12 . May 2015 . www.PacificCoastJournal.com

by Jennifer Walker

The Silver Dollar

Circuit celebrated its 39th

show this year, and it just

keeps getting better. Stall

numbers were up 32% this

year, and the show boasted

over 10,000 entries. Jan Bruner has been the show’s

producer since 1997. According to Jan, part of the suc-

cess is due to not only exhibitors, but her “dream team”

staff with their “find a way to say yes” approach is

largely responsible. "If it’s something that needs to be

fixed, we find a way to do it,” Jan says. “The show is

run with the exhibitors in mind, as they are the cus-

tomers.”

Taking place at the South Point Arena & Equestrian

Center for the past 10 years, the show offers not only a

fabulous showgrounds, but it’s all right downstairs from

the hotel and all its amenities. The all-in-one destination

style resort and facility was the most talked about hit of

the show, along with the newly-expanded facility that

included 500,000 square feet of dedicated equestrian

space. “They have access to four indoor climate-con-

trolled arenas, a large outdoor arena, outdoor longeing

pens, and a feed store, veterinarian, and farrier onsite,”

Jan adds.

The show also added paid warmups this year to that

allowed exhibitors to experience patterns with their

horses alone in a structured time slot, and this was a

huge hit. "In addition to the regular warmups, we set the

competition Trail course exactly as it’s going to be for

the class, and we did the same for the Western Riding,”

Jan explained. “For $25 per ride, you can go in and be

by yourself for four minutes. We scheduled three hours

originally for each class, but Trail was extended to

seven hours and we added an hour to Western Riding—

and we could have added more."

Taking the Level 2 Senior High-Point Horse

Championship was Jason Martin and Invite Me Some

More (Evon Werner, owner). “We bought ‘Willy’ at the

World show in November 2013,” Evon recalls. “He had

just won Congress in Trail as a junior horse at the age of

five, and he was already a spectacular pleasure horse. I

won everything on him last year, placing fourth at

Novice World and Top 15 at Select World in Pleasure. I

just put him in training with Jason Martin and Charlie

Cole this last December and he’s doing really well. At

the Silver Dollar Circuit, I showed in Pleasure and did

well, and it was also my first time showing him in Trail.

It was a great show for me and for Willy. Willy is

already qualified for the Worlds this year, so we’ll be

going back.”

Elis A Sleepin, owned by Carol L. Thomsen of

Nicolaus, California, was Senior High-Point and Level 2

Senior High Point Horse Reserve Champion.

The Junior High-Point Horse Champion title went

to Aint Gota Lot (Bilek Family Trust, owner). “We call

him Bob B,” Pam Bilek explains. “How Bob B got his

name was that at High Point Performance Horses there

were already too many horses named Bob so we called

him Bob B which stands for Bob

Bilek. We couldn't change his

name because that would be bad

luck, but it must be okay to add

to a name, because Bob B is

doing awesome. He’s got the

perfect personality for a show

horse because he’s so easy going

and really tries to do his best all of the time. Which is

why Jason and Charlie just keep adding different classes

to his training because he handles it so well mentally

and physically. Bob B is a happy, healthy horse which is

just the way we like them. I think you’ll be seeing a lot

of him this year!”

The reserve champion in this division was another

West Coast Horse, Huntin My Zipper (Larisa Affeldt,

owner). Huntin My Zipper was also Level 1 High Point

Reserve Champion. “I really love showing at South

Point in Las Vegas,” Larisa comments. “It is one of my

favorite facilities for so many reasons: you can get

amazing Seattle's Best coffee in the lobby every morn-

ing, you can get amazing sushi and Mexican food, and

you can watch the show from your hotel room. And

with the extra arenas there is plenty of room to ride and

show. It really is a great place to be.”

Larisa really enjoys showing in the All-Around. “I

consider myself a true All-Arounder. I don't have one

favorite event, because they are all my favorite.

Whichever class I am showing in at the time is my

favorite. It doesn't matter which one it is. I want to be

the best, I want to do it correctly, and I want to win. It

Silver Dollar Circuit

16 . May 2015 . www.PacificCoastJournal.com

definitely doesn't always happen like

that. But that is always my goal. And I

am always grateful. I always enter the

arena with a grateful attitude. Grateful I

have the opportunity to show and ride

an amazing horse and to compete and

do something I love.”

