beezer]

Coreene, yes, I vaguely recall Kim Ostman ... think she was one of the ones who moved with Bob to the fairgrounds? Would have been about the same era as Pappy J, I think. Also remember "talk" of the girl who died but since it happened before Bob moved and long before Merry and I started riding with him, I don't know any of the gruesome details.

And you say you used to groom a bit for Bob? At Peacock Hill and other shows?? I can't HELP but wonder if the real Beezer was one of the ones you might have helped with, though Merry and I usually did our own grooming to help cut costs.

Do you remember Yvette Batista (sp?) with Private Collection? He was a really pretty chestnut horse with a star and won quite a bit. Or Jeanne Rodriquez? They were my "Bob era." /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

And Rusty! Please don't tell me my favorite northern environs are going the way of the bulldozer! Merry and I still have hopes of getting back up there to show. We have some lovely memories from our "excursions" to Northern California.

[doubleclearjumper]

Ocean View... yes, I believe so! Would you believe that the poor, cash-strapped Edison electric company owns power stations in Yorkshire in England? Maybe they should sell those before they gouge CA consumers for electricity!

[Coreene]

Merry, I can't remember those two names, but this was just SO long ago that I'm not surprised. I started riding with Bob when I was 10 and in November I'll be 40, so this is some serious carbon dating!

Who remembers Fleet Apple when he showed locally?

[Ozman]

Maybe you could email me and give me some more info. I'm interested in the freelance writing "thing" and would totally appreciate some advice. Thanks in advance. Casino6980@aol.com

[AAJumper]

And I learned that I have some serious work to do before Indio...and I'm leaving next Wednesday! Aaaahhhh!!! I had two absolutely HORRID rounds in the jumpers. I now must continually repeat to myself, while on course, "I will NOT soften my body 2 strides before the fence"!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

[Merry]

AAJumper: Come on, rally the troops for us! Try to realize that the LAEC show demonstrated what you needed to work on. Now get out to the desert and have a blast! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Coreene: Yes, we recall Fleet Apple when he was out here. And when Mark Mullen was at the 'eventual Oaks' place with Victor. Hate to carbon date myself, but I knew Mark and his sister when they lived near my aunt near Yorba Linda and rode at the funky Orange County shows!

And what about Kathy Hobstetter, who is back on the scene, training at the Orange County Fairgrounds? Since you recall Ed Marcy, you surely must remember Kathy H. from back then.

Yes, we must get together, especially since you're so local. Trust me, we shall cross paths!
(And don't feel old: I turn 46 in March! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif )

[AAJumper]

Merry, after we were done on Sunday (we just hauled in for the day as a practice for Indio) I told my trainer "well, I guess it's a good thing that we decided to go to this show, because now we know what I need to work on!!!" I suddenly feel like I am back in college pulling an overnight cramming session before finals!

Oh well, I'll just continue to remind myself that I've found my Achille's Heel (it was gone for a while, but apparently it has come back!), and I won't let it rear it's ugly head at Indio!!! I'll just continue to tell myself "sit away, sit away, sit away, sit away........"

[Coreene]

Re Kathy Hobbstetter, how about I started by taking lessons from her at Hillsview before Bob was there? My brother did, too. I'll never forget the time I turned up and there weren't enough saddles and I had the lesson bareback.

[Merry]

So, you can imagine my amazement/consternation when Kathy H. "re-arrived" on the Orange Co. scene and just took up all over again. It's like, I just stay here, riding the same, doing my thing, and these people keep coming in and out of my life!

Sort of comforting that there are indeed "constants" in the universe.

[Coreene]

I know exactly what you mean. I think a lot of people were surprised.

OH, re George Meyer, spoke to a friend last night who told me the story re the expensive horse. George had been getting horses from a gal for not much, and she called and said "I've got this one and he's kind of skinny, but I think he'll turn into something big." He went there, walked right past the horse without noticing it and then bought him for $1500.

[dublin]

Is Peddie Happe still in the horse show business? (He trained/showed my mare Roulette before we bought her in the early 70's).

Also, what about Debbie Nordstrom Sands?? My sister was an assistant trainer to her at Westlake Village Eq Center years ago....

[dmj]

Chef....

you don't mean the El Toro marine base stables do you?? That is where I was previously....bad experience....email me in private if you wish. I am currently w/ Mickey Hayden @ Nellie Gail Ranch- I attest that he is very much alive and well!! He is SUPER!

[Beezer]

Hm, Dublin. I don't recall a Peddie Happe. But you say it was the early '70s? Perhaps my, ahem, OLDER sister would remember the name. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Don't know re Debbie Sands; she trained and judged a lot but haven't seen her in awhile. Quite likely our paths simply haven't crossed recently. Do know that Nancy Nordstrom has a thriving sales barn (odd how both went into sales, hm?). And Ken (or Kenny, as he was known way back when Merry -- and everyone else then -- had a crush on him) was one of the judges at our big county finals last fall.

[Coreene]

Another name from the past. I was between "real" horses and kept my Fun Mare at Big K when Kenny was there. He'll always be "Kenny," what else could he be?

[rusty]

I remeber Fleet Apple from when he was up here.

The August Santa Rosa Show is no longer /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif Ireally liked that show. As I explained earlier I don't get out much except locally any more. But the old PHC I heard is now called Brookside or something like that. Menlo still has a great show in July.

I am trying to help save one of the arenas that one was used for one dqay shows. The city is trying to turn it into tennis courts, so me and my big mouth started puttiong on shows there. So hopefully not all of the arenas will be paved over /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif Thanks for letting me vent on your thread. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Merry]

Okay, Dublin, yes, Pedde Happe is still alive, alive! I saw him in a baby green hunter class at Ride America late this past summer. Boy, did he look old... but then again, despite the Oil of Olay, I ain't no spring chicken either! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Anyway, he was on a striking bay WB cross-type mare that jumped cute but ICK /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif on the flat work between the jumps. Looked very unbroke, as in "I wouldn't jump that thing around for a million bucks". So I'm gathering he's training/riding somewhere in the San Diego area.

As for my long-lost love Kenny Nordstrom... *sigh*. Wow, how many of us just got all googly-eyed over him? I remember one show he judged until late at night, and all us kids were piled into the van to go home. As we drove out in the dark, the dust in the headlights, we rolled down the window and in teeny-bopper hysteria screamed, "Bye Kenny!" He looked up at us. He did! Honestly! I think he looked right at ME!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Debbie Sands was Debbie Nordstrom. I believe she is training in No. L.A. area. She is an "R" judge. The long-time and current Mrs. N. does have the Escondido (San Diego) horse facility. She does mostly sales. She and Kenny travel/judge a lot. They own a private fishing boat. They also bought a TB stallion, named Habenero, that they stand pretty cheaply out in Hemet. I heard they bought him kind of on impulse, but he's good looking and his first crop is nice. (Do I sound like I have too much info, like a stalker or something?)

Geez, all this has caused me to think I could've done something foolish and ended up hooked to a horse trainer! Yee-ick! But Kenny was cute. Until Kosti Karazissis caught my eye. Now there are a few stories THERE... but again, I digress... /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[rusty]

Merry, please digress. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

Wait until my husband goes to bed.

But just so I'm not tempting you, it's nothing lurid. Just me being a goofy girl. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[dublin]

thanks for all the information!!

I have to agree with you, that Kenny Nordstrom was a cutie...Richard Sands was easy on the eyes, too, but I think he went back to his native Australia (or was it New Zealand?) after he and Debbie divorced.

Kenny had my horse Gaily Go for sale on consignment while I was in college in Southern California and I went to see him shown in the open conformation division at The Forum in 1971. One of the coolest things was seeing my name up on the huge basketball scoreboard as owner! /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif Here's a picture of them from that show:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=196497&a=1526984&p=38969607

You've gotta love Kenny's sideburns..... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

There was a liver chestnut horse related to yours named Gaily Gaily about the same time. Geez, I can't recall who had the horse, but I'm thinking Meredith Bullock rode it in juniors, kind of more of a NorCal girl.

That was around the time of all of the Getaway II horses, like Lulu Miller's Getaway Devil. We had Getafox, who came off of Malcomb Rosell's farm (the horse show announcer).

Gotta love those June Fallaw photos, too! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Coreene]

Another fun one that went by the wayside. Or the old Forum horse show. I remember Fleet Apple's retirement ceremony there - gosh, I must have been 13 or so.

[Beezer]

Too weird, Coreene...WE were at Fleet Apple's retirement too!! (OK, now my goosepimples -- like yours -- officially have goosepimples!)

And Rusty, the bratty little sister can spill at least ONE of the more amusing Kosti-Merry stories. Twas late at night. Only thing open is this coffee shop. We're leaving; he's walking in. She is DYING here. Our trainer bustles us all out. Merry, at the loud and obnoxious urgings of us younger teenyboppers, decides she's gonna go back in that coffee shop and get Kosti's attention. So she turns, marches back to the glass door, and THUD! Runs right into the door. In front of Kosti. Seems he'd walked in right as they were closing and they locked the door behind our group.

Needless to say, Merry's entourage was mortified for her. That is, between the gales of laughter. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Now, Tim Postel from Foxfield ... HE was a crush-worthy young man! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Coreene]

Beezer, this is too freaky. We must have lunch.

[Merry]

You see, I could've been tied to that Greek god if things like that door hadn't been shut in my face! (Was fate trying to tell me something?) /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Ah, this brings back memories... (Okay, cue up Sinatra singing, "When I was 17, it was a very good year...") /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[rusty]

Merry that is hilarious. I have done my share of silly stuff like that also. I am glad to hear other people run into closed doors also.

Beezer thanks for spilling the beans. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

If you guys ever get up this way we will have to get together. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[Bumpkin]

What about Poncho Frankel?
I remember when she married Jimmy Kohn, back in the late 60's.
She had a very unique jumper style. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[C&C]

Amidst a really horrible week, you are all keeping me smiling. (Long story short, the A/O Jumper prospect that I thought was just "meant to be" failed the vet exam. That's two in a row for me. For some reason I attract perfectly sound babies that have bone chips... go figure. Lets hope the third one I find is clean!!!)

Oh were to start.... Kathy H. Everytime I turn around she has started up another barn somewhere else! And the real shocker for me was when I found out she has a second (yes, second) place that she works out of part time in AZ.

Kenny. I guess I was too young to appreciate his good looks when he was training over in HB, but boy did I have a crush on Kosti too!!! I rode with Larry and Hillary Mayfield when I was junior, and Kosti and Larry were (are?) good friends, so I had plenty of opportunities to drool over him! I even rode at Far West for a summer when I was older, and he was still every bit as good looking as when I was younger although I can't say I have any stories to top yours Merry!

What year did Fleet Apple retire? There was a Fleet baby in Bob McD's barn when I was there. A big grey. Same horse?? Probably not, but just wondering.

[Beezer]

C&C, couldn't have been the same horse, re Fleet Apple. He was a great old jumper, and as far as I can recall, Bob didn't "do" jumpers back then. Or at least not much. He and Deb did have one, nicknamed Porpoise (I think??), a kinda dark Appy with not a lot of white. Really cool horse. (And am sorry you are having such trouble finding a new horse. Aren't vet checks grand?)

I vaguely recall a gray horse with Fleet in its name too. Bob was always picking up horses off the track back then. Used to make regular treks down to Caliente for recruits.

