The West Coast Active Riders (WCAR) organization has many members competing at the Indio Desert Circuit horse shows in Indio, CA. Richard Spooner is currently one of the most successful West Coast grand prix riders, and he is the original founder of the West Coast Active Riders organization.

The Indio Desert Circuit is only in its third week of competition, but Richard Spooner has won the majority of prizes in the grand prix competitions. In the $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix on Friday, February 4, Spooner won on his own horse, Ezrah. Spooner also rode Quirino 3 for Oscany, Inc., to second place, and was fourth with Millenium for Kathy Mendez and Maple Leaf Farm. On Sunday, February 6, Spooner also won the $75,000 HITS DC II Grand Prix, a World Cup Qualifier, on Hilton Flight, who is owned by Freedom Farms, LLC. The win on Sunday added to his valuable point total toward qualifying for the World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, NV, on April 20-24. Spooner is currently leading the West Coast standings by one point over WCAR board member Joie Gatlin. Only three World Cup qualifiers for the West Coast remain before the finals.

Last week Spooner won another $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix, this time on Quirino 3. Millenium placed second, while his longtime mount, Robinson, owned by Half Moon Bay Investment Group, placed fourth.

In other WCAR news, entries close on March 11 for the first WCAR Spruce Meadows Prix de Nations team trial at the Palms Classic Horse Show in Del Mar, CA. The horse show runs March 23-27, and will hold the first of four trials for the team. The Prix de Nations is a Nations Cup event that hosts teams of junior and amateur jumper riders that will compete at the Spruce Meadows horse show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on July 6.~~~