NEWS

• By Meg Broberg - Reprinted courtesy of www.PhelpsSports.com, the Gold Standard of Equestrian News Coverage

  Mandy Porter and LaMarque are Remarkable in the $30,000 Copa De Amistad Grand Prix

  San Juan Capistrano, CA – June 27, 2010 – Today’s $30,000 Copa de Amistad Grand Prix, presented by EquiFit, inc. included green and seasoned horses, but the victory gallop was led by the 8-year-old LaMarque with Mandy Porter aboard. Even though it was only the second grand prix of the young Wild Turkey Farm stallion’s career, he has already proven his prowess. Only he and one other horse-rider pair managed to go double clear.

  The starting field of twenty-four was whittled down to seven, and the faults were evenly dispersed in Canadian Peter Holmes’ course. Time allowed wasn’t a pressing issue, but the thirteen numbered efforts posed challenges such as two combinations, a red plank with flat jump cups, and an open water obstacle. The final off-the-eye bending line going away from the gate and towards the VIP tent also prevented teams from advancing to the jump off more than once.

  “Some [horse and riders] are certainly very seasoned,” Holmes commented, of the entries in the class. “Then, there's some people moving into it, having a go, so it'll be up to them if they're on form and how they handle it. But it's also challenging if you're on form, it flows and happens perfectly and you have a little glitch then all of a sudden it can be 'oops, oops, oops!' it's a very difficult sport to be perfect.”

  The usual suspects had clear rounds in the first course. For the jump off, Porter was in the company of the grand prix winners from the past two weeks of this Blenheim June Classic series, Mike Endicott and Susie Hutchison. The consistent combo of Joie Gatlin and Camaron Hills Quick Dollar returned, as well as Leslie Steele, and Lauren Hester. Porter’s other mount, Chesapeake, another stallion owned by Wild Turkey Farm, also came back to jump off.

  A shortened course of eight efforts proved a test for even the most seasoned riders. Hutchison and Cantano, who have placed either first or second in the past three grand prix events they have entered, had an unfortunate refusal but still managed to finish under the time allowed. Next to challenge were Porter and Chesapeake with a tidy track that shaved off time, but they left the ring with eight jumping faults.

  Another horse making his way up to grand prix ranks, Leslie Steele’s Oh My Goodness, had 12 jumping faults, what Steele called a valuable learning experience for her 8-year-old horse.

  “Every time he goes in the ring, he learns something and he always tries,” Steele said, adding that this was only the third grand prix attempt for Oh My Goodness. “From day one, even though he was a little wild man, he’s always tried to be a top horse, a top competitor.”

  Following Steele was Joie Gatlin and her World Cup horse, Camaron Hills Quick Dollar. The crowd was quiet and tense after three top riders had bobbles in their jump off trips. Gatlin was conservative and efficient, especially to jump number nine, which she took care to study after the previous riders had trouble with the roll back turn to the vertical. Her trip resulted in four jumping faults as the second-to-last jump came down, but that score with a time of 39.98 took over the lead.

  As Gatlin exited, 22-year-old Lauren Hester entered with her mount, Cracky Z. She also took a careful approach to fence number nine as their strategy seemed to be slow and clear to win the top check. They would come close, but fence twelve tumbled, and they ended with one of the slower four-fault scores.

  Mandy Porter knew the door was still open for first place as she came in the ring with her second mount, LaMarque. Finally, the crowd had a reason to cheer when Porter crossed the timers executing a tidy track with all the jumps standing.

  The last competitor to give it a whirl, noteworthy for being the only male rider in the jump off, was Mike Endicott and Fred Bauer’s Zico 13. Bauer and wife Karen Healey stood ringside as Endicott, too, had a clear round. Bauer and Healey were all smiles while Endicott was still mid-air over the last oxer, keeping all the jumps intact, but stopping the timers a 2/10ths of a second over Porter.

  After leading the victory gallop, Porter commented on the Holsteiner stallion, “This is only the second grand prix he’s done. He’s a trier, he’s learning every step of the way, but he’s a really talented horse.”

  Not only did Porter give credit to her young horse, but to Royal Oaks Farm owner Anke Magnussen, who predicted she would win. Magnussen, originally from Germany, walked up to congratulate Porter with a hug.

  “You were right!” Porter said while embracing Magnussen. “I said to [Magnussen] today ‘oh, are you happy that Germany beat England in the World Cup?’ and she said ‘yeah, but I’ll be more happy because you’re going to win the grand prix.’”

  Next week, Blenheim EquiSports competition will resume at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park for the Blenheim Red, White & Blue Classic. The final grand prix event of the June Series is $25,000 Red, White & Blue Grand Prix on Saturday, July 3rd.

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• By Paula Parisi - Reprinted courtesy of www.PhelpsSports.com, the Gold Standard of Equestrian News Coverage

  A Conversation with Mandy Porter

  Currently the top-ranked U.S. rider in the FEI’s World Cup standings for the Western League, Mandy Porter and San Diego are well positioned to make it to Las Vegas April 15-19 for the Finals. With four more California qualifiers to go, a lot can happen, but given that there are three West Coast slots and two wildcards, Porter’s Vegas odds go up dramatically.

  illustrious career. Porter learned from the best – starting in Southern California with Carol Dean Porter in Rolling Hills and then moving up North where she trained first with Lowry Jones and then with Butch and Lu Thomas, who helped her along to the Maclay Finals and onto the 1984 Bronze Medal North American Young Rider team. She made a name for herself on the Grand Prix circuit while attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she earned degrees in animal science and agricultural business management.

  In 1992 she moved to Europe where she spent seven years working for Gerhard Etter’s sale enterprise in Switzerland and then as a private trainer in Italy. During that time she competed throughout Europe and represented the U.S. on three Nations Cup Teams. In 1999 Porter returned to the states, setting up ACP Enterprises, now based at Rocky Mountain Warmbloods in the Rancho Santa Fe area of San Diego.

  In addition to training horses and coaching a limited number of students, Porter has been successfully campaigning Wild Turkey Farm’s breeding stallions as well as the grey Holsteiner mare Summer, the PCHA Grand Prix Horse of the Year in 2006. More recently, Porter has emerged a star on the HITS Desert Circuit, riding student Danielle Korsh’s 11-year-old KWPN gelding San Diego to the top of the class in their first two Grand Prix outings – including a $50,000 CSI-W in which she handily beat two 2008 Olympians. PhelpsSports checked in with Mandy at Thermal to get her views on the ’09 season and what it takes to become a real horseman.

  San Diego has emerged as quite a star on the Desert Circuit. Was that a surprise?

  I’ve asked a lot of him in a short period of time, and it really shows his quality that he’s stepped up to the plate and answered the questions as they came along. Before I started riding him he’d done mostly junior jumpers, a little bit of Young Riders. The bigger jumps, he just didn’t know how. But he’s growing with every experience. If he made a mistake he learned from it and the next time he wanted to try harder.

  You got the ride when Danielle Korsh (left) went away to college at Berkeley last fall and your top horse, Summer, was recovering from an injury. Now the two of you appear to be headed for the World Cup. Was it really that serendipitous, or did the Korsh family say, “Whoa! We really have something here – let’s get a top rider on his back!”

  Quite honestly I think they always felt the horse had potential, but I don’t know that there was any intention of having anyone ride him other than Danielle. It was just circumstance that caused everything to fall into place this way. The situation was that I would keep the horse fit and keep training him while she was away, so when she came home or possibly met us at horse shows the horse would be ready at any moment for her to compete on. I don’t think any of us expected him to do what we’ve done now. The horse just blossomed. We kind of went step by step, one class a time. It started (in August) at Showpark, and we said, “Well, let’s go one more!” He’s just unbelievably smart.

  And the indoor ring at Thermal is so tough. The rails were just tumbling down. Did San Diego have much experience in that kind of ring – tight turns and tons of jumps?

  It’s tricky. It’s small. You’ve got to always know where your horse’s feet are. You need a bit of a cat to do that. The horse has to be pretty athletic because you don’t have a lot of space to get your scope from a gallop, so they’ve got to learn how to jump with a little bit more power. As a rider you really have to know your tracks and be able to ride ‘em. If you track half a step too much to the inside you could easily pay for it, whereas (in a larger outdoor field) you can get away with it. His ridability has really improved. It seemed like before if I made an adjustment forward that was quite alright with him, but you can’t do that all the time in an indoor ring. So he’s had to learn how to find a different kind of scope than he’s accustomed to.

  What other horses are you riding out here?

