2016 September PASO Magazine

HOOFBEAT from page 48
of all styles find their way there. The idea is
to elevate the level of riding and horse
training.
Besides the different levels of riding, September
7 will find a clinic that may get you
started in Cowboy Dressage. Four arenas
will be operating all day to accommodate the
numbers of riders and horses. You won’t get
dirty riding in a covered arena and you won’t
have to watch for ground squirrel holes in
the footing. This show presents an opportunity
to work with your horse even if you don’t have
room to roam.
Paso’s own Harris Stage Lines will be on
hand to bring in the judges each day via stagecoach
just to give the show “a little touch of
the old West.”
Snaffle Bit in Reno
Many locals will attend the National Reined
Cow Horse climax September 18-October
1. Some are trainers who must go to show.
Others are owners, while most just dream and
enjoy the excitement of horses vs cows in a
contained environment. There is also negotiating,
shopping, auctions (perhaps you will
come home with a new horse), the casino atmosphere
and friends from across the nation.
Visitors from Europe, the Orient, Australia
and even parts of the Middle East travel to the
world class event annually.
Olympics on the Mind
Phillip Dutton, a US naturalized
citizen from Australia, took
the individual bronze in Eventing.
Sadly, most of the equestrian
events are scheduled too late for
the PASO Magazine. The majority
were available by Livestream
or satellite. As of today, Laura
Groves on “Verdades” marked
78.071 in her Grand Prix Special
dressage test. In this test particular
attention is paid to transitions.
Hope that you have been able to
view or review performances by
some of the world’s best “dancers.”
Be Prepared
Some wonderful opportunities await those
in our equine community who are ready to
take advantage of the chances available in
September and October. Whether you want
to see some top horses and riders in the heat
of competition, warm up your roping arm, enter
a local parade, take a vacation, or ride the
coast and test yourself with trail trials, there is
something for you and your horse to enjoy.
Happy campers will be found October 9 and
10 at Montaña de Oro for the Annual Poker
Ride and Trail Trials. Participants may camp
out or merely spend the day. This group is
William Perverel getting
ready to start the Poker
Ride in 2015. This year
promises to be even
more fun!
not only friendly, but they gather
some terrific prizes as well. Day
use, parking and a poker hand is
$30 with a BBQ (by folks who
know). It’s $60 to camp (you and
a corral for your horse). Reservations
are a must and include a
poker hand. Extra hands are $5
each. Prizes are selected by top
poker hands and then by raffle.
A silent auction will garner more
funds to support Coast Mounted
Assistance and their work.
At Oak Camp on Saturday,
Trail Trials are $15 per rider with
a coach at each obstacle to help,
if desired. These exercises develop a horse or
mule that is more able to negotiate a trail on its
own with you aboard. This is a separate charge
and does not include the BBQ. Go to http://
ccspa.info/cma.html and fill out your entry.
If you aren’t going to the Poker Ride or Trail
Trials, then stop by Paso on Oct. 8 for the Pioneer
Day Parade and all of the exhibits in action
or head to the Paso Horse Park off of Airport
Road for a Sizzling Summer Schooling Show.
September 2016, PASO Magazine 49