A little bit about Monica Whitmer

Monica began her riding career at age 4 with the Tally Ho Riding club – back then she was known as Mickey Hopper.  It was a gift to start in a riding program that taught Horsemanship and Not “just riding”.  Now more than 60 years later, she is still in the saddle – and still learning from her trainers, her horses and even her students. 

Monica has competed in a wide variety of riding disciplines.  She began Hunt Seat and was able to win classes at some A rated shows – competing at the Santa Barbara Amateur show in November 1972 on her $650 horse that she bought with her own savings – she still has that silver platter!  When she went to college at UC Davis, she got introduced to Evening – with the triple challenge of Dressage, Cross Country jumping and Stadium jumping.  She partnered with an Appaloosa mare that had flunked out of being a Polo Pony.  But Tortuga Loved jumping and was fearless Cross Country.  On a college students’ budget, they managed to compete at Ram Tap, Mount Diablo, and other Northern California venues.  Returning to Southern California she found few opportunities to event.  So, she began to focus on Dressage.  The California Dressage Society was newly formed – but we had some international quality trainers in the LA area.  Monica trained with Hilda Gurney, Charlotte Bredahl, Kamila DuPont and then began to work with Major Anders Lindgren in the Dressage Instructors certification program.   She met Walter Zettl and hauled to Petaluma twice a year to train with him on her stallion Alessandro.  She was able to compete with him to 4th level – but divorce made finances very tight and limited her ability to campaign him. 

Sweetwater Ranch opened its front gate in 1986 – and has grown to a facility that can board up to 35 horses.  For many years Monica was the sole “employee” – training horses, teaching lessons, and feeding and cleaning every day.  Now there is a crew of people who help with these chores.    Monica became involved in 4H in 2008 when one of her students talked her into leading the horse project for the Eastside Antelopes.  Since 4H riders do a wide variety of events, Monica had to hone her skills for Trail trials, gymkhana, western pleasure, showmanship, and the Horse Bowl knowledge quizzes.  She took a group of six 4Hers to the California 4H state classic in 2016.  5 of them won a championship or reserve. 

Monica has competed in Western Dressage – she was Reserve Champion at 2nd level with the California Western Dressage Association on a client’s horse in 2012 and earned a top 10 at basic level on her own horse Alleluia.  In Traditional Dressage, Monica has many annual rosettes for qualifying scores with CDS and was the High Score Open Rider with the Dressage Rider of Antelope Valley chapter of CDS.

 

In 2016 – Monica and Alleluia were the Open Overall English champions with the High Desert Horseman’s Association.  She has supported HiDHA for many years and has won many awards at this local venue.    In 2022 – Monica debuted her new Lipizzaner Mare Arriva (aka Bunny) with the ETI club Route 101.  These shows are generally held at the Hansen Dam Equestrian Facility and can have 250 horses entered at the 2-day competition.  Bunny had not been shown at that level – but she rose to the occasion and won 3 High Point of Day Open English awards and ended the season with the Overall High Point English horse for the Year End awards – along with a long list of Class awards. 

This past year has been a flurry of activity.  Working with Ashlee Petersen and her half Arabian rescue mare GG Daisy Duke on a 3-year plan for this goal, Monica took Team Sweetwater to the Scottsdale Arabian Horse show in February.  This annual event attracts over 2500 Arabians and Half Arabians from all over the world.  It is one of the premier Arab shows in the country.  The team included several other horses and riders:  Ashlee’s daughter Brooklynn would also show Daisy Duke; Laudus (aka Jester) and his owner Karen Stedman who only began riding 3 years prior at the age of 60; and Kodigo A 4 yr. old gelding that had been adopted through connections with Love This Horse Arabian Rescue.   

Working on the economy plan, this group still managed to bring home a blue ribbon in Dressage, a couple 2nd place award, one in Dressage and Kodi’s 2nd out of 22 horses in the Sports Horse in Hand Open class.  They earned 4 top Ten rosettes and other class awards.  It was a great experience – Monica hadn’t been there to compete since 2002. 

A different team of riders from Sweetwater have been targeting the California Gymkhana Association’s State Championship show which is held in Hollister CA July 15-22.  Horse and Rider teams needed to qualify for the event – so they hauled up to Bakersfield for the KCGA events.  We sent 4 horse/rider teams – each in a different division.  Rachel Trani on Dixie ran at the AA division.  Last year she won the saddle for the A division, and she is proud that she ran AA times in ALL her classes except when she bumped to a AAA time in Keyhole.  Abbey Welch competed on Minnie who is one of the Sweetwater Lesson horses.  They are both new to this competition.  They were entered at the A division. They managed to place 3rd overall at the Make it or break it event a month prior.  I gave her permission to just go as fast as felt safe.  So, she literally ran too Fast for her division in half of her classes.  But she won a belt buckle for being the best in Pole 2.  Monica took Alleluia (Louie) and raced in the FC riders 24 and older division.  They won Two belt buckles, in Big T and Hurry Scurry.   Jayden Rigley competed on Snickers – another Sweetwater horse.  She leased this Tennessee Walking mare in February when her own horse tragically died of colic.  She and Snickers worked together for the 6 months they had and beyond meeting her goal of winning a belt buckle (in Big T) she also won the Saddle for being the Overall High Point for the FC division for riders 23 and under.  This is an incredible accomplishment for a 13 yr old girl on a borrowed horse!  More Year Long goals achieved. 

Meanwhile Sweetwater’s regular show team of Hunters and Western Ranch riders have been attending the Route 101 shows (after missing the February show because Monica was at Scottsdale).  Kathleen Bass on Mia (another rescue Arabian) won the High Point of day for Open Ranch Riding W/J  at the June competition.  Anna Haynes has been competing on Jeremy (Sweetwater owned) and racking up points for yearend awards.  Sarah will be showing Jeremy over fences at some events.    Linda rides her Argentinian mare Dulzura whom she adopted from Polo Pony Rescue.  Renee Rodriguez rides the beautiful TB gelding Anzian Cat when she can get the weekend free.  Ashlee is allowing Brooklynn to show Daisy Duke in the 12 & under walk trot division, while she works to develop her daughters future show horse Stella.  Monica is focusing on just doing some Halter classes with Kodigo since keeping up with 6-8 riders at a show keep her from competing on her own horse.  This means Alleluia is free to carry Erin Daring over fences or on the flat.  This show circuit continues until October, so everyone has time to keep improving.  Not all shows require a blue ribbon to be a success. 

Monica is proud to keep adding to her resume of horse related skills and she is generous is sharing that lifetime of knowledge.  When you have a small barn that can do group trail rides in the poppies, run gymkhana and win, compete dressage and get top scores and gather blue ribbons in the hunter and western ranch show ring, it means the horses are happy, healthy and confident.  And the riders are too.  Riders of all skill levels are welcome here and goals can be met.  Sometimes dreams do come true.