OK. Some other names from the murky past: Don Swan, anyone? (Though I cannot remember the names of the juniors who rode with him and won a lot, but am sure Merry will, since they were in her age group.) Mary Ketchem (sp??) Gene St. George? Lois Langer? Julie Martin (Judy Martin's daughter, who rode a great bay hunter named Murphy)? The Nielsen girls out of Foxfield? CeCe Durante? The Bushkins??

OK. I'll stop now. Too early in the day to start feeling THIS old.

[Coreene]

Beezer, another post full of names from the past. Wow, it's like every morning I'm logging on and flooded with memories. This is great!

[Merry]

Ah, yes, the Bushkins. There was a rumour that Mrs. Bushkin was a "witch" and stood on the rail and cast spells against the competition. Like, when you buy your kids horses like Joe Hill and Natty Bumpo you need to use witchcraft?

And here's the name to beat all names: ERICA PETAL

Remember Erica and Francie Steinwedell always going head-to-head in the medals?

[dublin]

I have an old HORSES magazine that has 13
pages of ads for the various Bushkin sisters!! Pretty amazing....

Wonder if any of them still ride?? Ditto with Erica Petal??

[This message was edited by dublin on Jan. 25, 2001 at 04:39 PM.]

[Coreene]

Now I may have to go through old boxes in the garage during our upcoming rainy weekend and look for old copies of Horses.

[Bumpkin]

The Bushkin place was awesome, if my memory serves me correctly.
The late JJ Smith took us there once upon a time many years ago.
I saw Erica Petal's name in relation to the Northern California JR Club show in Sacramento. I wish I had made the effort to see if she was at the JRT show I was at, but I was afraid I would gush about how adorable she was in HORSES!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Beezer]

Ah, yes: Christimar and the fabled endless pages of ads. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif I can still remember being at a Foxfield show and watching in amazement as Chrissy threw a total temper-tantrum and REFUSED to go in the flat equitation championship because she drew into the same section as Tippy and "Now I'm not going to win!!" /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Someone mentioned Hillary Mayfield ... she "used" to be Kuehne -- though that spelling may be way off. She and her older sisters were another formidable trio. For a while they tried to combine THEIR first names into a stable name, but it just didn't roll off the tongue quite like "Christimar."

How about Elizabeth Guerin (sp?), whose parents (I think) owned Far West Farm, of the fabled Kosti fame? Does anyone know if she started riding again? She had dropped the horses shortly after her junior years were over. (Or am I being really dumb here and not realizing that she became Elizabeth Something-or-Other and is a megastar now?) I always really liked her Gopher Broke horse.

Those who rode with Mark and Mickey: Light a fire under my withering neurons. What was the name of the really tall girl who rode the big chestnut with the star? Her first name was Lynn, if I recall. She was really winning big for a time.

[dublin]

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I remember Mark from my occasional show trips to California, and was sorry to hear he had passed away. What happened to him?

[rusty]

I remember when Gopher Broke came up to Tail Gate for Nancy Vincent. I heard that she is now living in the LA area. I don't know if she rides anymore or not.

[Merry]

Bumpkin: yes, I recall Poncho's "style". I must say that occasionally Richard Spooner, during a heroic effort over a large fences, recalls a hint of Poncho /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif .

And JJ Smith! He was, ah, "flamboyant" back when "flaming" referred just to fireworks. He was a longtime friend of our original trainer, so I saw him several times. Actually quite an accomplished horseman... and a noted stunt rider for movies.

The last time I saw Erica Petal was at a GM clinic at Diamond Bar in the indoor arena, so you know how long ago that was! Erica was no longer this cute little pig-tailed girl. She was a big young lady. And you know George; he just crucified her. But I thought she still rode very well and was totally accurate to her fences.

dublin: Coreene might be able to tell you more about Mark's death, but what I understood was that he was a diabetic, and that he succumbed to complications from not following his strict health regimen. I believe when he was found at home he'd already passed away. I still see his sister Janet (now McDonald). She's a trainer with Carolyn Biava in Cerritos, in north Orange County. In fact, Janet and Carolyn have been out to our place a couple of times to look at our youngsters. I think a couple of them have passed through their hands.

[dublin]

I love this topic!! Anyone else want to jump in and reminisce??? /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Beezer]

I KNEW it would come back to me! McStahill was the combo name for Hillary and her sisters' stable. (Alas, did it have to come back to me in the middle of the night, causing me to bolt upright in bed and scaring the hubby and the two Jack Russells? Sigh.)

And while Merry remembers JJ Smith (I just recall the name), how about Mason Phelps Jr.? He, too, was a frequent visitor at our original trainer's barn. I fear I will really date myself here ... I can still remember when Alan Balch (yes, the AHSA's Alan Balch) still managed and announced at horse shows out here. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[Coreene]

Mark's death was devastating. About a week before he passed away, a horse reared and flipped over on him, landing on his chest pretty hard. They think that this, combined with the diabetes (which he had a nasty version of, it was so unfair), was just too much. When he didn't show up and didn't answer his telephone, someone (can't remember who) went over to his house and found him in dead in bed.

Since he was training at our stables at that time, it was even more devastating as people turned up and found out, over and over.

[dublin]

about Mark, and also for his friends....

McStahill - of course, jogged my memory as well. You're right though, it definitely doesn't roll off the tongue like Christimar!

Why do the stories about the Bushkins NOT surprise me?? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[rusty]

I also remeber when Alan Balch used to manage horse shows up here too.
Just helping to put this topic back on the top. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[Coreene]

Read the post re colored warmbloods. I think we've met!

[Bumpkin]

Curtis Nelson, from Sacramento, I think he was at Sacramento Riding Club, had a palomino mare who showed and won in the hunter classes.
Her name was Final View.
Remember Barbara Worth?
I guess they don't give out Barbara Worth Good Seat and Hands trophies anymore. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

Geez, so the horsey men in my life: JJ Smith, Mason Phelps... at least they were balanced with Kenny Nordstrom and Kosti crushes... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

So at our original trainer's barn at the "old" Orange Co. Fairgrounds, the all-time best hunter that every lesson kid wanted to show was Champ, a big, dappled buckskin with the most gorgeous face and a long tail and white socks. I knew he'd come a shopping trip back east to the hunt county, where he'd been a field hunter. Anyway, one day Katrina showed us this 8MM movie film of Mason riding Champ just before she bought him. (This was when Mason was with the USET). Soon after, he comes out and stays around for a couple of days and just as I, this budding teenager, starts to think, "Hmmmm, here's this nice looking, unattached horseman," Katrina sort of gave me the little "talk" on the many reasons why my desires were pointless /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif .

I think soon after was when I got my hair hacked off for the first time /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif !

[Coreene]

Merry, I think I remember that horse. Was always drawn to the colored ones.

When Bob got to the Fairgrounds, did he still have Winston and Sunny, his school horses?

[C&C]

I too remember McStahill. Only ever met Stacy though. It still blows me away that Hillary is a Ridland now.

So what ever happened to Cassandra Karassissi?? I always liked her horse Kruggerand. A stopper that was a star when you could get him around. My all time favorite out of FMF was Notorious. I got to ride that one long after his retirement, but he (I think it was a gelding if I remember correctly) still had an awesome jump in him after so many years. A bit of a spook though.

And Foxfield. My junior hunter came from there. The trainer at the time was Don somebody??? Curly hair - totally 70s/80s looking. Or am I mixing a face up with another place and barn?

One more thing. Can any of you tell me if John Annello is still out West. A good friend of Ed Marcy's, he came west to ride and train for the barn that replaced Bob and Debbie's when they moved to Idaho. He moved back to Conneticut for a while I know, but then I heard he moved back to CA. Anyone know??

[Merry]

C&C: You're thinking of Don Simington with Onondarka Riding School (the Onondarka Medal). Many moons ago they used to bring two vans of horses to the shows and stretch out a piggin' string and all these Onondarka horses would just hang out all day, tied to this rope. Ours, on the other hand, would be in San Diego!

Foxfield is in Westlake Village. Still the riding school, still has a great adult amateur program, too, with really fun shows, although not as popular as in years past. My sister and I always thought of Foxfield as the safe, no-pampering place where the movie stars' kids went to ride. Hence, our days of braiding and mucking with some of them at shows!

John Anello... Have no info on him.

As for the horses Bob had with him early on that I recall: a big dark bay named Vicar Jim. And a cute bay mare that belonged to a little girl named Night Flight (stole that name myself!).

[Beezer]

You know, I have suddenly realized the reason Merry has sooooo much trouble these days memorizing courses: Her brain is filled up with all these names and visions from the past!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

And yes, the great Barbara Worth ... who then became Barbara Worth-Oakford, but the medal never changed ITS name. And there was also the International Medal (which morphed into the CPHA Medal, I think) and the Rosewood, which was a kinda bridge medal for the kids between the Onondarka Medal and the "big" medals. The Rosewood was "created" by a husband-wife trainer couple whose stable was named that. Darned if I can remember the name ... but I am SURE that Merry will! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Coreene, I keep meaning to ask ... you mentioned the name Argyros. As in George? Do you work for him?

[Coreene]

Beezer, he's one of our advertisers. Another rep handles the real estate side of his biz and I do the air charter stuff. I'm at the OCBJ.

[C&C]

Merry you are the "queen" of this game!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Yes you are quite right it was Don Simington at Onadarka! Never saw them much at shows, maybe the old Turkey Day show (do they still do that??) but do remember going to their place in Calabasas to get my horse. Still can't forget that hair though!!

Hmmmm if you don't know John Annello, I'm guessing he's disappeared. I know he was at the Zulieka B. place in Malibu too for a while. Does she still ride? I think her sister does right?

Wow CA still has the Rosewood, Onadarka, and CPHA medals?? Those names bring back old memories! I never had a horse to ride in the Barbara Worth medal, but that was, to me, the ultimate class to win at the time. Can you tell its been quite a few years since I've been back to CA to show?? Think the last CA show I did was in 1988.

[Coreene]

Cassandra Karssisis is showing for Bleinheim Farms (RJ Brandeis and The Oaks/Bleinheim Horsepark) at Indio.

[AMom]

Well, I am a little behind to play this game (turned 30 in 2000!) but I have some things to add--maybe! I do know that, if she isn't still riding herself, I do see Zuleika Farms still showing up as owner of some horses. The Barbara Worth is still around, but I think it's now combined with the WCE jumper medal which follows the same format as the old Barbara Worth (one jumper type medal course, no work-off).

I rode in the Meredith Michaels/Candice Schlom/Mia Woods era--although luckily in Northern California where they rarely ventured! I have often wondered whether Mia and her sister continued riding. Anybody know?

[AAJumper]

I see Cindy Simington at the horse shows all the time...I believe that she is Don's daughter, and I'm pretty sure he's the one I've seen helping her in the schooling area. I'm always asking my trainer who is who, because I see so many people over and over, and am finally figuring out who everyone is! Anyway, she's really nice and a great rider. I see her showing a lot in the pre-training, training 1, training 2 jumpers, and she always does well. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[rusty]

I just don't want to let this topic die. So back to the top it goes, event though I don't have anything alse to add. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[C&C]

Unfortunately, I lived in So Cal and had to compete regularly against Candice and Meredith. (Truth be told I was NEVER competitive in the Junior Hunters. Jumpers were my forte.) Candice is here in North Carolina, and I always think some day I might introduce myself. We all know where Meredith went! Don't know about Mia Woods though.

