Welcome Letter

Welcome to the

14th Annual
SADDLE SERIES HORSE SHOWS
for 2007-2008
(Under revision for 2008-2009)

WILLOWBROOK SPRING SHOWS
2008

Dear Competitors:

Saddle Series 2007-2008 began in October and this year and indeed was even better than last year for attendance: for 2007-2008 our Saddle Series Hunter Shows were approved by OCHSA and GSDHJA, our hunter course designer, David Rogers, did his thing wonderfully, and once again Don Lehman treated us to great trail course designs. Our prizes are wonderful as always.

Our wrap-up show in Saddle Series was the February Double-show; it was double-pointed, double-judged, and double-prized. For those seeking series awards, this counted as two shows towards the three shows competitors must compete in to be eligible for series year-end awards. These awards were given out at our year-end Saddle Series banquet held at the Mission Springs Resort and Spa, 25125 Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs on, Saturday, March 1, at 6:00 pm. A good time was had by all -- especially Forrest (age 3) who obviously loves performing in front of an audience.

This year in Saddle Series again had 3 jumper classes on Hunter show days (see Hunter Classes): these classes generate great enthusiasm and we enjoy them thoroughly. And for those seeking points in OCHSA http://www.ochsa.org and GSDHJA http://gsdhja.org competition, check out their web sites for membership and their point systems. Our series Championship awards included saddles, 'Cruzin Coolers' (electrically-driven riding ice chests), 'Schwinn S750' Electric Scooters and an array of great awards. They're all listed in the premium.

As in previous years, the premium covering Saddle Series 2007-2008 was mailed out in September; we automatically mail one to every past competitor, but if you haven't showed here before, send us an email with your address or call and we'll be happy to send one out and put you on our mailing list. Also, for your convenience, here are always downloadable Hunter (Hunter Entry Form 2007-8) and Western (Western Entry Form 2007-8) entry forms ... just click on either one and it will appear on your Adobe reader (freely available) so you can print it on virtually any printer (these are under revision for 2008-2009). This means you can produce the entry forms at home and complete them before you arrive at the show. (You can also photocopy them from the Premium.) This saves us all time on show days.

Willowbrook Spring Series Horse Shows began on March 16, 2008 with a great lineup of classes and prizes - including 'Cruzin Coolers' and 'Schwinn S750' Electric Scooters, and continued with our second show on April 13: the weather was perfect and we had a very nice show, as we did on May 4 at our third Spring Series show and our final show for the season on June 1.

These shows are the perfect way for beginners to become familiar with showing and are excellent for experienced competitors to develop their skills in front of professional judges. (We also included a Jumper division in this series.) And, as with Saddle Series, these show are approved for OCHSA http://www.ochsa.org and GSDHJA http://gsdhja.org competition. Check out their web sites for membership and their point systems. Click for details [ Spring Show March, April, May, June]. Also, click here for a downloadable Adobe-printable Spring Shows entry form (Spring Shows Entry Form 2008).

On-line Willowbrook Spring Series Horse Show Results This season, show results are available on-line in a variety of report formats (i.e., by class, by exhibitor, by division, etc.) by going to www.horseshowtime.com (click on this address and your computer will take you there). These results are typically available on-line a few days after the show.

'Home Schoolers' Willowbrook is an approved vendor of riding training and horse care for various Charter Schools for home schoolers in California, including Julian and River Springs (formerly Eagles Peak). Lessons can qualify for reimbursement as PE (physical education) or eligible specialty classes. Call (760) 329-7676 for details of programs offered. Riding Lessons for Charter and Home Schoolers.

'Dogs' We do not allow 'outside' dogs on our property at any time, no matter how big or small, leashed or not. This is a safety consideration for your protection and we will enforce it ruthlessly.

'Hoses & Bubblers' There are hoses in the horse-trailer parking area which are convenient for filling buckets to water your horses. Sometimes people drive or back over hose bibs even though they are clearly marked with cones or concrete blocks. Please be aware and avoid them. Also, every tree has a 'bubbler': if you allow your horse to go too close to the trees, the bubblers can be stepped on and broken. Please give a wide berth to the bases of trees.

'Weather' A note to those who call us about the weather. We've only cancelled one show (remember El Niño?) over the 135 or so shows we've held in the past 14 years! Our arenas are on sand footings and have never flooded yet. We're in the desert: we average around 5.25 inches of rainfall per year (but get winds on occasion which proves you can't have everything). Rest assured we will hold the shows as scheduled unless some very rare, extreme condition prevails. And bear in mind that even though the weather at your home is terrible, the chances are overwhelming that our weather here will be quite suitable for a show. Call us or click on the following web site and it will give you the 5-day forecast for Desert Hot Springs (ZIP 92241) then you'll know as much as we do:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=92241

As always, we would like to thank all our sponsors and advertisers for supporting Saddle Series and Willowbrook Spring Horse Shows. And thank you horse enthusiasts, ranch owners, students, parents, riders, trainers, and show participants in the Southwest who receive our programs, attend our shows and make them such a success. At Willowbrook we patronize our advertisers and sponsors, use their products and services when we can, and urge you to do the same. Thanks also to our wonderful volunteers who give their time and do such a wonderful job in enhancing your - and our - enjoyment of horse competition at Willowbrook. Have a wonderful season wherever you show: we look forward to seeing you back at Willowbrook.

Sincerely yours,
Don & LoriLea Franklin

Hunter Montgomery Franklin,                    Forrest Michael Franklin,
March 21, 2001                                             February 7, 2005

Future Serious Horseman                            Happy Hunter/Jumper Guy

Hunter Montgomery Franklin                     Forrest Michael Franklin
First Horse Show, January, 2003                First Horse Show, January, 2007

« click here if you need additional information.

** Double-click on any of the following to go to that [page] **
[Riding Lessons for Charter and Home Schoolers]
[Children's Day Camps]

[Welcome to Saddle Series]
[Dates & Judges] [Daily Awards] [Series Awards]
[Hunter Classes] [Western-English-Halter Classes]

[FEBRUARY DOUBLE-SHOW ]

[Daily Champs To Date]
[Last Year's Saddle Series Winners]

[Sponsors & Advertisers]
[Facilities] [Lessons] [Boarding] [Training] [Horses for Sale]

[ Spring Show March, April, May, June]

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July 02, 2008