  I have a couple of really nice young stallions from Wild Turkey Farm. Chesapeake is seven and LaMarque is eight. And I have a new horse from Rick Oas and Pollyrich Farm, Platinum Performance For Life. He came from Bob Kraut. I’m working on getting him more fit and also trying to get to know him a little better. The ride is a change for me. He’s a very large horse compared to San Diego.

  How are they doing so far?

  I was going to ride the stallions in the Jimmy Williams Classic on Sunday, but then I looked at the course and felt I’d gotten a little too ambitious, so I chose not to start them. I’d rather keep building them than make them work too hard before they’re ready. The strategy involved in bringing a young horse along can completely make or break them. They can have all the ability and the talent, but if they’re not developed the right way you can easily ruin them.

  How big was that course?

  Between a Level 7 and a Level 8, so like 1.40M, 1.45M. At home we were schooling them 1.35- 1.40M, it wasn’t far off, but just enough. Being stallions they have a long season ahead of them and I’d rather not make a mistake that would put me back. I’ll see how they go in the beginning of the week and that will determine where they go from here. The Jimmy Williams was originally designed as a futures, for younger horses coming up, but more Grand Prix horses also jump it now. They can’t do it the same week they jump a Grand Prix, but for example horses that are not World Cup horses can jump in the Jimmy Williams those weeks. (The course designer) had so many horses in the class that he had to make it quite difficult. It’s tricky, because it would be nice to have another step for the young horses, where they don’t have to compete against the Grand Prix horses right away, but it’s difficult to put classes together for absolutely everyone.

  It must take guts to scratch two horses like that, because the owners are looking for results. It sounds like you have a great relationship with Barbara Ellison, who owns Wild Turkey.

  You do with the horses what you think is the best and what you think is right. Most of the people I work with trust my judgment, and Barb especially. Free rein is a good way to describe her approach, for lack of a better term. Generally speaking, I might be a little more on the conservative side, and she appreciates that, too.

  You’ve had great success with Wild Turkey’s mare Summer, at Spruce Meadows and in two World Cup Finals. When do you expect her to be coming back?

  She’s in work at home now, and we’re expecting to have her back around May. We’re taking it slow because we want to make sure she has the best chance of making a full recovery. Some of the vets said we could maybe bring her back earlier, but we’ve chosen not to, really, because there’s nothing for us to do it for. I could say the World Cup Finals, but that would seem a little extreme, to say okay, you’ve been off for nearly a year let’s go jump the World Cup Finals. What we’re maybe shooting for is Spruce Meadows, so June. Of course we’d show her a little bit before that to have her ready in terms of fitness, both physical and mental.

  Is she a special horse for you?

  Yes. I’ve had her for four or five years and we’ve been very successful. We have a good relationship. But most of the time that I’ve had her I didn’t have a vast number of horses at that level. I’ve always had some developing ones and that sort of thing, but I haven’t had multiples at what I would call the real top – the World Cup level and like that. At that level they’re hard to find. They’re expensive and you’re lucky when you have even one. So we’ve had a chance to bond and get to know one another. She responds very well to being treated like the number one horse in the barn.

  Wild Turkey is shaping up to be quite an ambitious breeding operation, so with all these babies coming along it doesn’t sound like you’ll have any shortage of mounts. And it is so rewarding to spot talent in young horses and develop them.

  That’s more of what Barb and I have discussed trying to do with her young horses. She has quite a few that look promising. We’re going to sit back and see what develops. She has some really nice four year olds that are coming along. Breeding just takes time. I give her a lot of credit for doing it, because it’s great to have resources devoted to breeding talented jumpers right here in the U.S. Blue Wolf Farms has a nice young horse named Zarafa that I’m riding, too.

  And what’s going on with your own horse, Enfuego?

  I just sold her to Peggy Munkdale. I’ve known Peggy since we were little kids. Is selling a horse something you’re always open to, if it’s one that you own? Yes, that’s always in the back of my mind, if the right sale situation comes along.

  Tell me a little about the scope of your operation, ACP Enterprises.

  In May 2008 we moved from Del Mar to Rocky Mountain Warmbloods in Rancho Santa Fe, which used to be Mary Shirley’s. We are extremely fortunate to be able to work out of a facility that is absolutely beautiful and has everything to offer in order to prepare horses for the highest level of show jumping competition. Craig Star has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today. He is definitely my eyes on the ground. There are about 18 horses at home, so we do some teaching – primarily amateurs and one or two juniors at any given time. We generally train more horses than students.

  Tell me about your own training.

  I rode with Carol Dean Porter – no relation – for about eight years, until I was 14. She gave me an unbelievable base and taught me horsemanship skills. Instilled from the very beginning, it helped. The bottom line is to really be top in this sport you need to be a horseman, and I was lucky enough to have gotten that right from the start. There’s no way to say this without it sounding offensive, but our sport is lacking in it right now.

  How would you define a horseman?

  An all around horseman is someone who puts the horse’s well being first and foremost, and understands what that well being entails. It’s not just a matter of “I have these horses in my care and the vet comes regularly,” but overall management. Someone who knows all aspects of care: a proper feeding program, proper vetting, proper shoeing and the overall well being of the animal. Someone who knows how to make sure the horse in proper fitness for whatever their job is going to be, and recognizes that.

  What’s the best way to get that experience? Being around the barn with other horse people?

  Absolutely. It’s having good mentors, for sure. It’s also having the desire to do that. Again, I don’t know how to say it without sounding bad, but for me, too many kids today take it for granted. They assume we (at the top of the sport) were given great horses so we became great riders. And I’ll tell you, the people at the top of the sport work their butts off. And working their butts off isn’t just dreaming about horses all day – it’s in the barn working and constantly trying to be better. It’s a little bit depressing for me today because the kids just take it for granted. They think if they want it bad enough, that’s what it takes. They need to want to go in there and be hands on, not to have to be told. There have been years in my life where I’ve worked for two weeks straight without a day off. And vacation? Vacation works around the horses, it’s not the horses working around the vacation. Now I’m probably an extreme, but sometimes it takes that, until you actually achieve the knowledge.

  Well, you’re extreme in your dedication but also in your success.

  I’ve been unbelievably blessed by great people around me, and it started with my parents. I had a well rounded background as a kid. I did ride horses a lot, and bless my mom, I’d ride the bus to school and come home from school and go to soccer practice and go ride my horse, or vice versa, and take lessons. Weekends I lived at the barn. She dropped me off at the barn on Saturday morning and said I’ll see you at 5 o’clock. Being like a barn rat (laughs). But like I said, that’s how you get the experience. I also went to college and did all that, so it’s not like I’ve only done horses. Finding a balance in your life is always a bit difficult I think, and especially when you’re climbing to the top of a sport.

  You were on the North American Young Rider Championship team. Do the kids who make it to that level always have that dedication, or can you get to that level by phoning it in, so to speak?

  Most of them are going to have it at that level, but I think there is still some phoning it in, too. Our system is such that the horses are very well trained, and a lot of these people have great stock.

  I thought it was interesting that the night of your first Grand Prix win here there were twoestablished riders in the winners circle – you and Rich Fellers – and two youngsters, Ashlee Bond and Karl Cook. Who among the up-and-comers do you think exemplifies what you’re talking about?

  I can only speak for the West Coast, because that’s where I work, but Mavis Spencer is one of the hardest working kids I’ve seen. She doesn’t have a whole barn full of horses, but she’s out there working it, showing people she has the drive and has the incentive. She impresses me. Karl is trained by the same team that taught you – Butch and Lu Thomas. Butch is really good at finding really good horses and matching them up with riders and bringing out the best in all of them. Butch is right at the top of that field with the best junior jumpers going. And some of them are getting older and are getting into the amateur division as well, and he’s always got horses that are winning. It’s very impressive how much Karl has done as a junior in the Grand Prix divisions. That’s pretty big.

  Was there any one thing Butch taught you that you look back on as a valuable life lesson?

  Butch had me watch a guy named Mark Laskin ride my horse in some preliminary or division class or something, in Arizona, where the trainers go in and ride the horses earlier in the week. He stood me there and said, “Now watch him ride your horse. He’s not going to look like he’s going fast, but it will be a very smooth round and it will be faster than you think.” And that was spot on. It was amazing to watch him ride because he executed everything so well, and smoothly and balanced. That really stands out in my mind – that you don’t have to look like you’re going crazy fast in order to be going fast. You have to be efficient, and the track you take matters, sometimes more than the actual running. I’m very visual – more so than if someone stands there and goes ,“Do, A, B and C.” I’m much more visual in how I learn, so that was huge for me.