Ok so here's another question. In the 80's there was girl with the last name Garcia who rode a horse named Celebration in the jr hunters. Her father is the man that put up the millions (only to go bankrupt) to build Griffith Park. Anyone remember her first name?? And does she still ride?

[Bumpkin]

What about Banner Farms and the Younger girls?
I think they still have their farm and are standing a "Fleet" horse at stud, although I don't think he is any relation to the "Mighty Fleet Apple".
I am going to have to dig out another TON of HORSES magazines out of the attic of my rental house next week.
I have about worn out the last batch I brought home.
Did anyone see the item on Sidelines about a new HORSES coming out? Or did I read that wrong? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif I mean forget Seventeen Magazine when I was young!!!! Where is the HORSES mom? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[AMom]

C & C: It was Holly Garcia! We inquired about Celebration at Santa Barbara one year when I was looking for a junior hunter, but she was getting on with him really well so he was not for sale! That was the year that Tracey Kestler and First Impression were winning so much. I remember back when she had Kid Me Not. And Emily Esau was in the ponies with Training Wheels.

[Merry]

Okay, since it has stopped raining and I must go "pony" horses on the trails today, I can't dwell on the past too much, but here goes: /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Zuleika Bronson... wow, that's a heavy name, huh! I never knew her myself; I showed AO with the mom, Jill Ireland (I think her "show name" was Michael something-or-other). The mom was quite a good horsewoman. My best Charles Bronson memory was of him at Del Mar one year wearing this outlandish one-piece RED jumpsuit! But of course, he had on the over-sized Hollywood sunglasses... didn't want to be recognized or stand out /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Other star types I got stuck competing against: Stephanie Zimbalist while she was doing Remington Steele (she was very cute and a crack-up!); Linda Blair with her horse God Bless; and Jennifer O'Neill at the apex of her modeling career. She had some nice conformation horses, yet I MUST point out that our mare, Las Vegas, beat hers at LAEC for the conf. championship! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

My sister, Beezer, got to do the Paul Newman thing. She had to ride against Clea. But Paul at least wore horsey clothes and wasn't against screaming at his kid from the rail! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Now, as for the more mundane folk: Cindy Simington is very talented and a real "hand" on a horse. But look at the great instruction she's had her whole life. Good for her.

So Candice Schlom is in No.Carolina. She wasn't my generation, but she did have a spectacular runaway at Indio a couple of years ago on the grand prix field. The horse literally took off with her and ran up and around the grass berm! People were diving behind palm trees, kids were being scooped up in peoples' arms... my sister and I were like, "Geez, do you think her dad insured THIS one?" LOL!

The Young Fleet horse at Banner Farm is not a Fleet Apple relative, but an AQHA horse that was an awesome jumper.

Must go throw western saddle on Trakehner mare and make like a cowgirl now. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[dublin]

I see that Tom Selleck's daughter, Hannah, does quite well in the pony hunters down in LA. Definitely wouldn't mind seeing HIM at a show!! *sigh*

Hey Tom, why don't you accompany her up north this summer at the Portola Valley or Menlo Circus Club shows!!!

[AAJumper]

I was there at a show, and I was walking around with my trainer, and I look over and see this man who looks EXACTLY like Tom Selleck. I was staring at him wondering if it was him or not, and my trainer whispers "that's Tom Selleck!!!" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

Ah yes, one of the reasons I never point out any celebrities to my husband at horse shows. He once stalked Dick Gautier (he played Hymie the robot on the old Get Smart series) when we were at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. I'm like, *sigh*, it's Dick Gautier for crying out loud, a stupid TV actor.

But then, my husband's from Illinois. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif I think a big celebrity in his hometown was the local tractor salesman.

[Chef Jade]

Mia Wood is back east. She was going to Princeton for some advanced philosophy degree. She worked at our barn in Malibu for awhile when she was out here deciding what she wanted to do. My trainer saw her not too long ago when she dropped off some of her old stuff. Of course I grabbed her old splint boots with her initials permanently marked on them. I like to think its her signature.

And my mom went to Jr. high with Tom Selleck. If she wasn't sitting here next to me right now, i'd tell you all how he had a crush on her, too!

Hannah actually broke her collar bone at the Turkey Show.

[Merry]

Hey, barge in anytime! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Funny thing: I just happened to speak to Tammy Hickok today on the phone... she just died when I told her, "Hey, your name came up on the Chronicle's BB!"

[rusty]

I'm just not wanting to let this thread die. I am trying to think of something else to reminise about but I am having a senior moment. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

You sure we won't get "in trouble" for keeping this thread going? Too bad the title couldn't be changed, like, "Cal vets recall the past". Guess I'm self-conscious!

Anyway, I'm glad Mia is doing well. Advanced philosophy? Geez, and I thought I was a brainiac! But being around the horse show scene for so long must give her plenty of philosophical points to ponder!

I still occasionally think of Julie Martin, Judy Martin's daughter. My sister and I knew her, of course, from showing with/against her. But then she became this great cowgirl/barrel racer. Just looked the part! She was winning a lot of $. She came out to our place a couple of times to look at our young horses for her friends who still rode huntseat. Then all of a sudden, she was gone. From what I understood, she just kept getting terrible headaches, then when she finally went to the doctor, they found a terminal brain tumor! I was just so shocked, how such a bubbly, cutesy blond gal could just be gone so quickly.

[Coreene]

Whoda thunk I coulda started a topic that went this long?

More on Zuleika Farms. Kim Bronson has a very nice stallion named Shine that is at Indio. I am always a sucker for chestnuts anyhow, but am now looking at stallions with short back/no back to breed to a mare with a long back. Not my mare, but I'd take the baby.

I must be out of my mind to even be thinking of this...

Anyhow, wanted to bring this to the top as well...

[Lord Helpus]

Do you all remember Kelly Carlin? I remember George had a stallion called Stone Unturned at one point. (who did she train with?)

And Veronica Ali? Who kept getting FLUNG face first into fences on the fancy green conformation horses her (ahem) trainer would buy for her... Mohammed Ali and his good friend John Travolta came to quite a few shows when Veronica was riding. I cursed her (ahem) trainer for not mounting her better so she would want to stay around.

I remember that Mia Wood's Pep Talk was one of the cutest horses I had ever seen.

I am still trying to find the (alleged) issue of Horses with "Valor Retires" on the back. Evidently Linda Hough (Sutton Place had the back cover) put Valor on there and I never knew about it since I was already in law school and I guess I did not still get the magazine.

If anyone has such an issue (would be from 1983 I think) I will pay BIG BUCKS for it!!!

And then, of course (be still my heart) there is the entire Montana family who rode and Joe who came to cheer them on....

[Louise]

Merry, I was talking with a bb friend yesterday about how funny it is that we could be so interested in a thread where we knew absolutely no one. All your rememberances are fascinating, so, you'll get no complaint from me about the length of the thread.

[Bumpkin]

Or is that Part 3?
I don't think I have any 83' HORSES Pam M.
But I will keep an eye out for that issue you want. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

PamMOkay, Kelly Carlin... my sister was more her group, but every time George Carlin is on HBO with one of his long-winded diatribes about the phony-schmony yuppie class and all its trappings, I just /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif shake my head. My husband is a real fan, and I just have to keep reminding him that's it's a schtick, you know? Like George wasn't out there at shows riding around in a golf cart and standing in line at the concession stands with the rest of us.

But the all-time biggest "yeah, right" goes to: Dr. Gene Scott, the erstwhile "TV evangelist"! I occasionally watched his TV show, because he is/was quite a biblical scholar. But then he started interspersing his sermons with videotape of his horses at shows! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif The last time I saw him, he was sitting in the grandstand at Paddock Riding Club, watching his stallion go around and doing an oil painting! He had the easel and the paint right up in the stands with him. When he was done, his driver cruised up in a new Rolls, right there by the back gate. I could've died when I discovered my grandmother had sent him money!

Geez, is Los Angeles just the catch basin for all the, ah, "unique" horse folk?

[Coreene]

I think that So Cal may be suffering from an overload of misguided celebs who think they can buy their champion ribbon. Remember when, years ago, they were all in a mad dash to ride cutting horses? This was after arabians and before arena polo.

[AMom]

First, Pam, I was the one who told you about the HORSES with Valor on the back and, although I have yet to find the issue(!) in the STACKS of junk in my as yet unfinished apartment, I SWEAR it exists somewhere!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif I'm still looking for it for you!!!!

I also promised BostonBanker that I would find her an issue with Meredith Michaels and the REAL Boston Banker in it, but have yet to live up to that promise as well... I used to pore over that magazine (I actually have the 1984 Champions issue in my bedroom right now and my husband wants to know what could possibly be so interesting about a 17 year old magazine /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ) so I KNOW they are somewhere...

By the way Pam, do you or anyone else know what ever happened to Bavaria the Johnstone's mare? It ocurred to me the other day that I hadn't heard of any of her babies as far as I know?

I haven't seen many stars at NorCal shows this year besides the Montanas, but I did see Larry Wilcox from CHIPS in line for a hamburger at Menlo awhile back. Does that count?

[Bumpkin]

I have one with Boston Banker I saw it the other day.
Is Bavaria the horse that came from the NW originally?

[AMom]

Hi Bumpkin!

Yes, I believe Bavaria did come from WA, but don't know that for sure. Which issue do you have with Boston? I remember a few issues with Meredith on the cover, including one that was just her in civilian clothes. Weird how much I used to look at those HORSES magazines to remember all this? And just too bad that Show Circuit doesn't have the same thing going for it...

[Bumpkin]

I am still kicking myself as I went to a giant tack sale last year, and stacked up were dozens and dozens of HORSES free!!!!
I grabbed all the thick ones, Christmas Issues etc...
but I should have just taken them all.
DANG!! hahaha /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Merry]

Remember the ads that began: "Whinnies from the nursery of Mrs. Wm. P. Raines"? (I think I have the name right). I was always pondering exactly what that meant until-- Duh!--- they were birth announcements from her breeding farm!

Remember all the Blakiston Ranch horses? What about the conformation horses of that era, Casmareb and Set a Spell? Both of those mares were sold to Trakehner breeders out here.

HORSES magazine was so much superior to Show Circuit. It just had a different "feel" to it.

[Beezer]

Crikey, no computer access for a few days and look what happens ... the thread runs mad! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Re Paul Newman, yeah, it was always a thrill (in more ways than one /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif) to discover that Clea was in the same hack class. 'Cause you could always count on Paul to be yelling out advice: "Clea, get seen, g*d##$$@t!!" "CLEA! Make a circle!" "CLEA! Get your shoulders back!!" It went on and on. Very funny for everyone else (particularly since his "coaching" was accompanied by him leaning into the ring and waving his arms), but you couldn't help but cringe a bit for her.

Let's see ... some other celebrity ride-offs I have experienced. The Nielsen girls (as in Leslie) from Foxfield; both had lovely horses (natch) and were very competitive. He was often sighted at shows. Bob Eubanks (of the Newlywed Game fame), whose daughter also rode at Foxfield. Famous "urban legend" about him: He refused to ride in a family class at a Foxfield show unless he could ride one of the drill team horses who went bridle-less with the wire around its neck ... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif But I think the Charles Bronson sightings will always remain among my favorites.

I occasionally still see ads for the Youngers' Banner Farms. Anyone else remember one of their early trainers, Scott King? Know what happened to him? Anyone know if the killing of Gary Ryman was ever solved?

[Coreene]

If I'm not mistaken, I think Bavaria has one or two babies that did pretty well in ... uh ... something or other. IHF? IJF?

