Around the Rings – 2025 High Desert PtHA Mother’s Day Show
All Arena 2 photos courtesy of LDoddPhotography.
Pam Molter ‘s stallion, shown by Laura Fowler, won the High Point Mini Buckle in honor of Mikey Harchol at the High Desert Pinto Mother’s Day.. Photo by LDoddPhotography courtesy of High Desert Pinto Horse Association.
The High Desert Pinto Horse Association series held twice annually at McCoy Equestrian Center in Chino Hills is a unique show that caters to California members and beyond.
Like many shows, it has two arenas showing at once, but the significant different is the brainchild of the HDPtHA members and show manager Fral Lelli: Big horses on one side (Arena 1), and littles on the other side (Arena 2).
Arena 1 classes have ranged from Pinto to Open to Ranch, depending on the current needs of the exhibitor base, while ponies and miniatures from all breed to Pinto and Solid Pinto strut their stuff in Arena 2.
At this year’s Mother’s Day show, the focus in Arena 1 was on the Ranch Horse, which has been a blossoming discipline for the show circuit, with judges George and Sami Hernandez.
On the mini horse side, judges Jan Larsen and BJ LeMaster evaluated everything from halter to driving to over-fence competition, including PeeWee classes.
In honor of the late Mikey Harchol, beloved mother, trainer and friend of the HDPtHA, the club offered two special awards: Pinto Open Miniature Horse Buckle, and an Open Walk Trot Ranch Horse High Point Buckle (sponsored together by WRHA and HDPtHA).
Mikey, while known throughout her life as an all around trainer, had demonstrated the extent of her love for the horse the last few years by expanding not only her ranch program, but also had been showing a Pinto miniature named Cash, and she was smitten.
In addition to the sponsored buckles in memory of Mikey, Rick and McKenna Harchol donated a bike in her name (everyone remembers Mikey’s excitement at winning a bike at one of HDPtHA’s shows! – it was legendary!). Finnley Obremski was that lucky winner whose name was pulled for the drawing.
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- Renee Davis won the Pleasure Driving Buckle Class. Photo: Fral Lelli.
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- Finnley Obremski with the bike donatedd in Mikey Harchol’s name.
The Miniature Horse/Pony photos – Arena 2 – hosted official photographer LDoddPhotography!
Find the gallery (coming soon!) for Arena 2: LDoddPhotography
Trish Geltner, riding for Kelly Baker, won the Ranch Buckle donated in honor of Mikey Harchol.
Over in the Ranch Arena, Trish Geltner, riding for Kelly Baker, won the memorial buckle for Mikey Harchol – the buckle was sponsored by Mirona Petrus and World Ranch Horse Association.
The Ranch Horse arena had its own photographer, too, Ron Henry! His photos are available in Google Drive, and can be downloaded at the link below. Just a reminder from Ron – the high resolution photos take a moment to download depending on your connection, so be patient for them to be crisp as they load:
Find the gallery here: 5.11.25 HDPHA Show – Google Photos
Find a sample of the wonderful ranch horse gallery by Ron Henry below:
Learn more about HDPtHA, which features another two-arena show in October: High Desert Pinto Horse Association