  Your style of riding is very smooth. You make it look easy.

  I was very lucky to watch a lot of really unbelievable riders when I was in Europe, and got to compete against some of them. I would be in the warm up ring and I would be riding a horse and watching what other people were doing. The Europeans are very much that way, too – sometimes it looks very fast, but they’re slick, I guess is what I would call it. And with the top riders usually their horses are in a great balance and that’s why they win a lot.

  Do they embrace the hands-on horseman style in Europe?

  Oh definitely. The top riders there, as here, are horsemen. They laughed when I got there because…and I don’t know how you can put this in print tastefully, but the Americans were not viewed as hard workers, and they were kind of watching me like, will she get out of bed and do the stables in the morning, or does she just want to have horses to ride? They were surprised I knew how to put a bridle and a saddle on, and that’s no joke.

  So you’ll pick out your horse’s feet without thinking about it?

  That’s everyday life. It’s one of the first things you do when you get them out. I would say my idea of the perfect work off in a Medal final would be to take apart a bridle, or a few bridles, put ‘em in a pile at the end of the ring and the kids have to get down there, put the bridle together, go get their horse, tack it up, be able to mount it and everything and know that it’s all done properly. It’s not the groom’s responsibility to ensure that stuff’s done correctly; it’s the rider’s.

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• February 27, 2009 Issue

  The Chronicle of the Horse

  Porter collected 20 of her points on Jan. 31, when she won the $50,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix CSI-W in Thermal. She was on a roll during week 2 of the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit, also winning the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix on Jan. 29.

  Porter, a trainer in Olivenhain, Calif., earned both victories with Danielle Korsh’s San Diego. Porter took Summer to the FEI World Cup Finals last year in Sweden, but Summer was rested much of the rest of the year, and Porter was without a grand prix ride. She was riding San Diego primarily to keep him fit while his owner was off at college and found the 11-year-old Dutch gelding to be more capable than anyone suspected.

  “We showed him in one of the classes at Showpark, and he went really well, so we all decided to see if he could do bigger and better stuff,” Porter said. “It wasn’t a part of any major plan—it was just something that worked out.”

  Even though a rail in the first round of the $50,000 Purina Mills CSI-W kept her out of the jump-off, Porter’s eighth-placed finish earned her enough points to keep her atop the U.S. West Coast World Cup League.

  Porter is feeling no particular pressure, however. She rode in Europe for seven years and learned a great deal about managing competition stress. “It comes from some of the experience in Europe, from showing all the time. The more I got to show, the less pressure it was,” she said. “When it was more of a job, you knew you had to concentrate on what you had to do for each horse. It became easier to focus on the job ahead and what each horse needed.”

  Porter’s business is strictly jumpers, and that’s the way she likes it. “I know that I’m not as good at multitasking. I really try not to do things that I don’t feel I can do well,” she said.

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• THERMAL, CA (February 1, 2009)

  San Diego does it again! Mandy Porter wins the $50,000 Strongid® C 2X FEI World Cup Qualifier at HITS Desert Circuit II

  Mandy Porter rode Danielle Korsh's horse San Diego to the blue in the $50,000 Strongid® C 2X FEI World Cup Qualifier, presented by Adequan, held in the indoor arena Saturday night at the HITS Desert Horse Park, in Thermal, California.

  Porter bested 31 riders over a course built by Robert Ellis (GBR), as well as the eight horse/rider pairs that advanced to the jump-off en route to winning the first-place check. Porter was victorious earlier this week, in Thursday's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, also aboard San Diego. So Sunday’s win was the gem capping off a fantastic week for the Grand Prix superstar.

  Porter, who currently ranks second in the FEI World Cup Standings for the West Coast, earned more valuable points for the 2009 FEI World Cup that will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada in April. With three spots on the West Coast up for grabs and Porter due to show in three more qualifiers at HITS Thermal this winter, she looks to be a lock for the West Coast Team.

  Ashlee Bond got things started in the jump-off aboard Little Valley Farm's Cadett 7. Bond had a great trip, but knocked down the Adequan vertical in the last line of the jump-off to finish with four faults and a white ribbon. Bond, who is developing into one of the finest young Grand Prix riders on the West Coast, placed second in Thursday's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix.

  "It was a great big course and I had so much fun riding it," said Bond. "I wish I didn't almost fall off though. I never really got reorganized and it was around a tight turn and that's why we dropped that rail."

  Another fabulous young rider was next to show in the jump-off when Katherine Bardis took the course aboard C&S Partnership's Mademoiselle. Bardis and her mount had four faults and finished in sixth place.

  The star-studded class continued when two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner McLain Ward stepped in the ring aboard his mount Goldika 559. The duo, who just made the trip from the East Coast earlier this week, had two rails down and finished in seventh place. Erin Duffy was fourth to go in the jump-off aboard Elizabeth Oliver's Lionel. They had four faults and finished in fifth place.

  Porter was fifth in the jump-off order and entered the ring in search of the jump-off's first clear round. Porter and San Diego made the dash for cash and went clean, stopping the clocks in 32.93. "The horse just keeps getting better and better," said Porter. "He has done some Junior Jumpers and Young Riders but to jump these types of courses shows how much heart he really has. Every time we ask him, he comes to the plate and gets better and better."

  Lane Clark and Horsemanship Unlimited's mount Kiss the Sky showed next in the jumpoff, and had eight faults to finish in eighth place.

  Richard Spooner showed seventh in the jump-off. He rode Ace for C & S Partnership and laid down a very fast clear round in 32.94, just missing out on Porter's time by one tenth of a second. "I can't believe how close I was," said Spooner. "We were right on to beat Mandy's time, but I guess it was her night."

  The envious last-to-ride spot belonged to Canadian Olympian Jill Henselwood. Henselwood and Juniper Farm’s Black Ice looked to be on pace to beat the time set by Porter, but a rail down in the last line would put her in third place.

  With Porter's victory, she not only earned precious FEI World Cup Points, but also takes the lead in the Platinum Performance Leading World Cup Qualifier Rider at the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit. For more information on the FEI World Cup Finals please visit worldcuplasvegas.com.

  "I really want to thank HITS for this wonderful event tonight," added Porter. "They really outdid themselves and it's a great atmosphere for us to compete in."

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• THERMAL, CA (January 30, 2009)

  Mandy Porter and San Diego win the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Desert Circuit II

  Thursday night proved to be ladies night during the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix when Mandy Porter grabbed the blue aboard Danielle Korsh's San Diego to win the class and jump start an action-packed weekend of show jumping at the HITS Desert Circuit Week II, in Thermal, California.

  Porter and San Diego outlasted 42 riders who competed on International Course Designer Robert Ellis' (Stafford, England) track and an additional five who advanced to the jump-off to collect $7,500 in first-place prize money.
  Rich Fellers and Flexible, owned by Harry and Molly Chapman, went first in the jump-off. Fellers and Flexible made it all the way home clean in 43.84 to establish the Great American Time to Beat right from the start. When the class was complete the duo would sit in third place.
  
  Next to show was Karl Cook aboard Signe Ostby's Uno de Laubry. Cook and his ride dropped a single rail midway through the trip to finish in fifth place. Third in the order were Ashlee Bond and Little Valley Farm's Cadett 7. Bond made the dash for the cash in great time, stopping the clocks in 42.06 to move into the lead. Bond’s time would be good enough for second place.
  
  Cadett 7 is a new mount for Bond on the HITS Desert Circuit. She bought him in July and has already made her mark in the irons. The duo won the $75,000 Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows and now can add a top finish at HITS Thermal to their resume.
  
  "It was a tough course that demanded a lot," said Bond. "I am feeling great. It was a blast to ride tonight because the class was in the indoor ring and I love showing in there. The building was filled with a great atmosphere and the crowd was just incredible."
  
  Jill Humphrey had the ride next aboard Equistar LLC's Camelita. The pair went clear in a time of 48.46 to finish the night in fourth place.
  
  Mandy Porter and San Diego were sitting in the enviable last-to-go spot and took full advantage of it when they stopped the clocks in 41.15 to edge out Bond and Cadett 7 for the win.
  "That wasn't too bad for our first time out this year," smiled Porter. "San Diego was fabulous tonight. He was just flying around the course. We came off a nice break and he seems like he is ready to make a great run in the desert this winter."
  
  "What a great class," said Ellis. "I thought Rich Fellers would be fast enough to win it but then Ashlee and Mandy were just super fast. You can't get a better class."
  
  "It looks like I let the girls beat me tonight," joked Fellers.
  
