The sun over Hansen Dam shone on a packed parking lot and a whole crowd of smiling faces for the fourth in the Verdugo Hills/Lake View show series May 15-16. The momentum has been building in these shows over the year, and this weekend’s large turn-out made for a great weekend of competition.

“The weather was perfect for this show weekend, and it was so nice to see so many trailers in the parking lot and a significant increase in the amount of entries,” said trainer Sandrine Seifert of D&D Stables. “I am so excited about these shows and am happy to see them grow.”

Seifert runs her stable at the beautiful Hansen Dam Equestrian Center and enjoys having well-run, competitive shows at home.  Her student Arielle Kebbel rode her Hanoverian mare, Pacific Breeze, in their first horse show of the year. “They have worked so hard over the last few months,” Seifert explained. “Arielle is an excellent student. She is very focused, determined, and makes everyone at the barn and at the back gate laugh. She is an excellent sport and is so supportive of every rider in the ring.” She noted that Pacific Breeze had never jumped before they bought her a year and a half ago.

Kebbel and Pacific Breeze were champions in the Restricted Section, and they won the CPHA Horsemanship Medal.  “Arielle is so excited to have qualified for a medal final and can’t wait to go to the Gold Coast 7 show, which hosts that particular final,” added Seifert.

Seifert was also proud of Brilliant Disguise (Shannon Leap, owner), a young Canadian Warmblood that is making her jumper debut this year. Seifert and Brilliant Disguise had a fun round in the .90m Jumpers and ended up winning the class. “This mare really kicked her heels up and spun on a dime,” Seifert said. “We are so excited about this mare’s future jumper career.”

Jigsaw Farms, under the leadership of Cha Cha Jago, took a group of brand new cross rail riders to Hansen Dam, and they had a great and fun first show. “We had more parents watching than kids riding, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves,” recalled Jigsaw’s Kevan Husky, who wears many hats around the barn.

Eugenia Mcquarrie, who competes as a nine-year-old in the cross rail classes, gathered her first blue ribbon when her pony, Devonshire Cream, strutted her stuff in the under saddle class. She also took home ribbons in her over fence debut. Another up and coming Jigsaw rider, Maya Winkler, rode to high ribbons both on the flat and over fences on the pony Seeing Is Believing.  

Husky finished by saying, “It was a beautiful day and everyone had a great time. The kids asked as they headed off, ‘When can we show again?’ It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Holly Martin Gross (Julie Connor-Daniels, trainer) earned several ribbons, including a blue in the Long/Rusty Stirrup Obedience class aboard her Trakhener gelding, E-Ticket. At last month’s show, she was champion in the Short/Long/Rusty Stirrup section. “We had a great time, as usual,” Martin Gross reported. “We always have fun.”

“I think it’s wonderful that these shows have added the Lake View circuit to the series,” she added. “It’s an awesome circuit for beginners or riders who don’t have the high budget horses to get out and compete, have a good time, learn horsemanship and get some experience. It’s also good for those who don’t want to spend as much or go to a three or four day show.”

Willow Daniels, Connor-Daniels’ daughter and student, rode Starfield Eclipse to numerous ribbons, including a second in the ‘B’ Children’s Hunter 12-17 Under Saddle. Last month, she took the top prize in one of her Equitation Over Fences and was second in her Children’s/Amateur Adult Hunters and Horsemanship Junior/Amateur Medal.

Laura Santana of Santana Equestrian Group is a new resident trainer at Hansen Dam, having just moved in about two months ago. This is her second time attending the Verdugo Hills/Lake View series, which is the only two-show format she has experienced. “It’s a good idea,” she said. “It makes for more variety of classes for the clients to do—it gives them more options.” She noted that although she attends a lot of “A” shows, the Verdugo Hills/Lake View shows are a good opportunity for her clients who need to gain confidence and experience in the show ring before attending a bigger show.

Santana’s student Kim Chase attended her second show ever last weekend aboard Vriendlie, the horse her daughter Madison rode before going to college. Chase came out in style, winning her 18 & Over Equitation class. “She’s been riding him for a couple of years,” Santana explained, “but now they’re really starting to click and gain confidence.”

Hallie Cameron placed third in her Equitation Over Fences 18 & Over class with Babaloo, a horse she leased from Sharon Liveton. This was her first experience in equitation, although she has a lot of experience in the hunter ring. “Babaloo is a jumper, so for him to go out and do well in equitation was a good thing,” Santana reported. She encourages her students to ride in equitation classes in order to get better results in hunters. “It’s good for their discipline,” she said.  

Santana’s own horse, SEG Amigo, carried Samantha Schuster to several ribbons, including Reserve Champion Baby Green Hunters and a second in the SFVHSA Futures Junior/Amateur Medal. This was only his second horse show. “He was really good. He’s still young, and it was great to watch my horse going out and taking care of somebody,” Santana recalled.

For more information, including schedules and results, visit the LEG website at http://www.langershows.com/verdugo/index.php.

The fifth show in this series will be June 5-6 at Hansen Dam. Meanwhile, jumping action returns to the LAEC May 21-23 for the Gold Coast 3 show and Colorado May 20-23 for the High Prairie Spring Classic. Jumping competition revs up in Northern California June 23-27 for the Woodside Circuit Opener.

Learn more about Langer Equestrian Group and all of the shows at www.langershows.com.