The Johnstones have also had a good run so far with January's Best, another homebred by Best of Luck. Really nice horse.

[dublin]

I don't know if they ever solved his murder, but I do know it was a major story in the papers at the time up here in Northern California. The details of his death were so gruesome, and I remember they actually traced his identity through the tags in the custom made riding shirt he was wearing at the time.

They still have a memorial jumper class in his honor at the Menlo Circus Club show each year.

Such a talented rider, and his death was a great loss to the horse show world....rest in peace, Gary.

[This message was edited by dublin on Jan. 29, 2001 at 03:07 PM.]

[C&C]

PamM I think the picture you are looking for of Valor is in (not on the back of) the Holiday 83 issue. There is the most incredible retirement add for him. The picture is stellar!! I couldn't think of parting with the issue (as one of my old horses is in it too), but I'd be willing to send you a copy of the add. Email me if you want.

My only moment with a "star" comming out to ride was actually at Bob McD's place. Not long before leaving, Bo Derek and husband came to look at one of his horses that they wanted for a western pleasure type thing. Don't rembember if they bought it, but I do remember thinking how much she looked like my barbie dolls looked like when I tried to make them ride the Breyer model horses. Legs out in front of them and totally unconfortable looking!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Scott King. Funny you should mention him as he is in the same 83 holiday issue as head trainer of Atomic Farms. Are they even still around? One of the Atomic Farms adds is for Kyle King who I know as a jumper rider now. But in this particular issue he is still riding small ponies. That's why I love these old mags!!

[Beezer]

Dublin: Yes, I always admired Gary as a rider; thought he looked beautiful and very sympathetic on his horses. He also seemed to be a "real" person, too. How very sad if his killer was never caught.

On a much happier note, here are a couple more names from the dark ages for those playing along at home: Lise Quintero. Liz Storm. Rusty Leavitt. Randy Redmer. The girl who rode Heirloom and was the little sister of someone more famous (like, I don't know how THAT feels /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif) ... now I feel really silly because I think that was maybe Lisa Kursinski?? (I'm mixing eras here, I know /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif )

Piggin String magazine. Today's Horseman (an Orange County-specific magazine that started out trying to cover topical issues but was soon overtaken by pages -- and PAGES -- of ads for Joan Irvine Smith). Horse World tack shop in Huntington Beach. The saddle shop over by the MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana -- Bentley's, maybe? Sorry, brain fade -- that went under because of the financial drain caused by employees pinching the stock for their own horses....

Ah. The scandals we knew. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[Coreene]

Horse World! I bought my first split ear bridle there. Just for hacking, you know.

How about Rasmussen's Saddleback Saddlery? Old Santa Ana Feed, when it was on First and Grand? Gosh, that was in the days before Dana Smith became Dana Gimple before she became Dana Smith.

I worked at that original SA Feed when I was in college. No air conditioning, and our record was when it got up to 106 in the store one day. We were not amused.

Beezer, the old Montgomery Wards in Huntington Beach used to sell tack, too.

[Bumpkin]

I have the Holiday Issue of 83 right here.
It has Shana Dishell and Finesse on the cover.
Whatever happened to her?
I think Matilda is still alive.
I love this colour photo of someone in a sun dress, highheel sandals, and what looks like an ankle chain, holding two huge imported warmbloods in front of the Blakiston Ranch show tack room adorned with mass ribbons, it is right across from the page with Valor! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif
Dublin there is a photo of Tailor Made in this issue also, not owned by ND then though.

[This message was edited by Bumpkin on Jan. 29, 2001 at 03:44 PM.]

[Beezer]

Oh, Coreene, I used to LOVE that old Rasmussen's store. Never worked there, only shopped there...a lot. Merry and I knew a woman named Kathy who worked there...she rode with Sandi Nissen for years (see? several strings of this thread tied neatly up! /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif )

[JustaLurker]

Why do I think they did solve the Gary Ryman murder and that the perps were brought to justice? As I recall, the details were quite sordid. But, since I'm not sure of them and it's all just a niggle in the back of the brain, I won't repeat them on a public board.

Gary was training for Pat Chandler/Crowe/Warren at the time and he had just returned from a jumper buying trip in Europe. I think that no one knew he had returned so there was a bit of a delay in even identifying him.

All of Gary's considerable riding talent was instinctive. He never had a riding lesson in his life -- it was all from the seat of his pants.

[wtywmn4]

Beezer, Scott King and Kyle are on the road. Probably will be at Indio this year. They tried Florida, but decided to come back. Kyle has been very successful in the GP's.

Love this thread, still have a bunch of Horses magazines, hmm think a couple from the late 70's too...

[dublin]

bumpkin, would that have been the same horse, so many years later than we showed??? Bay, wide blaze, not the most attractive head??? If it was, he must have been pretty darn old by then!

[Coreene]

If ANYONE wants to sell ANY of their old copies of Horses, let me know!

[Bumpkin]

All legs is how I remember him.
He always looked like a Greenie /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
But is definately him.

Stacie Ryan and Tailor Made
Champion 1983 LACHDEA Senior Hunt Seat Medal Finals
With a thank you to Kosti for all his help, understanding and patience and a thank you to Nick for finding her such a wonderful horse. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[AAJumper]

Scott King has a place in the San Diego area...predominantly a sales barn I believe. My old trainer hung out with him a lot and did a lot of business with him. A girl that I used to ride with works at his place now.

[Merry]

My sister is such a doofus! Geez, Beezer, don't you realize you ride against Kyle King's mom's horses in your jumper classes? His sister just left Sarah Baldwin-Cline's barn and was my timer the last time I judged jumpers at Bridleton! WAKE UP, WOMAN! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Horse World in Huntington Beach? Oh crikey, I was the part-time manager of Horse World for the Zych's (the owners). I remember when the square dancing dresses would come in, and I would try them on and wear them around the store when no one was around!LOL!

Randy Redmer, I believe, is no longer with us, although if I speak prematurely, I apologize. He was my age; we rode together in all of our eq. classes. He worked for Diane Grod for a long time. Favorite Randy Redmer story: he ah, "spent time" with Barry Manilow at Indio one year when it was still the Date Festival. (Oh! Head rush! That's an ironic title, isn't it? "Date Festival"?) /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Bumpkin]

Remember the Ostrich and Camel races???? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif
Do they still do those?

[doubleclearjumper]

Speaking of tack shops long past, but not forgotten -- how about Dave Clark Feeds in Paramount and Hill's Western on Bellflower Blvd? Saw William Shatner in Broken Horn, Baldwin Park buying his daughter a thousand bucks of stuff for show -- he was so obnoxious, they couldn't wait for him to leave, even if he was helping their bottomline. When I saw a gent examining a pair of those new Ariat ropers in Mary's DelMar, I couldn't help but comment how sharp they looked. He asked my opinion if he should buy them, and I agreed they were a must have -- then I blushed when I realized he was Bob Baffert, the TB trainer at the Del Mar race meet next door.

[dublin]

bumpkin, help me out here! Wasn't she that pudgie little red-haired kid that rode up in the NW??

[Bumpkin]

Sarah and her sister use to ride at Woodbrook, with Butch and Lu for awhile but starting with Leon and Sue Butts.
I think Merry and Beezer could fill in what she is up to now.
I think she has jumpers and trains? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

Clark's Feed and Western Wear! Oh, the brain synapses are firing! They had the mobile tack truck that went to all the big shows. That was back in the days when the western classes were mixed in with us, and those fancy braided romal reins, with the silver beads, were popular. I remember Luis Ortega, who made those reins, would sit outside of Clark's tack van and work away on the reins.

William Shatner--- obnoxious? /infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif Captain Kirk? Why, my universal translator must be malfunctioning!

Sarah Baldwin:Bumpkin would probably know better, but I'm supposing she's one and the same, since she's from the NW and has indeed red hair! She's of the Baldwin lock/deadbolt fame (go into any Home Depot). She made the World Cup team and rode her horse Pacifico to some great wins. We sold a couple of horses into her barn when she trained at Paddock in Burbank. Now she has her own fancy place, Brookwood, in San Diego area. Absolutely do not travel in her circle, though.

And no, the ostrich and camel races are not involved with the current incarnation of the Indio horse show (HITS). But you can still see them at the Date Festival, the county fair.

[Bumpkin]

The Woodbrook here I think is/was owned by the Baldwin's.
And the name is now also Brookwood!
So perhaps she still has some share in it?
Nice to know she is still showing. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Remember the olde days when one would do Indio then travel to Arizona for the Aid to Zoo, (A to Z,) show? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

Oh, the AtoZ show was like "Indio: The Sequel". That's when the Love's had their ranch, which gets back to Fleet Apple, who was mentioned earlier in the thread!

"Six Degrees to Fleet Apple!" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Bumpkin]

Ok,ok lets start chapter/part 3 or is is 4?

[Bumpkin]

Fleet Apple is no relation to Young Fleet!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Saddlebag]

Gary Ryman's murderers were caught, prosecuted and convicted. I attended the trial for a day or two. They were a couple of Richmond 'homeboys" who were out on a pass from the Contra Costa "Juvie Farm" in Brentwood... A sad event, and a huge loss for all of us who knew and loved Gary. But at least,justice was done in the end.

[elizabeth]

I can add here. They are having camel races at Quartzsite!!!!! (Or are there camel races in other places, too, such that my wonderful contribution is actually meaningless.)

[Twister]

About Randy Redmer and Barry Manilow..Remember his big hit, Mandy?...nuff said /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

About Bavaria..I believe Shana bought both the sire and dam and tried many years for a repeat. Never happened.

[Bumpkin]

I just found an olde article, but alas, no mention of her breeding. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Beezer]

I must rise up to defend myself, Merry! I have long said that you are far more of the, ahem, "social butterfly" of the family. You know everyone and everything. This is NOT a bad thing. My main job at shows is to get slobbered on by the babies, keep our nervous horse show mom away from the food stands /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif and "deal with" your mare in the jumper ring. Who the heck has time to remember whom she's riding against?? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

There. The defense rests and feels sooooo much better. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

Anyone here going to the big trade show/seminar thingie next weekend at the Pomona fairgrounds? Maybe we could all wear ID tags so we can recognize each other ... maybe Merry's Brigade??

Finally, a few more horse names to rattle the memory banks: Let's Pretend. Child's Play. High Fashion. Best Bet. The Plainsman. Poetry Man. Zippity Do Dah (I loved that horse). I think we need to start a trivia game. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Merry]

Saddlebag:Thanks for info on Gary Ryman's murderers. So it was just a crime of opportunity? Gary was just a hapless victim? How very tragic. I remember Russell Stewart telling me that Gary was one of the very few people who could ride both jumpers and hunters equally well, and adjust his riding style accordingly.

elizabeth:Jump in here anytime! You can issue updates on exotic animal races throughout North America! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Twister:I believe Randy got a Rolls Royce, too!

Okay, now some trivia: Here are a couple of wacky jumpers from the past: Mighty Mouse, the little black horse Timmy Postel from Foxfield rode. The horse always wore a fluffy shadow roll on its noseband, and still went around with its head up like the prow of a Viking ship. And a gray horse named "Rainmaker" from, I think, Rainbow Canyon Ranch (Mary Gatti). That horse wore racing blinkers because he ran out at fences all the time! Geez, were junior jumpers at A shows spectacles, or what? /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Merry]

Equine Affaire will be at the LA County Fairgrounds (no ostrich races!) Feb. 9-11. Lots of interesting clinics. Linda Allen's demonstrations/clinics are outside some of the time, so let's have it NOT rain or be windy!