  The $25,000 HITS Grand Prix also marked the arrival of two-time Gold Medal Winner McLain Ward to the HITS Desert Circuit. Although he didn't advance to the jump-off, Ward finished with three horses in the money.
  
  "We are really enjoying ourselves here,” said Ward. “Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly. We would love to make this part of our annual winter tour. Now we just need to start jumping some clear rounds."
  
  This is Ward’s first time competing at the HITS Desert Circuit and his first visit to the 300-acre HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California which was built in 2006 after the circuit outgrew the former show grounds in Indio.
  
  "The show grounds are very horse-friendly and spacious with a lot less congestion than Wellington,” added Ward.
  
  Show-jumping action at the HITS Desert Circuit continues all weekend with Desert Circuit II and features a full week of classes, including the first of four FEI World Cup Qualifiers in the indoor arena on Saturday night with the $50,000 Strongid® C 2X FEI World Cup Qualifier, presented by Adequan.
  
  HITS, Inc. is a special events management company primarily focused on producing hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS produced its first horse show circuit in Gainesville, Florida in 1982. Since that time, HITS has grown into a nationwide company with world-class hunter/jumper circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia.

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• For Immediate Release | March 26, 2008

  ACP Enterprises and Mandy Porter Post Consistent Winning Results at the 2008 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California

  ACP Enterprises and Mandy Porter recently finished another successful winter show season at the 2008 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California. Porter and horses were consistent as ever throughout the seven week-long circuit, collecting ribbons in both the Grand Prix and open jumper divisions on several mounts. ACP Enterprises is based out of Del Mar, California.

  
  

  In Week II, Porter was back in the winner’s circle with Summer, the fabulous Holsteiner mare owned by Wild Turkey Farm. In the first of four World Cup Qualifiers at Thermal, the team maneuvered around a small indoor ring among an excited crowd, ending the night with a fifth place finish in the $50,000 Tourneau FEI World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix, presented by Adequan.

  The next week, Porter and Summer joined a large field of 43 horse and rider combinations for the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix. A clear first round followed by a fast and clear jump-off, secured a second place spot for the duo.

  Entering into the second half of the circuit after a week-long break, Porter rode Summer to a Grand Prix victory and several more top finishes. During Week IV, the pair galloped around a big and technically difficult course for the big win in the $50,000 STRONGID® C 2X™ Grand Prix. The same week, they placed second in the $50,000 Tourneau FEI World Cup Qualifier, presented by Adequan.

  Porter’s winnings aboard Summer earned her an automatic invitation to the $200,000 Invitational Grand Prix held during the HITS Championship Week. She also gained valuable points in the race to qualify for the World Cup Finals held in Göteborg, Sweden, this April. She is currently ranked third in the FEI World Cup North American League West Coast standings and thirteenth on the USEF Showjumping Computer Ranking List.

  In the smaller Grand Prix classes, Porter rode the young gelding Stairway, also owned by Wild Turkey Farm, to notable results. They claimed third place in the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix during Week VI and ninth in the same class during Week III.

  Porter also picked up many blue ribbons in the jumper divisions on Wild Turkey Farm’s LaMarque and on Morgan Taylor’s talented jumpers, La Belle, Louvre, Carrington 9 and Latino. During Week II, Porter guided Enfuego, her own Grand Prix hopeful, to the win in the $7,500 Jimmy Williams Classic.

  ACP Enterprises, Inc. and Mandy Porter thank their generous sponsors for their continued support - Devoucoux, EquiFit, Inc., FABBRI boots, Game Ready Equine, Heritage Performance Riding Gloves, Horseware, LubriSyn™, Purina Mills and Wild Turkey Farm. For more information on all sponsors, visit www.mandy-porter.com/sponsors.html.

  Owned by Grand Prix rider Mandy Porter, ACP Enterprises, Inc. is an elite show barn focused exclusively on show jumping. ACP is now showing at the Oaks Blenheim spring horse shows in San Juan Capistrano, California, through April 6th, 2008.

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• For Immediate Release | Feb 25, 2008

  Summertime and the winning is easy!
  Mandy Porter and Summer win the $50,000 STRONGID® C 2X™ Grand Prix at HITS Thermal

  THERMAL, CA— Canadian Olympian John Pearce had a hunch right before the $50,000 STRONGID® C 2X™ Grand Prix at HITS Thermal. Pearce told Mandy Porter that he knew she was going to win Sunday's featured class as she was congratulated by a slew of supporters for her blue-ribbon effort aboard her trusty mount Summer.

  
  

  Porter certainly wasn't joking around during the class as she outlasted a field of 34 pairs in the opening round and three combinations in the jump-off to secure $15,000 in first-place prize money for Wild Turkey Farm. Porter and Summer were also second in Friday's $50,000 Tourneau FEI World Cup Qualifier, presented by Adequan to secure an additional $11,000 in prize money.

  Summer is 13 years old and won the Pacific Coast Grand Prix Horse of the Year in 2006. Porter was born in California where she was a successful junior rider. She moved to Europe for seven years and now is putting her stamp back on the West Coast.

  "Experience paid off for me today," said Porter. "We have known each other for so long and she wasn't distracted by some of the more difficult tests on the course."

  "A lot of horses didn't pass the scope test in the triple combination," said Canadian course designer David Ballard. "The line from 9 to 10B was also tough. It had a difficult angle to it. Plus, the soft yellow and white color of the jump was hard for the horses."

  Jennifer Crooks was first to compete in the jump-off round aboard SF Shakira. The pair had four faults and finished in second place for Stella Farm. Porter and Summer challenged the route next. They navigated the course without any errors and set the Great American Time to Beat at 38.13.

  Entering the ring last in the envious last-to-go spot were Richard Spooner and Quirno 3. The pair won Thursday's $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix but had to settle for third place on Sunday after they dropped two rails.

  With the victory, Porter earned some valuable points towards the $200,000 Invitational Grand Prix to be held on Sunday, March 16 during the all new Championship Week at HITS Thermal. The top-30 pairs based on prize money won during the 2008 HITS Desert Circuit will be invited to compete in the class. (Click here for the standings.)

  DC IV also featured a fabulous fashion show, presented by Horse Connection. Several vendors from HITS Thermal and merchants from El Paseo had their merchandise on display. Accomplished equestrians such as Kate Considine, Hannah Selleck, Ashlee Bond, Katherine Bardis, John French and Bliss Heers were among the models.

  Competition at HITS Thermal continues on Tuesday, February 25 through Sunday, March 2. DC V will feature the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix on Friday, February 29 and the $75,000 Waldorf=Astoria Collection Grand Prix on Sunday, March 2.

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• Feb 22, 2008

  Mandy Porter featured in The Chronicle of the Horse

  Home Base:
  

  ACP Enterprises Inc., at Ridgemar Equestrian Center, San Diego, Calif.

  Grand prix horses:
  

  Summer, 11, Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Wild Turkey Farm; Enfuego, 10, ISR mare owned by Mandy Porter and ACP Enterprises, Inc.; and Stairway, 9, Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Wild Turkey Farm.

  Mandy Porter’s training schedule varies from horse to horse, and she believes in building diversity into her training schedule.

  She competes at roughly two shows a month and gives her horses time off–with light riding but no jumping—from mid-November to mid-December. She rides her horses once a day at home, and they almost all are turned out daily.

  “My primary focus at home is fitness,” Porter said.

  She believes strongly in hill work, and she trots—and sometimes canters—for about 45 minutes, up and down the hills close to her farm. “I just want to feel the horse pushing from behind and really working on the hills,” she said. “From where I’m based now I can hack to hills, but I’m not adverse to putting horses into the trailer and finding the terrain I need to build fitness.”

  She alternates between days of hill work and flatwork sessions in the ring, working the horses to build a strong topline and stretch their entire body with slow, collected work.

  Her jumping schedule at home depends entirely on her horse’s performance at the most recent show. “If a grand prix horse is going well I won’t do gymnastics at home,” she said. Instead, Porter incorporates small, three-foot jumps into her flatwork.

  “I’m looking for the jump to become just another canter stride, with no major change in rhythm, so the horse just steps softly over the little fence.

  “My grand prix horse already knows her job,” said Porter of Summer. “My main emphasis between shows is to keep her mentally fresh. I don’t ever want her to feel like she’s doing the same old thing, day after day.” Porter doesn’t specify a number of jumping days per week; instead, each horse jumps according to Porter’s assessment of what the horse needs on any given week.

