Featured in LA Weekly…

If you’re a fan of horse races, then you’ll LOVE Derby Day.  This is one of the oldest LAPCC events and this year it will be the biggest ever; we have a new venue, the MCC United Church of Christ in the Valley in Hollywood.

As always, Derby Day is May 4th, the same day as the Kentucky Derby, and the $20 fee goes to NKLA shelters.  Prizes include tickets to DomCon LA, which is the very next weekend; we are giving out tickets to the best pony, trainer, and hat.  So spectators, make sure you wear your finest Derby hats!  We also have smaller prizes, including homemade leather-scented soap; you can bet on your favorite ponies to win.

Our event is featured in LA Weekly; click here to check out the article!

See you there!

The Fox Hunt Is Rapidly Approaching!

Although several of our members will be spending mid-April at the Ms. International Leather and Boot Black event, we are still having our biannual fox hunt!

The Spring Fox Hunt is Saturday, April 13th, with an 10 am check-in  The hunt begins at 11 am sharp.

The Fox Hunt is at Middle Lion Camp Site, elevation 3160 m. It has developed campground, with restrooms, campfire sites, tent camping, space for rv/camping trailers, Trailhead, Hiking Trails, horse trails, mountain bike trails, fishing (you must have a license). You can drive right up to your campsite or park for the event.

People who want to camp, it is advised you arrive early (Thursday or Friday) to snag up a camping spot.

Directions:

Basically you take the 101 to the 33 north to a right on Rose Valley Road to a right on Middle Lion Campground. Now isn’t that easy?

More specific: Directions to MiddleLion from the 101 Freeway take the 33 North. Follow Highway 33 north of Ojai for 14.7 miles to the Rose Valley Road turnoff (6N31) which is at mile marker 25.84. Turn right and follow the paved road 4.8 miles. Turn right and go 0.8 miles to Middle Lion Campground. The elevation is 3250 feet. Watch out for the rough sections of road!

The Middle Lion Campground is no longer an Adventure Pass campground. This site is managed by the Parks Management for the Forest Service. $20/night for camping, $10 per vehicle. Day use fee (within the campground) is $10 per vehicle or you can purchase and use the Parks Management Pass for $50 (day use only). Pass can be purchased through the Parks Management Company 805-434-1996 or www.campone.com

We start the Hunt with a Toast at 11 am. We release the Foxes at 11:30 am. You must arrive on time. The check in is 10 am. Cost: $15.00 and a side dish for the Feast.

You must be in shape to be a fox, be able to run, climb for at least an hour. You will be running for your life; you will feel all the emotions. This is not for the faint of heart.

You need a “Guide” to go with you. We do not let anyone off into the National Park alone. This person needs to be as physically fit as you, if not more. This person will be marking the trail. You both can mark your trail, but the Guide is responsible for marking the trail. W will give you flags and pre-cut strips of bright plastic tape to mark your trail. You must mark the trail so we can follow it, every 30 to 50 feet where we can see the next tag from the one we find. The Guide is responsible for carrying your water. Please figure out how your Guide will carry water for you both. Bring a whistle, a loud distress whistle, incase you get lost, or fall, or have an emergency.

We are in the National Park. There is a river/creek you will be crossing (most likely).  Wear shoes you have no problem getting wet in. Bring a dry pair of shoes and socks to change into if you need to. As a fox you need to think about costume change or dry clothes, feet, etc. after the Hunt. The river was depressingly low the last year we went; however it has been raining a LOT.

We cannot watch over all the Foxes. We need you to pick a very responsible person to care for you in our place. We will be distracted at times, handling event logistics and you need a dedicated person watching you.

There is no running water nor plumbing at this campsite, nor electricity, internet access, or phone service. If you have an issue with this, this is not the event for you. You must bring ALL your water and you must contribute to leaving the campsite in better shape than we found it. Like good girl and boy scouts.  🙂

No Gear? No Problem!

If you’re planning to attend International Ms. Leather and Boot Black this year, in San Jose, then check out subMissAnn’s “Pony on a Budget” class!  Registration is still open (click here!) and you have another month to register for IMsLBB!

Pony gear made of leather can be expensive, but you can make reins, harnesses, and bridles from rope and other items. 

Remember, being a pony isn’t about what you own, but what’s in your heart.

Congrats, Mr. Puppy Europe 2019!

This week, Puppai Buumi, who was Mr. UK Puppy 2018, was given the title of Mr. Puppy  Europe 2019.  The competition was fierce but we think this was a well-deserved win and extend our congratulations to Buumi!

