The second annual Fiesta California Horse show took place at the Casner Ranch Company in Temecula, California on April 24-27th. Eighty-two beautiful Pura Raza Español (P.R.E.) horses turned out for the event and showed to full stands of spectators. On Saturday night, the audience was treated to a show featuring Charro dancing horses, a western-style side-saddle double quadrille, and dressage.
The Best Exhibiting Farm award was won by Rancho Madrigal of Riverside, California, owned by Rafael Madrigal. Señor Madrigal has been breeding horses for fifteen years. He brought twenty-one horses to the show, bringing home first place honors in Yearling Colts, Two-year-old Colts, Stallions Seven Years and Older, Suckling/Weanling Fillies, and Mares Seven Years and Older. In addition, his mare Catrina-RM was the Champion Young Horse—Female. Rancho Madrigal horses swept the Young Horse—Male championship, with Rebote RM taking the championship title and Afortunado taking the reserve.
Senor Madrigal is most proud of his stallion Casuco II, who won Champion Stallion. “He makes good quality babies,” he says. Casuco II has already won many championships and is only seven and a half years old. Senor Madrigal is looking forward to showing at the national championships in Las Vegas in September.
Sarah Schechner purchased Fantasia del C (bred by Barbara Currie) after a ten-year absence from owning horses. She fell in love with Fantasia two years ago when she held her in the show ring while her handler was showing another horse. “She looked at me, I looked at her and we had this moment.” From that moment on, Sarah knew she was meant to be with this mare, but Fantasia wasn’t for sale. At last, Barbara saw the relationship the two had and finally consented to sell. Sarah took Fantasia del C to the Fiesta and came home with a first place in Four-year-old Mares and the Reserve Champion Mare title. Fantasia Del C also received the High Point Morphology Score—Domestic Bred Horse, a high honor for her breeder.
Barbara Currie brought some horses of her own to the show, taking the Highest Morphology Score of the Show and the P.R.E. Mundial Highest Morphology Score of the Show with Hermosa LXVII. Hermosa LXVII also won the Mares—Five & Six-year-old and Champion Mare. Galahad del C took the Five and Six-year-old Stallions, Functionality of Five and Six-year-old Stallions, and Champion of Functionality. Lastly, Barbara Maynou received wins in Three-year-old Fillies and Reserve Champion Young Horse—Female.
The Cobra of Three Mares class was won by Vallarta JIM, Salome JIM, and Viena JIM, all owned by Armando Miranda. Señor Miranda’s farm Hacienda Miranda won Reserve Best Exhibiting Farm, bringing home the prizes for Best Movement—Young Horse with Flamenco SF and Reserve Champion of Functionality with Justino.
Apors Hacal, shown by Ulises Gallardo and owned by Alejandro Avila, won the Three-year-old Colt class, received Best Movement—Adult Horse and was Absolute Champion of Movement.
Samuel Blanco was awarded Best Handler and Vickie McDowell was awarded Best Groom. Congratulations to all the exhibitors and their beautiful horses!