  She generally doesn’t jump higher than 4'3" at home, and she tailors her gymnastic exercises to suit the needs of a particular horse. “I might set up a line and work on adding or leaving out a stride to practice adjustability. Sometimes I’ll set a course, sometimes I’ll work on individual jumps. If a horse seems weaker on one lead than the other, I’ll set a series of small bounces on a circle. I also like to set lines of bounces interspersed with verticals and oxers. The jumps don’t have to be high, you just want to make the horses think about using all parts of their bodies and being quick with their feet,” she explained.

  “Regardless of a horse’s experience level, a gymnastic should always build confidence, especially in a young horse,” noted Porter. “You can build a gymnastic to work on a horse’s style–use V-rails to help improve their technique, for example–but you never want to build anything too tricky or trappy.”

  When a major show approaches, Porter raises the jumps closer to grand prix height and gives even her seasoned horses a school. “You have to raise their eye level and get them thinking more about the bigger jumps before they head back into the ring,” she explained.

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• May 18, 2007 | By Jeff O'Brien, The Coast News

  Grand Prix showcases top horses, riders

  DEL MAR — Some of the best horse and rider combinations from throughout the West Coast soared over extreme obstacles and delighted the crowd at the Mary’s Tack & Feed Grand Prix on May 13 at the Del Mar Horse Park.

  
  

  The event, which included $50,000 in prize money, featured 35 riders and was the culmination of a weeklong series of events called the Showpark Ranch and Coast Classic.

  According to Suzanne Ansari, public relations director for the event, the Showpark Ranch and Coast show was a great opportunity for those who have never seen show jumping to get acquainted with the exciting sport. “This is our biggest show of the year,” Ansari said. “We’re expecting more than 3,000 people to come and watch.”

  A Kids Day event also took place at the horse park, which featured bounce houses, food and vendors.

  According to Ansari, the sport of show jumping is simple and straightforward — jump a course of approximately 15 obstacles up to 5 feet in height and 6 feet in width with no penalties. “Penalties are incurred if a horse knocks down, refuses to jump or falls at an obstacle,” Ansari said.

  In addition to jumping faults, penalties can also accumulate if riders fail to complete the course at a certain speed or within the time allowed. Riders and horses must negotiate courses at the correct angle, height and speed to clear the fences without incurring faults.

  The rider who goes too fast could grow careless and knock down a fence, but an overly cautious rider might incur time faults.

  Mandy Porter, who lives in Encinitas and is considered one of the best riders in North County, said that fitness also plays an important role for both horse and rider.

  “The horses put a lot more stress on their legs and joints than normal, so they have to be especially fit to jump at this level,” Porter said. “They’re all ridden at least once or twice a day.”

  She added that riders also try different techniques to achieve optimal fitness, but Porter simply goes out riding with her horse, Summer.

  “I’m sure other people try different exercises such as yoga, jogging or bike riding,” she said. “It can all translate into good performance.”

  Porter and Summer took second place, finishing less than one second behind first-place winner Chris Pratt. “Out of 35 riders, it came down to the top three in a jump off,” Summer’s owner Barbara Ellison said. “Mandy finished the course in 38.13 seconds, but Chris finished it in 37. He was literally half a step ahead of her.”

  Despite narrowly missing first place, Porter was very happy with Summer’s performance. “I could tell right off the bat that she was feeling good,” Porter said. “She did very well.”

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• Riding Magazine, February 2007

  Mandy Porter Pulls Together a Big Year :
  San Diego Grand Prix rider and trainer marks another milestone as Summer earns PCHA Horse of the Year

  Mandy Porter’s personality is anything but showy, but the show jumping rider and trainer is having trouble staying out of the spotlight these days.

  
  

  She rode Summer to the Pacific Coast Horse Shows Assn’s Grand Prix Horse of the Year honor and finished third in PCHA’s GP Rider of the Year standings even though she only campaigned one mount in this division. Mandy and the Belgian Warmblood are ranked third in the West Coast World Cup Finals standings as the second half of the qualifying season begins.

  “We really pulled it all together last year,” says Mandy modestly of her partnership with Summer.

  The mare came to Mandy’s attention two years ago when she was scouting amateur jumper prospects for Barb Ellison, owner of the sporthorse breeding business Wild Turkey Farm. Norman Dello Joio had brought the now 12-year-old Summer to Spruce Meadows, and the pretty grey caught Mandy’s eye right away. Summer was a bit too much horse for Barb, but both Mandy and Barb sensed something special and Barb bought the mare as a Grand Prix mount for Mandy.

  “She’s an incredible indoors horse,” says Mandy. The Del Mar Arena is the mare’s favorite venue and the site design for three big Grand Prix wins in the last 18 months alone. “She just grows in the indoor setting,” Mandy observes.

  Mandy and Summer’s “pulling it all together” this season is the latest in a long string of pulling together the right people, horses and opportunities throughout the rider’s career.

  Mandy’s love for her horses is obvious in her stall-side manner, and she has earned the admiration of riders, students and friends at every level of the sport. During this reporter’s visit to the trainer’s ACP Enterprises, located at Ridgemar Farms in Del Mar, several arena bystanders volunteered high opinions of Mandy’s character in and out of the saddle.

  Early Years & Europe

  Those who know Mandy are not surprised by her success. “She was completely dedicated from the very beginning,” says retired trainer Lowrey Jones, who ran Farfetched Farms in Mandy’s Northern California hometown of Diablo. “She was single focused on riding and, as a rider, she really had guts.”

  Mandy’s character was striking even back then. “She was always kind and helpful to her peers,” Lowrey recalls.

  Barb Ellison saw similar traits when Mandy was a junior riding with Butch and Lu Thomas in Woodside. “I liked her then,” Barb recalls. “She was always nice, personable and an awesome rider.”

  Mandy’s impressive junior career included success in all divisions. With Orbit, Mandy was part of the bronze winning team at the North American Young Riders Championships when the event debuted in 1984.

  Her competitors there included the famous Olympic pair of Greg Best and the late, great Gem Twist. “He was a 7-year-old then and we were all just blown away!” San Diego trainer Mike Endicott and Mexican Olympian Jaime Guerra were other fellow contenders that year.

  Mandy attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and earned degrees in animal science and agricultural business. During that time, she and Orbit ventured successfully into the Grand Prix ranks. After graduating, she worked for the Thomases’ Willow Tree Farms, where she met Barb.

  The next leap was to Europe to develop and test her skills against the world’s best. She knew the hard working life of a sales barn staffer was the best chance of gaining mileage and knowledge and she signed on with a top sales enterprise run by Gerhard Etter in Switzerland. Mandy moved to Europe in 1992 and stayed there for seven years.

  Envious equestrian friends back home pictured Mandy leading the glamorous life: riding the finest horses, traveling from show to show, and touring new countries. The reality did include riding fine horses, but it also included riding young horses, some not-so-fine horses, early morning stall mucking, late night equine emergencies and plenty of barn chores in between.

  Mandy was good at her job, which meant that just as her partnership with a particular horse became competitive at the big shows, the horse was sold. It was a tough road; one chosen by other young, gifted riders, including 2002 WEG bronze medalist Peter Wylde, with whom Mandy worked at Etter’s stable.

  After Etter’s barn, Mandy trained and rode privately for two Italian families during a two-year period. She developed and campaigned top jumpers on the international circuit, ran the families’ stables, one in Rome and one outside of Milan, and coached their kids.

  Throughout her European years, Mandy represented the United States in three Nations Cup competitions. She was sometimes within reach of going after a U.S. berth in other international championships, but opted not to because the travel and wear and tear required were rarely in the best interests of her sponsor’s horses.

  Having accomplished her goal of cracking the world’s most competitive show jumping circuit, Mandy returned to the States in December of 1999. Barb Ellison was among the trainer’s first clients in the States as she began building her ACP Enterprises. The business is small and focused on show jumping.

  ACP’s current count of 14 horses is typical and the narrow focus is both a logistical convenience at shows and a fit with Mandy’s self-imposed mandate to stick with a manageable load of what she does best. Today that includes serving as Wild Turkey Farm’s trainer, coaching a few clients and working with her own Grand Prix hopeful, the chestnut mare En Fuego.

  Mandy’s most accomplished student of late is Morgan Taylor, a 2005 NAYRC participant, who qualified for the 2006 Championship but couldn’t go because her horse got hurt. The talented young rider coped gracefully with a few such setbacks, and Mandy relays that accomplishment with great pride in her student.

  Wild Turkey Ways

  Mandy wears many hats for Wild Turkey. She campaigned breeding stallions Lavita and LioCalyon to great records before they retired from competition. Summer’s victories have helped market the farm, and the mare will likely be bred via embryo transfer when the time is right. Summer’s Belgian breeding is heavy with Capital’s (by Capitol) Holsteiner blood.