[Taryn]

I havn't really chimed in on this thread, being a newbie southern Califonian. I have however read every post with baited breath and sweaty palms, facinating.

I do have one question-was Valor a bay, little or no white conformation hunter in the 70's/80's? My old trainer rode at Sutton Place as a junior, and I remember her showing me a Horses mag with his retirement ad on the back. Gorgeous animal, but I can't quite remember his name.

Coreene, are you going to Equine Affaire? I will wear a name tag, or a silly hat so that I may be recognized. I'm going for the clinic on handling spooky horses /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif and to look at the Myler bits. Shopping here I come!

Taryn

[Coreene]

Taryn, I'm definitely going. I just hope it has lots of shopping and less of the Multi-Level Marketing-Type Trainers, like some at our barn are now wannabe disciples of!

How is Dave?

HILL'S WESTERN SHOP! I remember my mom taking me there after endless begging so that I could ooh and aah at the silver tack.

A Few More Places From The Past: the Van Ruiten's place on Trask in Westminster. The Aberdeen Angus place on Magnolia in Westminster, between Bolsa and Trask, where they also bred some pretty nice horses. And the little stable next door. El Dorado and a few of the other rental/boarding places on the Santa Ana River.

For those who might not know, John Steinberg from Steinberg's Tack and Feed passed away three years ago. Business is still going strong though.

[Taryn]

I can think of one particular individual out at the barn right now, trying her little heart out to apply someone else's wierd training program that she heard about second hand. I've also noticed that her horse looks continually perplexed. Wow, have I got an attitude today!

However, some of those clinicians have great ideas/methodologies for training horses-but they won't work unless you buy their special halter, roundpen, millions of videos or whatever. I realise everyone has to make a living, but come on!!

[Taryn]

Dave, by the way, is fine. A bit of a spook, obviously (see above thread). The rainy weather and closed arenas are not good for his little brain (duh). We're still getting to know each other, but I'm thinking about elliminating all alfalfa from his diet, among other things. I'd just like to know how I got this idea in my head to buy a kickin' quiet Quarter Horse, but ended up with this one????

[Beezer]

Coreene ... I guess I'd forgotten that about Mr. Steinberg passing away. I liked him. Is the only store the one there at HBEC? Or is the "first" store still open?

And of course I remember El Dorado rental stable. Circle J was also there. Why, Merry and I did some of our earliest ridin' there! I can still remember the ancient leadline rental I always rode -- Capt. Bones. A fitting name, that. But I thought he was beautiful.

Think there are still a couple of boarding stables in that Santa Ana River area ... had to board at one YEARS ago because of delays in getting our place finished. Aanco (sp?) used to be out there, as did Kenny's old Big K, and R&L (I think that was the name of it). Know that the big boarding stable across from Edison Field is in severe danger of being turned into an office building. SIGH. And people wonder why we can't get new blood into the sport ... there's no place left for them to ride.

[Coreene]

TARYN - there are actually three suffering right now. One black horse, one two-colored horse and one blonde horse (see, now I'm not naming any names).

As for the show in Pomona, I hope it offers lots of useless frivolities which I love buying.

BEEZER, at Circle J I always rode Clifford. They would put an old Argie hunter saddle on him for me. RB&L stables is where I once rode my poor horse in Western classes in the a.m. at a little show we went to, on the premise that I was there and I was sure he'd be a world beater in both (we did not ribbon in any Western classes, needless to say).

Remember old Bill Williams Stables in Huntington Beach? Now covered with houses.

I had to be on Acacia in the Back Bay this morning. I feel bad for the people who live on the Irvine Ave side of that part of town, because one office building after the other is going up. But I always did want one of those places on Mesa Drive...

[C&C]

Circle J!!!! I took my very first riding lesson there as a 5 y.o. I worked my way up to riding the infamous (at least I thought so) Rocket. Still have pictures of me wearing my western boots with (gag) gauchos. Yes my Mom thought I looked so cute!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Santa Ana Tack and Feed, Rasmussens, and Steinbergs. Been to them all. I do remember that Santa Ana Tack didn't have A/C for the longest time. Is the old guy still at Rasmussens? The one that did all the tack repairs?? He was so nice to me as a kid.

As for Indio being the prequel to A to Z. There was a time when Indio was nonexistant!! In those days, my dream was to be able to go to Arizona. (Parents were not so supportive of sending me off that far.) Ironically, once I grew up (and moved to AZ) none of the winter AZ shows were (or are) quite what they used to be and all I wanted to do was go to Indio!! Grass is always greener.....

Oh and I meant to comment on Merry's recall of Dr. Gene Scott. I remember the first time I saw his barn at Griffith Park. (It was for his saddlebreds I think.) I was shocked, to say the least, at the get up they had. A full wet bar in the tack stall and brass lanterns in the barn isle between every stall. I was young, so the impression might be a bit exaggerated. But even more shocking to me was all the times I saw him playing tapes of his horses to the tune of some horrid background music on OC TV and him asking for more money so that this "god send of a horse" could go to more shows. Amazing!!

[dublin]

what a great combo he and Susie were!! He was such a wonderful horse. I remember on my two trips to the California State Fair all of us Oregonians being so totally in awe of Jimmy Williams and the whole Flintridge group... I remember Jimmy having the cutest little dog, too, I think named Huggy Puppy?

Anyone else recall another good combo from the past -- Julie Smith and Periwinkle?

Can we keep this thread going forever? Please pretty please??!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Beezer]

OMG, Coreene!! I rode Clifford too! (Calling Merry: Do you suppose we have a sister that Mom and Dad neglected to tell us about??) I had a friend who was a "guide" at Circle J one summer. Merry and I had our own horses by then, but the pal would invite me to go riding with her, sooooo.... According to the woman who ran Circle J (I think it was a family-run operation?), Clifford was the only horse who would "wear" that English saddle. Your and my butts touched the same saddle! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif One wonders if Clifford realized his important role in life.

Anyone out there remember Orey (sp?) Tucker's pony ride in Costa Mesa? Think it might have been on Wilson Street. Have very fond memories of riding Peanut in the "gallop fast" lane ... which, of course, was more like the jog slow lane. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

One other stable: Mr. Harris' in Fountain Valley ... or was it Fullerton? (I don't think anyone ever really knew his first name ... he was always called "Mr. Harris.") Toward the end of his tenure, he had a young woman riding for him who was a pretty good hand on a horse. Kinda the rough-and-ready type but a very good, natural rider. (Personal aside: I tried -- and almost bought -- a horse from him nicknamed Duck, really cool big bay horse with a white face. He hurt himself right before the vet check; but it all worked out, because then I found the equine Beezer at George Meyers' barn ... and as they say, everything worked out for the best. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif ) Anyway, anyone recall that young woman's name and what might have happened to her?

[C&C]

Wasn't the name of the woman that ran Circle J named Wanda? I distinctly remember a blond woman with a western belt (the kind with the name punched into the back) named Wanda! Anybody else remember her????? Man are my brain waves working overtime now!

[Beezer]

If I had a prize, you'd get it. I am pretty darn sure that Wanda was indeed her name!

[AMom]

I remember him too! We (my family I mean, NOT Dr. Gene Scott!!) were in a hotel for some reason and saw him on TV with videos of his horses playing and the phone number to call in and give money. So my Dad called in and asked about the horses! Lots of questions about the horses and how they were and what their names were, etc. And the person on the other end of course knew nothing about the horses, but made sure to keep asking how much we wanted to donate!

[Coreene]

Beeeeeez, this is just too freaky for words!

The original Steinberg's is still there. Rasmussens has been gone for ages. Carriage Saddlery is still on Newport Blvd in Costa Mesa and still run by Sean, who does way more than you ever asked him to on tack repairs and then you pay way more than you'd expected.

All my tack repairs now go to Jenny Jo at Steinberg's. Then again, she's also one of my best friends, so that would make sense.

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER PEANUT THE PONY who lived at the little country preschool in Westminster, between Edwards and Springdale, right by where Heard's Country Gardens now is? He is about 19. He now lives at our barn. He has been around a bit (don't know where he was before then, but then he moved to a pony ride place in El Monte before the current owner bought him).

Well this whole Clifford thing just has me seeing stars...

[Merry]

... but I must jump in here! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

C&C, yes, I'll verify it, Wanda was indeed her name, and the family's last name was Johnson, hence "Circle J". My girlfriend and I once rented horses at Circle J for all day (I think we were 11 or 12). And along the trail, we saw a man on the riverbed nekked as a jaybird! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Talk about a memorable day out riding! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Gosh, I wish I remember where I saw/ran into Wanda sometime later. I'm thinking it was at some now defunct tack store near us... yes! In town there used to be a western store... "Scudders"! And she worked there! But she had been ridden and hog-tied a few times by then, if you catch my drift /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif .

Ah yes, and the saga of Dr.Gene Scott continues!I can't quite recall which book of the Bible tells preachers to solicit funds for their show horses /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif .

dublin,you might not believe this, but Julie Smith and Periwinkle were my heroes/adversaries. In fact, at my first A show, Indio (where else?) a big hoopla was caused when I won eq. 14-15 over her. I've seen her not too long ago, training in the LA/Palos Verde area, if I'm not mistaken.

[AAJumper]

Does anyone have detailed info, or a website with info for the equine affair? I was thinking of going, but would like more definite times, especially for Linda Allen's sessions.

[Taryn]

http://www.equineaffaire.com/california_main.html

Whoopie!!!!!!!

[Bumpkin]

Julie Smith's father was my best friend's dentist!!
She was like a Goddess to us and always looked so nice and friendly.
I think I saw that she trains in the LA area in a Show Circuit magazine.
Which reminds me!!!!
Who is picking up some issues of SC for Dublin and I at Indio? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

As it is now, Linda Allen is supposed to give a clinic/talk in the outside show ring on Saturday, Feb. 10 at either 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. That one is on jumpers, assessing the course, and "How Your Horse Sees the Course". (How about as a barrier to the out-gate? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ) On Sunday (I think at 1:00 pm) she is in the covered ring (the one used at the fair for sheep & goats!) talking about huntseat equitation, trends in the show ring, and little points from the judge's view. Since the times are "subject to change" I'd keep verifying up to the last minute possible!

[AAJumper]

Thanks Taryn and Merry! I think I might go on Saturday, but I'm not sure. It's about an hour away from me, so I'm not real interested in going by myself. I might see if I can convince my riding friends to join me. None of them wanted to go to the seminars at LAEC in December though...I went by myself! Maybe we could arrange a meeting place for those BB members who are going to attend.

[Merry]

We should be there to see the a.m. Linda Allen thing. AA Jumper, you must convince a friend or two to come! It's only $10. to get in. And think of the shopping! We always take a tote bag for all the freebies. I get sent/prodded to most of these shindigs by the people I do work for. The last one, Eqwest in Del Mar, was HORRIBLE! The exhibit halls were 1/2 empty. But this one is supposedly about the same as the midwest Equine Affaire, and that is truly the best one. So we can keep our fingers crossed!

If anyone else attends Saturday, we should have a rendezvous point/time... even if just for a few minutes to lock each other's appearance in our minds!

[Taryn]

I'll be there on Saturday as well. I agree that we should meet somewhere.

