From ranch to arena: Nalani Guerin’s journey with horses and hounds
LA HABRA, Calif. — Meet Nalani Guerin, a 10-year-old fifth grader passionate about horses and hounds. She grew up around animals on her grandparents’ ranch and loves competing with the animals in horse shows and hound competitions. Her father was a Highland Rider in La Habra Heights, and she participated in her first horse show when she was just a little over one year old. When she was six, she competed in her first dog show. Her family inspired her love for riding and showing.
Ziva is Nalani’s one-year-old Plott hound. She is very energetic and has an excellent nose for hunting. Nalani enjoys showing her in an AKC conformation. At dog shows, Ziva and Nalani participate in agility, where Ziva loves to jump. Recently, Nalani and Ziva received 2nd place in the Turlock Dog Show. Nalani mentions that the hardest part of dog shows is getting Ziva to stand still when she needs to, as she tends to want to sit.
Hound competitions showcase the agility, obedience, and training of various dog breeds. Nalani bonds with her dog by petting her, showing her love, and giving her favorite treats. Nalani and Ziva passed the Canine Good Citizenship (CGC) Program and plan to attend the next class in the Fall at Pampered Paws. The CGC Program is a 10-skill test that teaches good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership to their owners.
Nalani enjoys training at Pampered Paws and aspires for more training in agility, scent work, and eventually going into rescue work. Dog agility is a sport in which you direct your dog through a set obstacle course within a certain time limit, relying solely on the cues and body language you give. AKC Scent Work is a dog sport that mimics the task of working detection dogs to locate a scent and communicate to the handler that the scent has been found.
Nalani’s pony is named Cherokee, and he is 22 years old. He is a Pony of America (POA), known for their small size, colorful coat patterns, and gentle disposition. Nalani shows Cherokee in both English and Western riding styles. She received “Reserve Champion – English” in the Highland Riders Show in La Habra Heights. Nalani and Cherokee have fun play dates together, and she even rides him with just a wire around his neck for fun.
Nalani shares a message with aspiring equestrian athletes and dog handlers, advising them to think about what their pets can do and go with that. It’s also important to find a trainer or coach they can understand, as horses and dogs are fun but also require a lot of work.
In addition to her love for animals, Nalani is also a brown belt in taekwondo and enjoys going rock climbing and hiking with her family in her free time.
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