  Hopes are high for Snafu, a handsome Oldenburg gelding that Mandy expects to bring along in the 1.4 meter classes this year. Finally--for the moment, anyway--Mandy has a new Wild Turkey stallion, Chesapeake, to start working with.

  Only a few horses from the relatively young Wild Turkey program are old enough to be showing yet, but Mandy enjoys having a hand in most aspects of identifying and developing the youngsters who will carry the program’s genetic flags into the show ring.

  Barb meets up with Mandy at shows, and the trainer also visits Wild Turkey’s Woodside base to coach Barb or work with the horses there. “What Mandy has taught me has enabled me to work with my horses at home, and if I or my working student Kelli (Johnston) are ever stuck she always has an idea for us to try. If we need a personal touch, she flies up for the day.”

  The trainer has been with Wild Turkey since the get-go. “She was terrific about introducing me to people that could help me with the program,” Barb recalls.

  Mandy also coached Barb’s daughter Megan, who helped Zone 10’s A team earn a bronze at the 2004 NAYRC Championships.

  Maintaining the right balance in her business is a juggling act, the trainer admits. Making sure each partnership is a good match is a key to her success. The shared conviction that the horse comes first is the basis for Mandy and Barb’s long-standing relationship. “Mandy is a horsewoman who cares about her horses and puts their well-being first,” says Barb. “That’s why she fits so well with the Wild Turkey program.”

  Mandy works wonders in the saddle. “She gave me my horse back,” says one grateful student whose “flat, dull and inverted” mount was quickly returned to his forward moving self under Mandy’s hand.

  Barb concurs. “My stallions Lavita and LioCalyon blossomed under her. I wish I had a tenth of her talent and it is an inspiration to watch her ride.”

  Clarity and simplicity are hallmarks of Mandy’s coaching style. “She is able to reduce everything to what is simple and consistently true,” says Allison Tierney, who recently returned to the sport after a 33-year hiatus. “She is the best teacher and she seems to love it.”

  Flatwork is the foundation of any success over fences, Mandy asserts. That was the key lesson learned in Europe and one that has not been sufficiently embraced in the States, she observes.

  Proper flatwork is also essential to keeping horses healthy and sound. Mandy is proud of a maintenance program that has kept her string remarkably sound over the years.

  Dream Team

  Mandy is grateful for solid support from several sponsors. They include Devoucoux Saddles, Game Ready Equines, EquiFit, Inc., Heritage Gloves and Fabbri Boots.

  All of her success is the result of a team effort, Mandy emphasizes. People who help her from the ground, grooms, farriers, veterinarians and clients are all part of an ensemble that makes it possible for her to arrive at the back gate focused solely on the fences before her.

  That’s going to be especially important this year as she continues her run with Summer for the World Cup Finals, which will be held this April in Las Vegas. She hopes a European tour berth will pan out for the summer and says the 2008 World Equestrian Games are on her radar screen.

  Locking on to long-range goals, however, is a tough proposition for any realistic horsewoman. “I tend to focus on what’s in front of me, and work with what’s presented to me,” Mandy reflects of her career path so far. It’s not exactly clear where that path will take her next, but there is no doubt it will lead to more success for Mandy, her horses, her clients and the rest of those who consider themselves lucky to be on Mandy’s team.

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• Press Release - Feb 5, 2007

  Mandy Porter and Summer are the odds on favorites to make it to Las Vegas for the World Cup after Sunday's win at HITS Thermal

  THERMAL, CA (February 5, 2007) — Mandy Porter isn't booking her hotel room in Las Vegas for April's World Cup yet, but she better make sure she is available that week because her win aboard Summer, in Sunday's $75,000 Footing Authority™ Grand Prix at HITS Thermal might assure her a spot as one of the West Coast representatives.

  
  

  "A ton of points are still up for grabs, so I know today didn't secure anything," said Porter. "But it sure helps." The lions share of the remaining points are available at the HITS Desert Horse Park. The state-of-the-art equestrian facility hosts three more FEI World Cup Qualifiers over the remaining four weeks of show jumping. The World Cup will be held in Las Vegas from April 18-22.

  Porter beat one of the hottest riders around, Jill Humphry, in the jump-off to secure $22,500 in prize money for Wild Turkey Farm. Humphry and Kaskaya were 13th to go on the first-round course posting a clean ride in 88.95. Finally, 18 trips later, Porter navigated the course perfectly to force a jump-off. Porter had the second to last trip in the round.

  After Porter went clear, Humphry slowly emerged from the bleachers where she watched rail after rail fall and walked to the Grand Prix Schooling ring to get ready. In the jump-off, she dropped two rails, including the black and white EquiFit hurdle. "I think I had too much time to sit and wait," she said. "I really didn't think we would have a jump-off after watching everyone take rails down."

  Holding the envious last to ride position, Porter was able to take her time and set the Great American Time to Beat at 42.08 and earn some valuable points towards the World Cup. She is currently in second place, just one point behind Richard Spooner.

  "I wanted to ride my own plan," said Porter. "I knew I had to stick to the course that I walked and not get away from what was in my head early."

  Summer is 12 years old and won the Pacific Coast Grand Prix Horse of the Year in 2006. Porter was born in California where she was a successful junior rider. She moved to Europe for seven years and now is putting her stamp back on the West Coast.

  A pair of Canadians also had some success in the $75,000 Footing Authority™ Grand Prix. John Pearce and Archie Bunker were third, finishing the first round with just one time fault. And Jill Henselwood was fifth aboard her top mount, Special Ed, dropping only the plank jump in front of the Oasis Club VIP Pavilion.

  "He just touched it," said Henselwood. "It was my fault. I was looking at the triple bar and took my eye off of the plank jump. It was a good effort."

  "The course was tough, tough, tough," said Pearce. "It had a lot of big jumps and it was very technical. It was a World Cup caliber course."

  Show Jumping at HITS Thermal continues Wednesday through Sunday at the HITS Desert Horse Park, in Thermal, CA. Friday's featured class is the $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix and on Sunday, the featured class will be the second $75,000 HYPERLINK "http://www.footingauthority.com/"Footing Authority™ Grand Prix. Also on Sunday, February 11, HITS and Purina Mills present Kids Day from 11 am until 1 pm. With 12 rings to visit, there is a lot to see and do for the entire day, including pony rides, a petting zoo, and the popular T-Rex Tunnel. Future athletes can even test the speed of their fastball on a radar gun.

  The Purina Mills trailer will also be on hand and will have several games for children to play. Other activities include caricature drawings, clowns, and toy giveaways courtesy of Wishes Toy Store. Admission is $5 for adults on weekends while children 12 and under are admitted free.

  For the past 15 years, HITS has produced a six-week winter horse show circuit in Indio, California. The 2007 HITS Desert Circuit is being held just five miles from its previous home at the new, state-of-the-art HITS Desert Horse Park equestrian facility on Airport Boulevard in Thermal, California.

  The new horse park is the largest Hunter/Jumper horse show venue in the United States and has more than $10,000,000 in improvements, including stabling for more than 3,000 horses and 12 competition rings. HITS Thermal also features the new state-of-the-art footing provided by HYPERLINK "http://www.footingauthority.com/"Footing Authority™.

  In January 2006, HITS entered into a private equity arrangement with Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. in Los Angeles. As a result, HITS, Inc. is able to develop and execute exciting operational and strategic initiatives that both solidify its well-established position as the leader in horse show management and allows for new growth opportunities including the construction of the HITS Desert Horse Park. HITS generates significant economic impact in each of its five venues in California, Arizona, Florida, Virginia and New York.

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• Press Release - March 28, 2006

  EquiFit, Inc. is Pleased to Announce Their Sponsorship of California Show Jumper Mandy Porter

  EquiFit Inc., the company that offers a complete line of products for riders who are serious about performance, is pleased to announce their sponsorship of Mandy Porter of Encinitas, CA. EquiFit Inc. offers an extensive range of products including: the revolutionary T-Boot Series™ horse boots, T-Form saddle pads, and the industry’s only riding posture correction garment, ShouldersBack.

  
  

  Mandy Porter is one of the top show jumpers on the West Coast. With her 11 year old Belgian Warmblood mare Summer, owned by Wild Turkey Farm, Porter has posted wins in the 2004 Del Mar International Grand Prix, CSI-W, the 2005 Del Mar Palms Classic Grand Prix, and the 2005 Pebble Beach Grand Prix. They had multiple top five finishes in 2005.