PamM's thread on Valor made me wonder if any of you old timers (come on, feel the love!) remember any of these horses-Hark Away, Fancy Footwork, and Tuck Point. I think Hark Away was a very good junior hunter, champion this and that.

Just another bee in yer bonnet!

[MO]

Anyone recall a rider from the 70's / 80's, by the name of Melissa Johnson (Maiden, Cardenas)? She rode with Jimmy Williams. Her horses were Halcion, Buenos Aires, and Lumpy (just to name a few) Did she ride at Flintridge, Perhaps made it to the USET? She also had a barn named Sea Breeze Farm. Does any of this ring a bell? /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif null

[Lord Helpus]

In the '80's Melissa Cardinas (sp?) had a farm near Santa Cruz. I went to look at a horse there. Funny thing was that although I did not buy it, a friend from Colorado (who I had not seen in 15 years) did and I ran into him and the horse on the Arizona circuit the next winter.

I believe she has since divorced (Good guess, Pam. 99% of California has gotten a divorce since the '80's).

The only other factoid I remember about her was that the farm was right in the path of that HUGE Santa Cruz fire in the 80's. Her barns and ring made it through, but the surrounding hillsides were a black, burnt mess.

[dublin]

another name from the past, Maggie Moss (Flynn)!
Absolutely wild guess here, did she marry Brian Flynn???

BTW Pam, lovely pictures of Valor. What a spectacular jumper.

bumpkin, looks like someone picking up Show Circuit issues at Indio might just be the ONLY way I will get them....but that's a whole 'nother topic /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[This message was edited by dublin on Jan. 31, 2001 at 11:02 AM.]

[Lord Helpus]

Yes, Maggie married (and subsequently divorced) Brian Flynn.

And then, she was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy (I think that is the disease--its the one which comes and goes, but eventually will leave you wheel chair bound. But there is another one which also begins with "m", and I get them confused).

I remember being jealous of Maggie. Smart (she was an attorney), wealthy, cute, nice husband, great rider. Then when I heard about her physical problems, it was like a horse had kicked me in the stomach.

Just goes to prove that you can have everything, but disease knows no boundaries.

In the fairly recent past I HAVE seen her name down as a Judge somewhere -- so I guess that the disease is under control and she is still involved in the horse world at some level. I have (through the race horse part of my life), also heard her name mentioned as the owner of race horses. So I guess she owns some of them now.

[Coreene]

I'm in! Taryn, wanna drive out together? For this I would even wash my car.

[Merry]

PamMRe: Maggie Flynn, it's Multiple Sclerosis. And oddly enough, my girlfriend (an AHSA judge) recently told me about judging with Brian Flynn! Seems he was bent on always pinning a horse in the hacks that was a tad off behind, and when my friend pointed that out, Brian said, "But it's just in the hind end." /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

As for all the Flintridge horses/names, my era was very much Susie Hutchinson, Hap on Green Dolphin, and then Anne K. inheriting every ride after Susie broke her leg (like Gemini). I liked John Sadler, who rode O'Shea in hunters, and then jumpers like Record Time. Then, many years later, when I was working at Hollywood Park for (who else?) Monty Roberts /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif , who do I run into? John Sadler! He's a race horse trainer, and does quite well with the more expensive claimers and allowance horses. We were just cracking up about all the old horses we remembered.

[AMom]

I'll pick up Show Circuit for you when I get down to Indio! But you'll have to wait until Week IV...Not that I expect any new issues to have been released before then /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif In the meantime, Dee Dee, I think you can get them at Carousel Saddlery in Portola Valley and I have picked up a couple in the past from Hudson and Company in Carmel if you ever get down there...

And to bring it back to this thread and add a NorCal touch: the great Junior and A/O hunters of the early 80s and 90s around here included American Express, American Hero, Stars and Stripes, Dance Card, Three Cheers, Kaiko, Xerxes, Specialty, Novelty and a bunch more, but these were perennial winners...

[dublin]

and once again, best of luck with Porter at Indio!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[Spunky]

I've been admiring this thread for a while now, but haven't had anything to contribute, so I've only skimmed the 1st page. But I thought I ought to get your attention!!

I guess I'll be out in your part of the woods later this week -- I'm traveling to Irvine on business (Thurs - Sat). I'd like to hop on a horse once, maybe twice, and actually posted a thread on HJ barns where I could take a lesson, but noone has responded yet!! I guess this is where you Californians are, LOL! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Can anyone recommend a nice barn where I could take a 3' lesson on a decent horse? I know this is short notice, and probably everyone is at Indio, but it's worth a shot!!

[Coreene]

Spunky, where will you be? I work in Irvine. I can't think offhand re a lesson for the very reason that everyone at my barn is in Indio. Maybe call down to Sycamore Trails stables in San Juan Capistrano (they are 949 area code too). They have several HJ trainers and may not all be in the desert.

[Spunky]

I'll be at ConAgra Grocery Products on Michelson Drive. It's just a few miles from the Santa Ana airport. Where do you work?

[Lord Helpus]

Now you are talking Valor's and my era. I showed against or stabled with just about all of these:

American Express, -- Annelise With-Sedlin
American Hero, --Twinkie Nisen
Stars and Stripes,--Cute Jr from Willow Tree
Dance Card, --Megan Furth
Three Cheers, --Twinkie again
Kaiko, --Patsy Severinsen
Xerxes, --Jill Smiekel George
Specialty, ----
Novelty --Darby, then Megan Furth

What is up with Twinkie Nissen nowadays?

[Merry]

Coreene:I figured everyone at HB would be at Indio already. I have a logistics question for you. Robin Serfas is starting a show series at HB. The first one is Feb. 10/11. Of course, we'll be at Equine Affaire, but our trainer was thinking of taking a couple of kids to the show. HOWEVER, about 3 yrs. ago Beezer and I drove all the way to HB for a B show during Indio and the place was deserted! Greg Moeser was running the show, and he just cancelled it! Do you think the same thing will happen? Should my trainer just forget it?

Spunky:Yes, many trainers are at Indio, plus I have a hard time thinking of many who have 3ft. lesson horses! I suggest you call Coto de Caza and ask for Caroline Bonham's number; Orange County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center and ask for Kathy Hobstetter's number (Foxpointe Farm). Both of those numbers are 949 area code. I have no clue if they can help you, or if you'd even enjoy the lesson! But it's a starting point.

As for Twinkie Nissen: I haven't seen her name around for the last couple of years. I think she's breeding H/J's on her farm.PamM, I used to have to ride in AO's against her on Marcus Welby, but I do also recall American Hero and Three Cheers. Plus, since her husband was often the horse show Official Vet, it was kind of funky, because Twinkie knew everyone associated with the show... not that she wouldn't have won a lot regardless!

[Coreene]

Oh WOW, I'm at the Orange County Business Journal on Michelson Drive!!! Email me and I'll give you our office number; my email address is coreene@yahoo.com.

MERRY - Robin had a show a few months ago that was supposed to be for three days and day three just vanished. It was canceled for lack of interest/enteries. I know that the people from Ginny's barn are only going to Indio for weeks 1 & 2, but those few do not an entire show make. I'd call Robin and find out. Greg has totally shelved his Grand Cheval series at HB.

[Spunky]

Merry,
No 3 foot lesson horses because the school horses don't jump that high, or all the decent ones are probably at Indio?

I would definitely need a nicer horse, or I'd just be wasting my time & money. Maybe I'll look into a dressage lesson, LOL.

[Beezer]

Oh, me me! I remember Fancy Footwork. That horse and the real Beezer were always slugging it out in the junior hunters. At least I hope that's the same horse ... chestnut, with a lot of white? The girl who rode him (name escapes me, but very tall, thin girl) I think also had a couple of other very nice horses.

For the Northern California crowd: How well I remember Annelise! Had to ride against her a lot when Merry and I made forays up there. Trying to remember the name of another really good junior around that era ... tall blonde, very pretty rider, think rode a horse named Three Wishes? Think her mom was a trainer? (Crikey ... maybe that WAS Annelise! Drat these overloaded brain cells anyway!)

Also, the talk about riding with movie stars' kids got me thinking. There were several political (as in elected /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ) folks whose kids rode too. Bob Doran's daughters rode with a western trainer at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Nancy Schmidt and Ground Spirit ... am sure there are plenty others I'm forgetting. Discuss among yourselves. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Beezer]

P.S. to Spunky: You will also not be far from my place of employ. I'd second Merry's suggestion of the Orange County Fairgrounds as a possible place to fit in a lesson. Park Place is one of the stables there that has lesson horses. As an aside, I hope you mean you'll be near John Wayne Airport ... though maybe folks in the rest of the world still call it Santa Ana Airport. Just don't attempt to land at El Toro (inside joke for Coreene /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif )

[Taryn]

Her name was Alison Stern, she's a trainer in No. Ca now. Here is a lovely picture of Fancy Footwork, I'm thinking circa 1975???

[Taryn]

Here is one of Hark Away, about 1978. Sad story really. Alison had many nice horses, but Hark Away died when she was 18 or 19, and she gave up riding all together because of it. Didn't start riding again until way after college, realized she couldn't live without them, hence the current trainer status. Things like that just make me all weepy!

[dmj]

Spunky-

fyi, Park Place and its lesson horses would not be suitable for what you are looking to do (just wanted to save you the call)...

[Coreene]

Re Park Place, I second that.

[Spunky]

dmj, that is so funny -- I called Park Place, listened to the answering machine, and hung up without leaving a message. I won't bother calling back! LOL /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

So much for a lesson! Does anyone have a horse that needs a hack on Thursday or Friday evening . . . ?

[Beezer]

Taryn, that's her! That's her! I also very much remember Hark Away; I'm sure his death must have been very traumatic for her. I can't even imagine how I would have felt if the real Beezer had died when I was that age; it was too horrible when he finally had to be put down well into his 20s.

Your call of 1978 for that photo sounds about right. I have a very similar one from Del Mar from that year. In fact, Alison will always have my undying gratitude for saying, as she stood behind us in the call-back for the junior hunter championship: "Congratulations. You absolutely deserve to be there." And she said it with a big smile and gave the Beez a pat. Considering, as Merry has said before, that our parents had to scrape together every cent to get us to shows, which often resulted in us feeling a little slighted even by riders in our own barn ... well, it just really made an impression to have this good rider with some great horses go out of her way to be complimentary. I am very glad to hear that she found her way back to horses. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Coreene]

I hope that my horse makes it to a very old age. He will be 19 this year. His dad is still breeding at 27, and I hope he makes it to at least that, greying and happy. May he have a Shetland Pony age theory in his Warmblood life.

[Taryn]

Beezer, that is such a nice story! Personally, I wouldn't expect any less from Alison. I worked for her until I moved down here to So. Ca, and she loves her horses so much. They get the best care, she's very low key and doesn't campaign them too hard. I'll have to send her an e-mail.

Coreene, we should drive up together, but I must warn you-I have all the clinics I want to see scheduled down to the minute, and I have very little room for flexibility!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I'm sorry, feeling a bit cheeky here at work today. By the way, I'm in Costa Mesa, off Red Hill right by the airport. The noise is mind numbing.

[Coreene]

Oh - well, maybe we should check out this schedule thing out then. I have this potential to get very itchy with all the clinics. Much easier for me to shop and bail. Maybe we should rendezvous this weekend and swap notes. Or you should email me which ones you're going to. Or we should just all cluster up while there.

SO did Dave get an adjustment from Gesa? Willem did, it was bliss. His eyes are now very big.