Four-year-old Just Roll With It

(Susan Wilson, owner) won Level 2

Junior High-Point Horse Champion.

Susan is another fan of the South Point.

“South Point is my favorite horse show

facility,” she says. “With the addition of

the two new rings, it is fabulous!

Weather never factors into the show and

never interferes with classes or a horse's

performance.”

She has other reasons to like show-

ing at Silver Dollar Circuit, as well. “I

like the fact the Novice Select are sepa-

rated out from novice amateur. That

makes the Novice Select classes so

much fun. We are competing against

our peers, not our daughters and their

friends. My favorite class is Trail, and

the courses at Silver Dollar are always

challenging. I have been coming to

Silver Dollar Circuit for many years,

first as a horse show mom and now

finally with a pony of my own.”

Reserve champion went to A

Chrome Cookie (Alexandra Chavez,

owner). He was also Level 1 High Point

Champion. “I love the show,”

Alexandra remarks. “I love the location,

especially since it’s all inside and air

conditioned, plus you can go right up to

your room via the elevator. This is

probably one of my favorite shows

because it’s so convenient. I love the

new arenas. We used to have to go out-

side to warm up, so this gives us an

easy place to ride. I did really well. My

goal was to get All-Around points in

Level 2 to try to win scooter. I was very

happy to win.”

Level 2 Select High-Point reserve

champion was Deborah Shatley and

Heckuva Hotrod. “I purchased Heckuva

Hotrod (aka Henry) in July of 2012, so

I've had him just over two-and-a-half

years,” Deborah says. “Henry has an

interesting personality: he constantly

wiggles his nose, he occasionally will

snort for no reason, and in his opinion

there is nothing better than a pepper-

mint or a carrot. Henry is 17 years

young, and in my opinion he's in the

prime of his life. He's a ‘Steady

Eddie,’ which makes him a consistent

All Around contender. I especially

love showing Henry in Western

Riding. He is an expert in this class

and I am the rookie. I had just started

to learn this class when I purchased

him. Between Henry and my trainer,

Mike Weaver, I am starting to get this

class figured out. It's so much fun

making all of those lead changes!”

Brittany Lofton Morgon won

Amateur Overall High-Point

Champion with Huntin For Fun. “I

love the fact you can go straight from

your hotel room to the equestrian area,”

Brittany remarks. “They have great

judges, it’s very well run, and the

awards are fabulous. “I love the random

awards, like cash. There are so many

shows you go to and you’re working

hard and you get nothing to show for it.

It’s a lot of fun and it’s definitely one of

my favorite shows of the season.”

Champion Level 2 Amateur High

Point went to Alexandra Chavez and

Only in Showbiz, while reserve cham-

pion was Stephanie Kofu and The

Krymsun Moon. Stephanie added her

voice to those who approve of the

newly expanded equestrian center. “The

new arenas were great. It was so nice

having more pens and more arenas to

warm up in. And having them all so

close was even more convenient. The

footing was good as well. Also, I really

liked the fact that the open classes went

earlier in the week than the youth and

amateur classes. I feel like it made the

schedule easier for both the trainers and

clients.”

Stephanie had a great time show-

ing. “My favorite moment of this show

was probably qualifying in Trail,” she

adds. “The numbers at the show were

great. I also had a great time because

both of my parents were able to go, and

we went with the rest of the Zanetti

barn to a nice dinner. It was nice being

close to other activities; the location of

the hotel and show is very convenient.”

Brianna Haeckl of Vista,

California, was happy to win Level 1

(Novice) Amateur High-Point on Good

Time Cruzin. “My brother Jake and I

bought ‘Cruz’ in 2010,” she explains. “I

have been riding and showing ever

since I was born, taking after my broth-

er. I like the All-Around because I love

all of the different events that are a part

of it. I enjoy how each class has a dif-

ferent challenge for my horse and me.”