  Porter lived and rode in Europe from 1993 to 1999 and represented the United States Equestrian Team at many international competitions. She also rode for the United States on three Nations’ Cup teams in Gijon, Spain, Linz, Austria, and La Baule, France.

  “I began using EquiFit’s boots at Indio this year, about half way thru the circuit,” Porter reported. “I like the protection and support that they give to a horse, and I like the fact that the lining material shapes and ‘molds’ with the horse's leg.”

  EquiFit, Inc. president Alexandra Cherubini stated, “We are very excited to sponsor Mandy. We think she will be a great representative for our product and will help keep the T-Boot Series™ in the public eye in California.”

  EquiFit, Inc. is dedicated to helping riders improve and become more competitive. In addition to Porter, they are proud to work with 2004 Athens Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward, Olympians Margie Engle and Alison Firestone, as well as grand prix riders Michael Morrissey, Joie Gatlin, Callan Solem, Jimmy Torano, and Christine McCrea, Molly Ashe, Conor Swail, Olympic Three-Day event rider Darren Chiacchia, and Australian Three-Day event rider Christine Bates.

  EquiFit, Inc. branched out from its flagship posture product for riders, ShouldersBack™, and designed the T-Boot Series™ when company president and equestrian, Alexandra Cherubini, of Boston, MA, could not find satisfactory boots already on the market. “There really was nothing out there that addressed the full range of issues and conditions that horses encounter in the show ring and in everyday work,” said Cherubini, who competes in the Adult Hunter and Jumper divisions. “With all of the high-tech materials available for use in other sports and medical equipment, this made no sense to me. I decided to develop my own boots instead.”

  Since then, the response has been tremendous. The T-Boot Series™ are quickly becoming the most popular and sought-after horse boots in North America, and they are well on their way for expansion in the European market. This has certainly been inspired by its sponsorship at WEF, the largest and longest-running equestrian event in the world, drawing competitors from over 30 countries, as well as riders’ response of the “Official Horse Boot” of the Horse-Shows-in-the-Sun (HITS) circuits in Indio, CA, Ocala, FL, and Tucson, AZ.

  Designed by an orthopedic company, the T-Boot Series™ is filled with T-Foam, a revolutionary pressure-relieving visco-elastic material that conforms to the horse’s body, providing maximum support and pressure-point dispersal and eliminating chafing and abrasion. When the T-Boots are removed, T-Foam recovers 100 percent of its original shape, ready to provide a perfect custom fit for every horse, every time.

  EquiFit’s product line includes five different models of T-Boots. The brand-new XCEL™ hind boot is quickly becoming the boot of choice for grand prix riders as it promotes superior hind end movement over jumps. These boots offer replaceable T-Foam liners.

  One of the newest and most thrilling products is the T-Sport Wrap™. These foam-lined wraps provide maximum compression and support and are superior to synthetic polo wraps that are on the market today. Through EquiFit, Inc., equestrians now have access to the same cutting edge technology used by athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports physicians for many years.

  Although EquiFit, Inc. sponsors many grand prix riders, their boots and saddle pads can be used for a wide array of equestrian disciplines including dressage, eventing, endurance, reining, trail riding, and racing.

  For more information, please visit their website design at: www.equifit.net or call 1-877-4-EQUIFIT.

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• September 29, 2005 | By Peggy Scott for The San Diego Union Tribune

  The competitors ‘are all Grand Prix level riders’

  Most world-class athletes must overcome obstacles to compete in their chosen sports, but the hurdles Mandy Porter of Encinitas has to clear can be over five feet tall – and she does it from the back of a horse.

  
  

  The defending champion going into Saturday's $50,000 HBO World Cup Grand Prix of Del Mar, Porter knows the competition will be stiff, but she's not alone. She's facing the challenge with her partner – a stunning, 16.3-hand Belgian warmblood named Summer, owned by Wild Turkey Farm of Northern California. Technical show manager Dale Harvey is expecting riders from around the world to mount up and run the course. Last year, equestrians came from all over the United States as well as Australia, New Zealand, Iran, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico to compete.

  "The riders are all Grand Prix level riders and the majority are professional," Porter said. "This is a qualifier for the World Cup, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia next April."

  The Grand Prix event is a star attraction of the Sixth Annual Del Mar International Horse Show, taking place through Sunday at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Jumping competition started yesterday morning, with show classes being held daily for amateur and junior riders, as well as classes geared specifically for schooling and training young horses.

  While the $50,000 HBO World Cup Grand Prix of Del Mar is certainly a star attraction, there's plenty more going on. The FEI Children's Jumper Final Selection Trial (Western Region) midday Saturday will showcase the skill of talented young riders, 17 and younger. Several other events also are planned, including a jumping dog contest.

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• Reprinted with permission of The Chronicle of the Horse

  Mandy Porter Has a Knack for Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

  When looking back, we can see how our choices, timing and circumstances weave together to form the tapestry of our life. And grand prix rider and trainer Mandy Porter of Solana Beach, Calif., knows how true that is. By consistently being in the right place at the right time, she’s created her own rich and textured equestrian tapestry.

  
  

  Porter’s beginnings are similar to many young equestrians. She rode and competed with various trainers through the years, learning valuable pieces of the how-to-ride puzzle from each one. And by college, she was lucky enough to have the horse of a lifetime, Orbit.

  “He couldn’t have been a better jumper to take me through the ranks – from juniors to amateurs to my first grand prix,” she recalled.

  While majoring in animal science, with a minor in agricultural business, at California State Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Porter, 39, would sneak away on weekends to show Orbit in grand prix events throughout California.

  “Talk about right horse, right time – I was spoiled,” she said with a smile. “What he lacked in scope he made up for ten-fold in heart. At age 28 he’s still hanging out at my parents’ place in Diablo [California].”

  But her post-college career plans in equine pharmaceuticals changed when northern California trainers Butch and Lu Thomas offered Porter a job as an assistant trainer.

  A few years later, through good timing and the right circumstances, Porter was given the opportunity to try her hand (legs and seat) in Muntschemier, Switzerland, at Gerhard Etter’s sale barn. The trial period turned into a five-year position with Etter.

  “I made the decision to stay so I could keep learning – I wanted to be confident handling every horse, face whatever challenge was ahead,” Porter explained. “I got that and 10 times more.”

  Porter competed almost every weekend, from young horses to international-level horses. She also represented the United States on three Nations Cup teams. While competing on the teams, Porter got to know international competitor Katie Monahan- Prudent, who lives in France and Florida and has been chef d’equipe for several Nations Cup teams.

  “One of the most influential and inspirational people I’ve run across is Katie. She knows how to bring out the most in a rider. She teaches you to be technical, tough, competitive and ready to win,” said Porter.

  She also spent countless hours in the warm-up ring watching top Europeans ride and train. She soaked up the knowledge and applied it to her methods.

  “The opportunity to learn was incredible, there was so much camaraderie among the riders, and everyone helped one another,” she recalled. “Plus, I rode on teams with Peter Wylde, Alison Firestone, Alice Debany and Katie. Again I realized how fortunate I was to be in the right place at the right time.”

  A New Chapter

  After riding for private sponsors in Italy for 18 months, Porter was ready to close the European chapter of her career and go home. Her time in Europe had been invaluable, but she missed her family and wanted to return to California.

  After settling in the San Diego area, Porter started her own business in 2001. She chose to keep a small barn, working with an average of 10 horses at one time. Soon after she opened her barn doors, Porter began to work with Barbara Ellison, owner of Wild Turkey Farm in Woodside, Calif. Ellison has created a memorable advertising campaign for her warmblood stallions Admiral Z, LioCalyon, Lavita, Chesapeake and Argensohn, whom Ellison sold last year after he’d placed with Porter in several grand prix events.

  Ellison explained how she reunited with Porter: “I knew Mandy as a junior riding with Butch and Lu Thomas. When I decided to move my horses’ home, she had recently returned from Europe. When Mandy came up to Woodside to discuss working with me, we knew right away it was the right fit.”

  It wasn’t long before Porter was successful with Wild Turkey’s stock. Starting with the $25,000 Grand Prix of Bakersfield [Calif.] in 2002, Porter topped a field of 39 starters to win the class on the Holsteiner stallion LioCalyon. She followed this victory with a win a few months later at the Oaks Blenheim CSI-A (Calif.) on Lavita. In the $25,000 St. Regis Resort International Class, Porter and Lavita beat the fast times posted by veteran riders Francie Steinwedell-Carvin on Laddidor and McLain Ward on Rio to clinch the win.