[weeble]

Last saw Twinkie at the Pebble Beach Classics last July with a really nice amateur horse (what else?)

[dmj]

oops Spunky - I tried to catch you before you made the call. Oh well! She caters to kids almost exclusively.

Good luck!

[wtywmn4]

Pam M Maggie is still very involved in the show world. She actually came and judged Menlo in '97 I believe. Looked great too. Still doing her lawyer thing, and has gotten more involved with racing. Actually saw her interviewed on either 20/20 or 60 minutes concerning some bad guy from Ohio. She was great.

[Taryn]

I'll find you this weekend and we'll figure things out. I get bored during clinics as well, but I'm at my wits end with Dave's spookiness and need a fresh outlook on how to handle it. I also would like to see the clinic on regaining your riding confidence/boldness. I've been scared and hurt by so many horses in my past, and it's really affecting my relationship with Dave.

Ooooo I love Gesa, she is a really neet lady. Dave was in heaven, and was out in so many places. He feels so much better now, even looks better-much smoother along his topline.

[Coreene]

The older Willem gets, the spookier he is. It must be a Brown Guy thing. How about having him work with Andy? He has done WONDERS with Willem. Like night and day. And that has done wonders with me, too. It was so bad with me that I was in the corner of my stall vomiting for at least half an hour before getting on. I was just so scared that he was going to bolt every time I mounted. And 99% of it was totally baseless.

Now, although it's not my favorite thing in the world (the actual mounting part), it's much, much better and we are even enjoyng ourselves an awful lot and going on trails. And I credit Andy for almost all of it.

[Beezer]

Oops. Sorry Spunky for what was obviously a bum steer toward Park Place. Just have seen her sign at the OC Fairgrounds offering lessons, so thought I'd offer up a possibility. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Taryn]

I havn't met or heard anything about Andy. It seems like everyone has been offering to either ride Dave themselves or send him to one of a million trainers.

I'm really looking for someone who is kind, as Dave has had so many meanies in his life thus far. I also want someone I can work WITH, not just send my horse away for training. I need to learn how to deal with his specific personality. I will definatly talk with you this weekend.

[Bumpkin]

You could fly up and see WTFalso! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Coreene]

Then we'll for sure talk. Andy has worked with both of us and it's been a real help. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

SPUNKY I'll call you at your hotel and we'll definitely try and do lunch on Friday, how fun!

[Merry]

Honestly, I haven't taken a lesson in decades on another barn's horse, so I am totally clueless where to send you! I just thought of a few names of folks who give lessons. And, at least out in this area, the solid 3ft. horse is usually sold to someone to use at the county shows, LOL, it ain't a school horse. Now, if you want a lesson doing crossrails in a two-point... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Thanks, Coreene, on the HB show info. Isn't it amazing how riders either support a show or they don't? There is just no middle ground. They come once, if they don't like the footing, food, management, the people working the back gate, the flowers around the jump--- they won't come back.

And the old Del Mar photo is actually very educational and enlightening, isn't it? Look at all the people in the grandstand. It's packed! So when we, as an industry, start belly-aching about not attracting spectators & sponsors, we need to look BACK and figure out what went wrong!

(Just my nostalgic 2cents here) /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[MO]

Regarding the Flintridge era you mention. Was'nt Melissa Cardinas (Johnson) a rider then too? With Susie H., and Anne K. ? Bumpkin also mentioned earlier in this post a Jimmy Kohn (sp?). Didn't Melissa also ride with him? He is the trainer who moved out to PA. and passed away last year,am I correct? Also, Did Melissa have a big Hanovarian breeding program at one time? Sorry for all the Q's(?), but I'm just curious. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Merry]

Hmmm.... I don't recall the Cardenas girl myself, but you must remember I was kind of boy crazy at the time (hence the Kosti/Kenny stories earlier!) /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

But I so totally remember Jimmy Kohn. If I thought long enough some of his horses out here would come back to me. (Paging Beezer... Will Beezer please come to the front desk...) Jimmy did practically all jumpers, as I recall. His place was called Horses LTD., and he also operated quite a sales barn out of there. I just remember being told to watch him ride, that I could learn a lot from him. So, what happened to him? How did he die? Was it a riding accident? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

[MO]

Actually I have Bumpkin to thank. She told me about you.

With you being so boy crazy, maybe you knew Richard Johnson? He rode too, but is now in Hawaii.

As far as Jimmy goes, I believe he was sick, I'm not really sure. He had only just moved out to Pa. in '97 I believe (with his wife), and started a farm in Unionville raising young ones. Check with our very own "Chronicle" for details related to his passing.

I quess Melissa Cardinas Johnson will remain a mystery.

/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[dublin]

Ages ago (late 60's), I tried out a horse when Jimmy was up in Northern California (Portola Valley) at Berry Hill Farm. I realized when I moved to this area after college that some of the fields I had been cooling the horse out in afterwards had become the 280 freeway! I vaguely remember it being a nice facility - wonder if it still exists, and if so, is it still a h/j barn??

[Bumpkin]

I had a horse off the track that Bumpkin's race trainer left with me to ride and hopefully sell.
He was a flashy large chestnut with chrome.
Actually a sweet horse but he got me in the forehead while lunging him, and I now sport a horse shoe shaped scar on my hairline.
Anyways shortly after that Jimmy Kohn bought him, and I was off to Europe for 4 years.
I heard that the horse did very well and represented the USA, although not in the Olympics.
This would have been I believe, approx. 1975-77. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Lord Helpus]

Melissa Cardinas (Johnson) was discussed several pages back. She DID have a warmblood breeding operation outside of Santa Cruz in the 80's.

[MO]

Pam, Yes believe me, I've read all the previous pages. But still haven't found all the answers on Melissa Cardinas Johnson. What happened, was she a rider for the USET? That's the biggie! Did she represent our team?

MO

[dublin]

mid-70's timeframe - John Baumann....

And Judith Spreckels is now a "trial historian", and has edited a number of true crime books, including 'The Private Diary of Lyle Mendendez'!!
Have to admit I wouldn't have pictured her doing that, post-HORSES.... /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Did she stay involved in the horse show scene at all after she sold HORSES to the Quirks in the 80's??

[Coreene]

And why did the Quirks stop publishing "Horses" anyhow? Broke my heart.

[Lord Helpus]

To the best of my knowledge, Melissa never was on a USET team. The only people from the west coast to make a team from this era were Hap and Susie and Robert Ridland and perhaps several others who went to Spruce Meadows (like Ronnie Freeman) when it was still considered a "left coast" horse show and east coast people did not try out or want to go.

There has been such an east coast bias to USET teams (until very recently) that unless you went back east and competed in major Grand Prix's you were not even considered for a team.

Only in the last 10 years have west coast riders been considered on a par with east coast people (unless they physically went back and beat the east coasters at their own game).

[Beezer]

Oh, yes, John Baumann! I'd forgotten about him. He was in one of the age groups between Merry and me, so I didn't really have to ride against him except in the medals. I remember one of his horses, Heaven Bound, but know he rode several others. What I recall most clearly was he had this habit of opening his mouth over the top of the fence ... think just about every picture of him has him making this O with his mouth. Last I heard/saw of him was many many years ago. He'd become a professional braider and was quite happy with the money he was making.

And while I am VERY sorry that I will be unable to live up to Merry's faith in me, I fear the only thing that I can readily recall about Jimmy Kohn was that he ALWAYS wore these wire-framed sunglasses. And that was just not, as our trainer at the time said repeatedly, done. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Anyone remember Dennis Henderson? Have news on his (latest) whereabouts? Or, bringing this full-circle back to Bob (the mention of Ronnie Freeman made me think of this), anyone remember the nice Appy that Ronnie sold without the owner's knowledge that resulted in the nasty court case? The horse (reunited with owner) wound up with Bob and was renamed Grand Theft. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[wtywmn4]

Merry, Jimmy died of cancer. It was very sad. And no one has been given the real skinny as to why Horses folded up. Trish is still around and her stallions off spring is showing in the pre's and greens. Actually, I think she has a new horse for the A/O's..

Ah Twinkie, what a rider. To jog behind her in the A/O's is great. Twinkie has a new A/O horse and is at Indio.

[Bumpkin]

John Baumann died several years ago.
It was very tragic that a nice young man who had a following of dedicated students would take his own life.

Pam M don't forget Anne Kursinski!
Anne is from California, and
she has been on the Olympic Team /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[MO]

I've got a toddler, so bear with me! Let me feed her, play time and then put her to bed, then I'll let it all out..why I'm so interested in Melissa Cardenas Johnson. My hubby is away on bus. so, It'll be pretty late..but I will tell all!!

Stay tuned... /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Chef Jade]

I also happen to work on Michelson so the Irvine crew needs to "do lunch" sometime soon.

Julie Smith does train in Palos Verdes at the public stable (where I began riding lessons and boarded my first pony.) She mostly goes to the local shows and some LA County stuff.

Wasn't John working in Washington at the time of his death? I remember a girl who trained with us had just moved from WA and trained with him there. She was pretty upset about it.

[Bumpkin]

I love Palos Verdes!!!
I lived there and in Rolling Hills for a short time /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif
If you were horse crazy, that was a great place to live.
Do they still have the bridle paths all over?
/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[C&C]

I'm with you Bumpkin!! Before moving to Irvine in early 76, we lived in Rolling Hills. I think that's where my love of horses got out of control! I could see them every day by just looking out our back window. And we were just a hop, skip and a jump from the grounds of the Los Amigos de Las Lomas shows. (Did I just make that up??) Do they still have those great three day shows??

[Merry]

* I've seen/spoken with Julie Smith, as I've judged the ETI show 3 yrs. in a row up there at Ernie Howlett Park. Her students are, of course, always immaculately turned-out. She always has a smile on her face!

* Tish Quirk had the Lucky Boy son, Best of Luck, as her hunter stallion. She now has that lovely breeding farm/stallion station in Valley Center. Hmmm... this weekend I may run into someone who can tell me more about HORSES folding...(NOT that I'm a gossip-monger or anything like that). /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

* Ronnie Freeman: He's one of those "You either love him or hate him" fellows. Personally, I'm irked by a guy who seems to always stroll into the arena, halt, check his girth, make eye contact with the spectators, etc. And there have been other incidents where horses have been sold without their owners really knowing about the transaction. I guess he runs quite a sales barn!

* Dennis Henderson: Ah, where shall Beezer and I begin? When Bob left for Idaho, he recommended either Mike Neilsen or Dennis. Since Dennis schmoozed a little better, we went with him. Since we had our own place, we often just met him at shows. Then he began this downward spiral, into an abyss of a bad reputation. He never seemed to fully recover, although he did really well on the Arab circuit in hunters! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif I can't help but feel sorry for him. He had all this knowledge, was once a top A trainer, and now he's reportedly in either New Mexico or Texas. Anyone know about him?

* /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif And now, for my shopping recommendation of the month: Coreene, Chef, Taryn, and the visiting Spunky, you must go to that hole-in-the-wall place, Thrifty Horse! I went there today and there's a whole shipment of GP huntcoats and Essex and Marigold shirts--- all brand new. And of course, they're CHEAP! Needless to say, you have to wade thru the ratty consignment stuff that's been there forever.

[This message was edited by Merry on Feb. 01, 2001 at 11:18 PM.]

