Back In The Barns At The National Sunshine Series II

Thermal, Calif.—Nov. 7

There's plenty to see at a horse show that's not going on up at the main rings. We wandered back through the barns during the National Sunshine Series II to check out the fantastic tack room set ups decked out in their fall best, and meet a few horses outside the show ring.

All photos by Mollie Bailey.

PUBLISHED

November 7, 2015
12:54 pm

WORDS BY

Mollie Bailey

Thermal, Calif.—Nov. 7

There’s plenty to see at a horse show that’s not going on up at the main rings. We wandered back through the barns during the National Sunshine Series II to check out the fantastic tack room set ups decked out in their fall best, and meet a few horses outside the show ring.

All photos by Mollie Bailey.

Citrus Hill Farms takes their theme seriously, with lemon trees outside the changing room….

…and lemonade in the tack room.

Feeding time is no small affair.

Everyone needs a shoe check up.

Nicole Lean showered Quantum Leap with carrots after he and her daughter Danielle Lean jumped to third in a medium junior/amateur-owner jumper class today.

Nuff said.

It’s hard to miss Blue Angel’s distinctive ears.

Brookway Farms always has an impressive set up at shows.

With the temperatures climbing into the 80s, everyone enjoys a bath.

You can always tell when you’re in a horse show parking lot.

Ribbons are functional, too.

A pair of grays.

You can always tell a mare.

Kent Farrington, that’s one out of how many?

Side By Side Farm has a beautiful set up…

…including a cool fox weathervane as a centerpiece.

Fun with forelocks.

Newmarket went all out with their fall and Halloween decor….

…right down to the skeleton in the tackroom!

But Thumbs Up Farm might have the most creative set up, with dog skeletons to boot.

And you have to enter Thumbs Up under a giant spider. That’s not bad luck, is it?

In the desert it’s important to have water stops.

Olympic gold medalist Will Simpson opted for simplicity in his eco-friendly tack room.

Zanzibar got up from his nap to show off his cool forelock.

Sarah Cillie gave Zaultaire a few extra treats for a job well done.

Want more Sunshine Series II? Check out this story about Lauren Hough swapping over to the hunters for today’s $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

Catch up with Rothchild’s big win in yesterday’s $100,000 Coachella Valley Classic. Check out the Nov. 23 & 30 issue of the Chronicle for full analysis of the competition.

Find full results at ryegate.com.