In particular we’d like to showcase his fantasy scene below.  For many people, animal roleplay is a way to let go of human concerns, at least temporarily, and helps connect us to others who can us with provide social and emotional support.  Animal roleplay can be more than just games; it can be a resource that helps us through dark times.0

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If you are interested in learning more about the #LendAPaw campaign, you can follow pup Buumi on Twitter at @Puppai_Buumi or on Facebook by clicking here.

Weathering the Weather

If you live in southern California, then you have been braving torrential rain and an unusual cold snap. 

Never fear… it shouldn’t last long!  We trust that we will have our usual warm, sunny, clear weather back again in time for the… BIANNUAL FOX HUNT!

We are expecting a larger-than-average turnout this year thanks to early promotion at Puppypalooza, and are very excited, because we truly believe “the more the merrier!”  We welcome handlers, puppies, ponies… and of course, foxes.  We have a limited amount of space for foxes so if you are interested in being a fox, please contact us ahead of time!

We hope to have a munch / dinner social before the fox hunt, so stay tuned for more information.

THANK YOU!

Two days ago, we held our fourth annual Puppypalooza, and it was our biggest one yet.

We are still totaling up the proceeds but we can confirm at this time that we raised over $500 for the ASPCA.  Thank you to all of our volunteers, including our judges, time-keepers, tally and ribbon masters, and tech support.  We could not have done this without you!  Also, congrats to some of our big winners: Wiley (Best Handler), Titus (High Point Award and Best in Show), Nikki (Best in Show, non-pup), and Ace (Audience Choice). 

(A shot of the agility course.)

We hope everyone had fun and we’ll see you next year.  Stay tuned as we collect photos and update our website galleries!

Last Call for Puppypalooza!

Many of us are inspired by our own bio-pets!

(Some of us are more inspired than others!)

The LAPCC has been a non-profit club for over a year now, and we are proud to support NKLA and the ASPCA with some of our bigger events.  That’s why Puppypalooza, this Saturday, is a fundraiser for the ASPCA.  All our proceeds will go to help bio-pets.  This is your last week to buy tickets online for $15 (click here).  If you prefer to pay cash at the door, it will be $20.  We’re hoping for this to be one of our bigger events this year so please show your support as a pet, handler, or spectator.  Rain or shine, we’ll have a great time!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

If you’re a competitive pony or a competitive pup, and you love winning ribbons, then the next couple of weeks are going to be exciting for you!

This weekend is our Sin in the City Dog and Pony show!

And the weekend after that is Puppypalooza!

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If you’re a shy pet and you don’t like to perform or compete, that’s okay.  Our February playdate is on the 16th, the week after Puppypalooza, and this is a low-key, calm place where pets and ponies can run around in an unstructured environment.

Whatever type of pet play you like, we will make a space for you.  The Los Angeles Pony and Critter Club welcomes all sexual orientations, gender identities, ages (18+), ethnicities and nationalities, physical abilities, and religious and political affiliations.  We celebrate our diversity and we are stronger for it.

Dog and Pony Show

Less than two weeks until Sin in the City!

Sin in the City, in Las Vegas, Nevada, is in its seventh year, and 2019 has lots to offer for ponies and critters!

To start things off, there is a Dog and Pony Show on Friday night.  Remember to buy a Friday night dungeon pass to attend! 

There are also two pony workshops, taught by our own subMissAnn, and two puppy play workshops, one of which is being taught by the 2019 International Puppy, Havok!  You can see the full event schedule by clicking this link.  subMissAnn and pup Pepper will be present at all of these workshops so if you don’t attend the show, please drop by and say hello to us during the weekend.  We’d love to meet you!

Life’s Better with Friends!

They say dogs are man’s best friend, but here at the LAPCC, we believe that all critters can fill that role!

Our 2018 Holiday Party

Our club is proud to boast over 200 members, with an active core of about twenty.  We have at least one event monthly and we invite you to join us this year for two of our upcoming events, Puppypalooza (February 9th) and the Sin in the City the City Dog and Pony Show (February 1st).

You might want to pre-purchase tickets for Puppypalooza because this year will be our biggest yet and we can only guarantee the first 10 participants will be able to compete in ALL events.

Also, remember, if you are planning to attend the Dog and Pony show in Vegas on Friday, February 1st, you need to pre-purchase a dungeon pass.

We hope to see you there!  You’re already a winner… why not compete and get some ribbons to prove it?!