[Bumpkin]

Where ever or what ever Horsemart is!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
I know now I want one here though!!!
Dennis Henderson, that name really rings a bell, what was his stables name?
Julie Smith use to ride with Ronnie Freeman.
/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

It's a consignment store, although the lady who runs a traveling tack shop sells off all her "last season stuff" there, too, and it's all new! Today there was a cocoa brown GP coat in a 12Tall for $100! And a couple of gray windowpanes with lavender for $250! Auggh! My credit card was burning a hole thru my wallet...
/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif


Dennis' place is/was called "Alternative Farm", although an alternative to what???? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif He was at Industry Hills for a very long time.

Yes, Julie was with Ronnie Freeman. But here's another blond who frequented his barn: Caron Gilbertson! Okay, does her name ring any bells? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[MO]

So, as the story goes, and i'll try to sum it up, my husband and I move from the East coast, (where you can travel 10 minutes in any direction and get to a show) to the midwest. We soon discover that the closest trainers are 2 hours away! Eeeek Gads! So, we train with one, travel etc. , learn we're not impressed at all! What to do? Enter Melissa...We work with her, personally she's a little cooky, but hey, we can live with that. She is a good rider, and she did help us out with our big, 17.3 Hanovarian. So we decide now's the time to sell him. This is where thing's get bizzare. She had always bragged about "owning" this fabulous farm (Sea Breeze Farm) in Calf. how she rode on the team, blah blah blah, and has great connections. Susie, Hap, Bernie, and ANNIE are great friens of hers..we'll send them video's etc. Well, bottom line..videos were crap! Contacts, there were none!For 2 years she had this horse boarding at her barn which is I must say, an awful, dirty mess! Unlike where she said she came from. She's very unprofessional! Back in september I went to the Gold Cup at Devon. Bumped into an old friend of mine who happens to ride with "Annie". So, I asked her if she remembers M.C.J. being that they were such great friend's way back when. First of all, noone reffers to Anne as, "Annie", and no she didn't recall her! Hah!! Then I bumped into Erica and Bert Mutch, they didn't seem to recall her either (or the names of her horses). Two stikes against her. I start to wonder, who is this ***** (woman) from Calif. who loves to talk about herself,well, brag about herself. Just thought you gal's could help. There are many other stories that just don't piece together, but I tried to keep this short. Sorry! Now of course we're trainer-less again. Melissa has started up a TB breeding operation where she is, and has a decent crop, but she's so unproffesional, I don't dare get involved. Thanks for listening!

[Bumpkin]

Wasn't that Caron Gilbertson's first big winner?

[Merry]

Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding! Go to the head of the class!

I was trying to think... was it Hourglass? No, that was Christy Fletcher's horse that originally came from Lakeside Ranch. Caron's horse was Looking Glass, a red bay with a blaze. Then she had Petrocelli and Off Broadway, both dark horses. She was in all my classes, all the time. I remember she had a red Porsche with the plates, "Caron G". Is she still around? I swear I saw her at Indio 2 years ago with... Ronnie Freeman!

Mo:Hmmm....There was a Seabreeze Farm outside of Del Mar, on the coast near San Diego. The guy who ran it was breeding his own crop of "sporthorses" with registered but unapproved warmblood stallions, so their offspring couldn't be branded/registered, a point he often neglected to tell buyers! He personally told me he was going to create his own brand, and inspect his own horses, and people would know if a horse had his Seabreeze brand it was of quality! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Does this sound like the same outfit? It would've been about 12-15 yrs. ago when I dealt with him.

[LucianCephus]

I rode briefly with Dennis in Chino Hills, of all places, just before he made his run to Texas. I'm pretty sure he's in Houston...saw his ad in The Chron not all that long ago. Sad loser guy who had run out of talent by the time I worked with him. (Showing my pre green at Del Mar, he managed to go off course in two classes. The judge said, in front of me, "Dennis, if you were in my barn, you'd be cleaning tack all night"!)

And does anyone remember one of his riders named Erin Staidl? She's about 35, I think, so would have been in the juniors in 1980 or so.

[Lord Helpus]

Re: List of west Coast riders on the USET --- HOW could I have forgotten Anne K???? I knew her when she was still a Jr, when I rode with Jimmy W at Flintridge, so of course I knew she was West coast. I guess I have just thought of her as East coast because she has been back there for so long.

Funny story about Anne: when I bought a horse from Jimmy I was just getting back in to riding after college and starting a career. I wore the only breeches I had when I went out for my first ride -- Melton wool, canary, flap front breeches.... when I saw the 4 way stretch that everyone else was wearing I was mortified to look so outdated. That very day I went running to the Paddock Shop and bought a pair of 4 way stretch. Those old baggy flap front breeches almost saw the dumpster that day. I swore they would never drape my body again! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif.

Turns out that Anne K had been back east the summer before riding with Patty Heuckeroth. Patty had a pair of identical breeches that she wore in formal attire classes and Patty was Anne's idol. Anne LUSTED after my breeches, so she could look like Patty. So I sold them to her (for a pretty nice price, I must say). LOL. Everyone was happy in that transaction!

[MO]

Merry, sound's like could be same place. Interesting! Was it Richard Johnson who did the dirty deed's? Melissa had mentioned that "her" Seabreeze farm's arena is now in the ocean.
Get this;
I had bred my mare to her stallion last year thinking, because she said, he was a IJF and IHF approved stud. Well, what do you know, when the colt was born i had asked for the breeding certificate. You know her relpy, "Oh, I didn't nominate him this year." Needless to say, that really burned by britches!! She's very unstable, and not a good buisiness person at all.

PamM, Melissa had said that she rode at Flintridge, she is now 48 or 49 years old. I guess you'd know her though if she did indeed ride there.
Really funny situation we're in though, thank's girl's for all you input!! I don't think I will be dealing with her anymore. To bizzare for me.
Hummm, maybe she was a groom at Flintridge?
One other thing, she said her parent's were in Las Vegas..show biz. Her dad was a matador (sp?), bull fighter, in Mexico. She also talked of driving Lamborghini's, that her ex, Richard had $..don't know. Oh well, got a go, ciao!!

/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Chef Jade]

I am running to The Thrifty Horse! I haven't purchased a new anything in years! (except for the new horse so the purse strings are tight)

And Yes, PV has all those wonderful trails throughout the city. I learned how to ride on my friends Backyard QH's before taking any "formal" lessons with Millie Semelroth a long-time staple in the PV area. Actually, when I switched trainers, she didn't have a real barn so I boarded all my horses in people's back yards and rode to my lessons in public rings. I am quite proud of the fact I made it to the Medal and Maclay finals using this little system...Chef (who probably never saw the outside of a ring before we got him) wasn't too excited about having to fight the peacocks just to get to the ring, though. And I can't tell you how many times we would skip a lesson to set a nice new course for the following day, only to come that next day and have every jump ripped out of the ring.

Merry...I was a long-time participant in the ETI shows circa 1985-1990. In fact, my mom was always on the board and after I graduated to doing bigger shows, I still helped run the shows, announce, tabulate points, buy year-end awards, etc. I swear my mom knows more trainers and judges in the horse show world than I do because she was always working with them. We may very well have met! Our ETI was always known for having the best riders of any local circuit because Julie would bring all her well schooled and turned-out kids.

And Yes, Las Amigas De Las Lomas is still around. I can't remember if they moved it to Ernie Howlett Park or if it is still at the Empty Saddle Club.

The only other recognized show in PV is Portugese Bend with the PCHA Finals. That was also moved to Ernie Howlett from Empty Saddle. And this year they took everything off the grass (baseball field) which is a shame because that really made the show special (along with all the volunteers). Without the grass, Ernie Howlett isn't really a great place for a show of that caliber and I am afraid that it will someday lose the PCHA finals because of it.

Anyway, Dennis Henderson (AKA "Odie" right? or am I thinking of another tall guy w/ mustache?) was actually at Seahorse for awhile and went to all the ETI shows. He was scary for even a local guy. And yes, last thing I heard was that he was in Texas somehwere.

[Merry]

LucianCephas:Geez, Dennis at Del Mar going off course... that sounds about right. When we first knew him, Marcie Mosconi-Bustillos was his wife, and she showed AO jumpers. Dennis had a huge A circuit barn. But he burned so many customers, MYSELF included, that he just ruined his reputation. His (former) assistant, Ted, told me Dennis had moved to Texas, but he wasn't sure how things were going.

Chef:Yes, the Las Amigas show has moved to Ernie Howlett Park the last couple of years. I agree, it's not as nice a showgrounds as Empty Saddle, especially because there's no lunging area! And the only true warm-up ring is that dressage court. Moral of this story: Leave the green horses at home! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

As for venturing to Thrifty Horse...Just remember that it's primarily a consignment store, so you have to wade thru a lot of junk. But there were some really nice, new shirts in brown checks, burgundy plaids, and lavenders in the 32's and the 38/40's: Van Teal, Essex and Marigold, at sale prices.

[Coreene]

I'll email you later, I have two ideas for people you might want to talk to re your property idea.

So California Girls, are we just not all beaming re the weather this weekend? Methinks it is time to forego all lessons and just plunk about on trail under the guise of "hillwork."

[AMom]

This is so cool that this thread is still going! I don't really have much to add since y'all are talking about people who are far south of my radar, but I am enjoying it nonetheless /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

It's still a bit chilly up here in San Francisco, so I'll be bundling up in my cooler tomorrow thinking of you guys on your trail rides /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[dublin]

Sounds like Melissa and Dennis would be a perfect pair..... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[rusty]

Yes it is a bit cool around here, at least it is not raining. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Portia]

Merry, Dennis Henderson is here in Texas, near Houston in fact. And the stories sound about right. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Beezer]

Much as Merry and I would like to join you in spirit on those trail rides, I fear we will be taking her fancy-schmancy baby to a schooling show tomorrow. (I soooooo love getting up at 5 a.m. for a show I am not riding in. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif ) He is supposed to go canter an actual course -- a first for him. (And no doubt Merry will be wearing her brand-new TS rust breeches. Sigh.) If there is not success, please be prepared to offer condolences ... Merry is always VERY disheartened when her gifted child acts like a baby horse. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

And re Dennis: What a waste. As he spiraled downward, he just kept making worse and worse decisions. I think back to how good he was when we first rode with him and then how things wound up. Not pretty.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of my garage are horse show programs from the "olden days." I shall have to try to find some so this thread can go on forever!
/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Coreene]

Beez-a-rama, you mean you're not into toiling in the dark on behalf of your nephew?

What say you re we all try and set up a time to meet in Pomona next week?

[Merry]

Oh, like I haven't schlepped at shows for Beezer! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Someone asked about Erin Staidl. She and her husband owned a bit of land near us in Chino. They tried to make a go of a training & sales barn. I believe it ended up being the Thorpes' place--- until they lost it. Anyway, Erin was always very pleasant to chat with, although I didn't know her personally. I believe she's somewhat back in the horse business, but out here, the Thoroughbred farms have morphed into housing tracts, so the days of tootling 5 blocks away and picking up a prospect for $1,000 is gone.

Pomona Equine Affaire: WE MUST rendezvous, especially since I just received a HUGE check I wasn't expecting! (Sort of residual/reprint $). Gee, I love when the timing all works out so I can go shopping! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Bumpkin]

That is a name from the past.
Remember she rode with Mary Gatti and won both Hunt Seat and Saddle Seat!
I was just looking at the Indio results and there was her name.
Of course I know those of you in SC prob see her and her name all the time, /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif , but since I am up here, and there are no more HORSES! What can I say??? /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif haha