2010 Fiesta of the Spanish Horse ......
Brings Together Scores of Horses, Exhibitors
and Performers in Support of Cancer Research
A host of celebrated horses joined with prominent equestrians, celebrities and performers in the fight against cancer at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center May 5-9 for the popular Fiesta of the Spanish Horse. This year marked the 12th annual Fiesta of the Spanish Horse, a Southern California equestrian tradition that raises funds for cancer research organizations.
It’s an extraordinary Saturday night at the LA Equestrian Center, the Saturday night closest to Cinco de Mayo. And the equidome is alive! Once again it’s time for “Fiesta”!
Spectators are finding seats, others visiting with friends, vendors selling Spanish mosqueros and Mexico’s culinary treats.
As Art Gaytan has said in the past of Fiesta, “it’s the place to see and be seen.” How true! The horses and music and atmosphere seem to draw us together. This is a grand community and family event.
This year, the twelfth year since its inception, Fiesta spectators enjoyed a rousing opening with the American flag-bearing Rainbow Riders drill team, from Ramona, CA, originally formed in 1986 by Captain Dotty Pierce.
A delightful Dressage followed as a pas de deux for Friesian and Andalusian stallions, ridden to lively music by ladies in long satin gowns. Gorgeous!
Ramon Bacerra, the excellent trainer, performed “La garrocha”, with the long pole the Spanish cowboys use to move cattle. At one point, the garrocha rested on the back of the saddle during canter pirouettes. No hands, mis amigos! Plus a stunning exit!
The Wizard of Oz skit featured Dorothy on her Reining chestnut and the straw man on his bay who performed to the song “If I Only Had a Brain”. Kudos to the straw man’s horse who certainly must have had a very fine brain.
Thank you to the Californios, captained by Phil Spangenberger and his buckskin horse “Searcher”.
This year there was a very different dance offering, The Media City Ballet
charmed the mostly equestrian audience with five ballerinas dressed in black tights and colorful shawls, performing grands jetés to the music of Carmen Bizet.
The Broken Horn Ropers showed their style with 23 nimble members.
Five stunning pinto Saddlebreds, plus poodle, from Michelle McFarland’s Scripps Miramar must surely take a bow for their Circus Extravaganza, featuring colorfully painted wagons and fine juggling acts.
Paquito Herrera from Santa Maria, a handsome eleven year old rider with an vibrant voice , sang gloriously from his excellent Andalusian stallion, Concentico. Ramon Becerra is Paquito’s trainer.
Diana Whisenaut won the Paso Fino(should just say) Champagne Challenge, while Rick’s Valley View Vaulters amazed all with their Valley View style.
Pedro Sanchez of Zacatecas, Mexico, provided a pleasant vocal interlude, astride
his graceful Andalusian stallion.
Gary and Regina Ware of Big Tujunga Canyon’s Academy of the Dancing Horses performed in excellent style with their handsome Lipizzan mounts.
Pavellon’s Diamonte, ridden by Bernabe Montanez, shared his mount’s handsome high -action canter half-passes. Thrilling!
A reenactment in medieval times style was created for a dazzling duel between two knights for the love of a fair maiden. At the final blow, we are treated to a dramatic dismount. Such athletic choreography, indeed! Nico and Connie, our two excellent announcers, mentioned, ”it seems to be a lot easier to get your woman these days”!
Shortly thereafter, the audience was treated to a rhythmic, romantic, and colorful Peruvian Paso drill team number.
John St. Ryan, three time national champion, demonstrated the basico, intermedio, and alta doma vaquera in graceful free style, including turns on the fore, half-passes, canter pirouettes, on the beautifully trained Andalusian stallion Jugueton, owned by Carolyn and Pat Shoals.
With only fourteen Camarillo horses remaining in existence, and it was lovely seeing several of them here at Fiesta exhibiting dressage and cart work.
The show producer, Joanne Asman, announced that this Fiesta is dedicated to the very fond memory of Lady Donna Hecht whose late husband Jay Hecht was a devoted supporter of the Spanish horse. Donna’s horses were the basis of deep and lasting friendships. An award will be presented to Steve Bell Kiipper, who was such a loyal supporter of the Hecht family.
Ramon Becerra returned to the arena with a remarkable act in which he handles two Andalusian stallions in tandem. The trio performed a double Spanish walk, canter half-passes, and a double bow. Truly memorable!
A special tribute to Mother’s Day, which was on Sunday of the weekend of the show, was presented. It was a thrill to see Show Coordinator, Joanne Asman, her daughter, Lauren Levine, Nancy Latta and Amanda Shields, and mother-daughter combination Sandy Shields with her daughter Jesse, all on their magnificent Andalusian horses.
Joanne was riding her White Andalusian who is also known by you USC folks as “Traveler 7”.
Traveler with Hector Aguilar, also known as Tommy Trojan, saluted all of the USC fans who came. Traveler, as always, received a standing ovation from his fans.
The Rainbow Riders performed once again in sequined green, purple and yellow vests, thrilling us with surprise rollbacks, precision pass-thrus, and doe-see-does at the slight sound of whistle-blows. The crowd loved them.
And what a thrilling final act! Tad Griffith’s The Saddlelites performed daring feats on galloping horses – slickstands, cartwheels, under the necks, and fender drags. Truly this is an equestrian family. The Griffith family has been in the horse business for four generations, with parents and grandparents being members of the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. And some of the riders were a whopping six years of age.
The Grand Finale completed a wonderful evening. Viva la Fiesta!
(Submitted by Bette Isis Holmquist)