  Porter was third with Argensohn in the $75,000 Del Mar National Grand Prix last spring and returned to Del Mar last October to win the $40,000 Del Mar International Grand Prix with her new mount Summer, this time beating California star Richard Spooner and 27 other riders.

  Her current location is a trainer’s dream – a private 19-stall barn with a full veterinary clinic. One of her veterinarians owns the facility and is usually nearby in needed. In this setting Porter is able to customize the horses’ programs, from start to finish.

  Her goal is to achieve each horse’s maximum fitness, and the schedule is consistent yet flexible. The horses are turned out daily, put on the European walker for 30 to 45 minutes, and worked six days a week. One or two times a week, they’re schooled over jumps, and, depending on an individual’s needs, the horses alternate between road hacks, flatwork, pole and cavaletti exercises, gymnastics and course work.

  “I feel what will work for that day, encouraging the horse to reach a goal, but maybe altering the plan according to something the horse communicates to me,” she said.

  “I like to challenge them, keep them thinking by jumping all sorts of patterns. It’s a kind of freestyle workout,” Porter added.

  Porter also coaches a handful of select jumper students. Occasionally she gets to the Ellison’s stable in northern California and gives an intensive clinic, but most of the horse and rider training she does is on the road.

  Ellison’s daughter, Megan, trained with Porter for three seasons, qualifying to ride in the North American Young Riders Championships, with Porter as the Zone 10 team’s chef d’equipe.

  “Mandy is so great to work with,” asserted Ellison. “She emphasizes flatwork, which I really enjoy. If I’m working on something at home and have a question, I can call her, and she’ll train me right over the phone. And Mandy did a phenomenal job putting the polish on Megan’s riding. They developed a solid relationship, and she took her natural talents to the next level.”

  It’s Always Summer Time

  Last July, at Spruce Meadows (Alta.), good fortune and luck brought a mare named Summer into the picture. Porter was looking for a horse for Ellison when she tried the mare, then trained by international competitor Norman Dello Joio.

  “When I sat on her as a horse for Barb, we just looked at each other and thought, ‘Hmmm, there’s a little more in this tank,’ so I continued to ride her with myself in mind. I was like – once again – right place, right time!” said Porter.

  A short six months down the road, Porter and Summer were sitting tied for fifth in the U.S. League West Coast standings for the FEI World Cup, only 23 points behind leading rider Richard Spooner. She’ll need to move up to third place to qualify for the Budweiser FEI World Cup Final in Las Vegas, though.

  “Mandy is a great rider, and Summer is an awesome horse. The two of them are a perfect match. I think Norman knew that mare would excel with Mandy, and he was right,” said Francie Steinwedell-Carvin.

  Porter said that she’s “still getting to know” Summer.

  “In the warm-up ring and in the show arena, we’re learning together what works,” Porter explained. “We’re just fortunate to have found such a fabulous horse. She has exceeded our expectations already.”

  Certainly one of Porter’s goals is to compete in the World Cup Finals, if not this April then in the future. But Porter keeps it all in perspective.

  ”Being in the ring and winning is great, but another win I truly enjoy is when a young horse or a horse and rider make a break-through in their training. Setting goals, from short term to long term, small steps or giant ones, and the process of achieving these goals, that’s a victory,” she said.

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• July 26, 2002| Press Release

  Mandy Porter Wins $25,000 St. Regis Resort International Class At 2002 Oaks Blenheim International CSI-A

  San Juan Capistrano, CA—July 26, 2002—Mandy Porter of Solana Beach, CA rode Lavita to victory in the $25,000 St. Regis Resort International Class Friday at the 2002 Oaks Blenheim International CSI-A.

  
  

  Porter topped a field of 41 entries in the jump-off class at the second annual international show jumping competition which is also hosting the final three rounds of United States Equestrian Team (USET) selection trials being used to pick this country’s squad for the 2002 Show Jumping World Championships to be held as part of the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain in September.

  Porter was one of 12 entries to qualify for the tiebreaking jump-off by riding fault-free over the 15-jump, first-round course designed by Sydney Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela. The last of the 12 to try the eight-jump tiebreaker course, she clinched the win when she rode Lavita, owned by Barbara Ellison, to the only fault-free jump-off ride, finishing in 48.62 seconds.

  The fastest time in the jump-off was actually turned in by Francie Steinwedell-Carvin of LaCanada, CA. She finished in 43.15 seconds on Laddidor, owned by Prentis Partners, but a rail down at the second-to-last fence gave her four faults and a second-place finish. McLain Ward of Brewster, NY also beat Porter’s time, finishing in 43.88 seconds, but his mount Rio downed a rail at the last fence for four faults and a third-place finish.

  This year marks the second annual Oaks Blenheim International CSI-A, which was the country’s first outdoor CSI-A (international individual show jumping competition). It is also the second time Selection Trials to determine a USET squad are being held at the Oaks Blenheim Exhibitions – Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park. Selection Trials for the USET’s Sydney Olympic squad were held at the San Juan Capistrano venue in 2000. Sunday’s $175,000 Cargill Grand Prix of the United States, presented by HBO, will be the final event that determines the show jumping squad that will represent the United States at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain in September.

  In addition to the selection trials, other exciting classes at the CSI-A include the $10,000 Hermes International Speed Class, won Thursday morning by Laura Kraut on Liberty; the $10,000 Robert Mondavi Winery International Welcome Class won Thursday afternoon by Eric Hasbrouck on Sitah; and the $35,000 Budweiser International Speed Derby set for Saturday afternoon.

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• July 7, 2001| Press Release

  Mandy Porter and La Roc Win $5,000 Jimmy Williams Classic at HITS Tahoe Week II

  MINDEN, NEVADA (July 7, 2001)-Mandy Porter, 35, of Solana Beach, California, won the $5,000 PCHA Jimmy Williams Classic at HITS Tahoe in Minden, Nevada, today, aboard La Roc, besting a field of 13 horses. Porter purchased the German-bred gelding less than two months ago, and as owner/rider, she took home $1,500 in prize money. Apollo Farms and John Endicott sponsored the class. Michael Curtis of Tucson, Arizona designed the course.

  
  

  For Round One, Curtis built a 13-jump course that included a double at Fence No. 3, another double at Fence No. 6, and a triple combination at Fence No. 13. Time Allowed was set at 100 seconds. Four horses had clear rounds and moved on to the jump-off.

  First on the short course was Damian Gardiner of Rancho Santa Fe, California, on E-Mail who set the pace with a clear round in 29.817 seconds, well under the 40-second Time Allowed, but he ended up in third place. Julie Winkel of Reno, Nevada, was next in the order on Mr. Acobat, who chased Gardiner and caught him with her clear round in 29.667, taking the lead, but in the final placings, her time was only good enough for second place. Next to go was Fergus Coburn of Rancho Sante Fe, California, on Royal Imperial, who went off course, relegating him to fourth place. Last to go was Mandy Porter on her La Roc, who tripped the timers in 29.507 for the win.

  "The Round One course was a little bit easier than I thought it would be, which is perfect for what I needed for this horse-just to keep his confidence. It rode nicely, no big tricks, and it flowed," said Porter. The jump-off was a different story for her. "Honestly, I did not ride Fence 1 to Fence 2 very well. I was a little bit backwards, a little bit slow. I made it up with a nice turn to the double. Then I went forward and had a wrong distance at Number Four. It came out well at the end. It was a horse race in the jump off. There weren't a whole lot of options, so you just needed to keep your flow going. I was surprised that I was faster because I didn't have the flow going in the beginning."

  La Roc is a seven-year-old Holsteiner gelding sired by Lavall who is by Landgraf. He was imported from Sweden as a five-year-old and had been shown in preliminary classes until Porter purchased him. "I don't know him very well. He's still very, very green," said Porter. "He's not very tall, he's just stout. He's only 16.1 but he carries himself like a very big horse and he's got a really big stride."

  Porter spent seven years in Europe and returned to live in the United States 18 months ago. "In Switzerland I worked for a dealer and then for a private owner in Italy. I rode in a lot of international shows and I watched a lot of fantastic riders. When you're competing, you try different techniques, so I went to shows to watch and learn. The people are very friendly there and a lot of the top riders are willing to give you a hand, a little bit of assistance, tips-and they're fun to work with."

  Porter brought nine horses to HITS Tahoe for Weeks I and II, along with two clients. "I came last year for a couple of weekends with a Grand Prix horse we had, but I don't have a Grand Prix horse this year. La Roc is just a fraction too inexperienced. He needs just another six months and he'll be all right."

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