Summer is in full swing on the Central Coast, which means a lot of horse-related activities happen a little earlier or a little later in the day. Warmer days in the North County mean it’s a great time to wind down a little after the festivities of the Mid-State Fair and escape for some cool beach rides or trails.
Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 finish top 20 at the Land Rover Kentucky
Paso Robles resident Andrea Baxter and her Creston-bred thoroughbred Indy 500 returned from a phenomenal finish at the Lexington CCI5*L event. The pair finished a credible 18th place, earning a much sought after qualification for the Tokyo Olympics at one of six competitions in the world at the five level. Indy and Andrea brushed shoulders with some of the California based Kentucky Derby contenders on the flight to Lexington before parting ways and settling in to the prestigious Kentucky Horse Park to go head-to-head with some of the world’s best horses and riders. Ultimately, British rider and defending champion Oliver Townend took the title and the $133,000 prize money back across the pond. Baxter was the recipient of the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant in 2018, and has put the funding to good use, chalking up her best performance at the level to date. She credits much of her performance to the confidence she gained from receiving the grant, the backing and support of her peers allowing her to feel “at home” at that level of competition. Indy is back in Paso Robles enjoying a well deserved vacation as Baxter plans the next adventure for the successful pair.
Meet Sarah Pollock Sporthorses
Most days you’ll find Sarah Pollock working late at her home base of operations, Templeton Farms, riding and coaching her growing string of horses and clients. Pollock’s main focus is to develop both horses and riders in hunters, jumpers and equitation, honing their skills both at home and in the show ring. Sarah is careful not to have too big of an operation — a smaller number of horses allows for each horse to have an individualized program to suit their needs. Her overall focus is on the horse’s well-being, horses will go above and beyond when they’re feeling their best. Late spring was very busy for Sarah’s string of show horses and clients, bringing home the Open $1.2 million Championship at the Paso Robles Horse Park in addition to the Open $1 million Reserve Championship, Low Child/ Adult Championship and the Modified Child/Adult Championship. In June Sarah turned her focus back to training at home, bringing one the sport’s most sought after clinicians Bernie Traurig to Templeton Farms, with the aim of adding a few other trainers to her clinic lineup over the summer. The key to being a successful trainer is to keep furthering your own education and Pollock firmly believes in this philosophy. If you’re interested in joining Sarah’s team you can check her out at sarahpollocksporthorses.com
August Calendar
August 2-4: Area VI Eventing Adult Rider Camp at Twin Rivers Ranch. Dressage, Cross Country and Showjumping lessons available, guest speakers and more! Entry details available areavi.org.
August 7-11: V6 Ranch Family Style Cowboy Academy, visit v6ranch.com for registration information.
August 9: Friday Flicks: Desert Flight A love Letter to the Sport of Showjumping, 8 to 11:30 p.m. Paso Robles Horse Park. Free community event, gates open at 8:15 p.m. Join in for complimentary s’mores and enjoy the fire pits. Dogs welcome but must be on a leash. Visit pasorobleshorsepark.com for more information.
August 10: Open Schooling Haul in Day at Golden Hills Farm, Creston Road, Paso Robles. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. $15 per horse. Ride and enjoy a day at GHF. Multiple arenas open to school, book a lesson with a resident trainer or bring your own. Contact Ariane Rezvani 805-712- 4562 for booking details.
August 10: Back to School Bash, Paso Robles Horse Park. A fun weekend filled with equine information, access to horses for the entire community and a celebration of the relevance of the horse in today’s world.
August 10-11: SLO CDS Fall Fling – Central RAAC Twin Rivers Ranch, Paso Robles. Judges L Koch and J Curtis, contact Ellen Corob for entry details or visit
slocds.org for show schedule and more information, free to spectators and food will be available on grounds.
August 17-18: Golden Hills Farm presents Michael Lingenfelter “Owner of Arider Remedy.” Get the most out of your horse by getting the most out of your body. An unmounted lecture specifically for riders to inform and improve their understanding of rider position. Contact Ariane Rezvani at 805-712-4562 for more details on participating or spectating.
August 31-September 1: The 75th Annual Purebred and Half Arabian All Performance Fall Horse Show, Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara. Free spectating and parking. For show times and entries, visit ahasc.org for show premium.
August 31-September 2: WCBRA Finals Nutrena Richest Race in the West, Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, King City check out westcoastbarrelracing.com for more information on entries and spectating.
Great vendors and food available.