Trainer Kellie Hinely was pleased

with her results at the show. “A high-

18 . May 2015 . www.PacificCoastJournal.com

light for me was showing champion and

reserve champion in the Level 1 Senior

Trail. Champion was Sudden

Persuasion owned by Miranda Mitten

and reserve champion was Hot Time to

Zip owned by Maddie Feriante. It was a

tough class with over 30 horses and it

was really special to have first and sec-

ond overall. Courtney Coombs and

Dont Skip Trouble had a great show,

winning reserve champion in Level 1

Youth All Around, along with several

circuit championships. She has worked

really hard toward her recent achieve-

ments.”

Carolyn Rice and her clients also

had a great show. “Sisters Liana and

Jaleesa Caroccio brought down the

Youth division with style and ease.

Jaleesa took Reserve Circuit Champion

in the 13 and Under Showmanship with

Hot Roddin Renegade. Liana took

Reserve Circuit Champion in the

Showmanship 14-18 with An

Everlasting Touch. The two girls also

competed with great success in the All

Around events with several top finishes.

Liz Vorbeck and Impulsively Gold were

class winners in Novice Select

Horsemanship and saw some personal

bests as a pair. Michelle Lewis and

Indelible Invatation were Reserve

Circuit Champion in the Novice Hunt

Seat Equitation.”

Carolyn also rode several horses to

personal bests and points in the Trail

and Western Riding. “Overall, we saw

many class winners and incredible

learning from all of the clients, a hand-

ful who were new to their horses or the

environment,” she says. “Showing in

Las Vegas is always a treat, especially

with the fantastic renovations to the

facility that make schooling and show-

ing easy. Our clients love the division

of the Amateur and Select Novice class-

es at Silver Dollar Circuit. Without a

doubt, we will be back for more fun

next year.”

Alex Whalen was thrilled with his

barn’s results. “It was a really good

show. I showed Quite Irresistible,

owned by Joann & Gordon Talaska, in

the Maiden Three-Year-Old Pleasure

Futurity and it was a really fun class.

Shameless Invitation had great goes in

the Green and Junior Trail classes her

first time showing, and she placed

under every judge in the Green

Pleasure. My amateur rider, Melanie

Koby, was Reserve Circuit Champions

Novice Amateur Western Pleasure with

Toucha Cowboy and placed second in a

huge class. We were really excited to

do so well. I thought the warm ups they

did for Trail was great exposure for our

green horses.”

Tonya Brown was also happy with

her results. “Blazing Moonlight was

circuit champion in the Senior Western

Pleasure Level 2 and reserve circuit

champion in the Senior Western Riding

Level 1, shown by me and owned by

Bruce and Bobbi Shaw. Also, Moonlit

Hotrodder was reserve circuit champion

in the Senior Pleasure Level 3 with

Shane Dowdy riding him for me and he

was circuit champion in the Amateur

Western Pleasure Level 2 with

Samantha Ihde. There were six judges

and she got six firsts.”

Julie Thompson had nothing but

praise for the show. “I showed a junior

horse, You Bet I Party, and did really

well in some huge classes. It was a

great show. The schedule was excellent

and everything was laid out really nice.

The facility is great. We still had time

for dinner at the end of the day.

Everyone really looks forward to going

to that show. The new warm up pens

were perfect, but the weather was really

good so we still got to ride and practice

outside, too.”

Trainer Michael Hoyt appreciated the

facility as well as the staff running the

show. “Now that South Point has added

two new arenas, it's the premier horse

show facility on the West Coast. Jan

Bruner did a great job with the horse

show and we are excited to return in

2016. Our barn had a great show. I was

particularly happy to win the Level 2

Junior Trail one day with Real Hot Real

Good.”

Kelly and Gary Roberts also did

well in the Trail classes. “A Blazing

Reflection, owned by Jean and Gerald

Swiss, did well in the Senior Trail and

Amateur Select Trail,” Kelly explains.

“Lopin Down The Lane, owned by Kim

Portney, did really well in the Junior

Trail with Gary and Kim had some rib-

bons with him in the Amateur Select

Hunt Seat Equitation. I thought the trail

courses were really good. I really liked

that they offered the warm up on the

actual course, one at a time. It was real-

ly helpful for the horses to see the scary

stuff before they were shown.”

Without a doubt, theSilver Dollar Circuitcontinues to be ahuge success and ispositioned well forthe future.