Horses to Jump for Big Money

Equestrian competitions can be inscrutable--fascinating because of the beauty, strength and agility of the animals but still difficult to understand. Dressage, show jumping, eventing all require repeated definitions to the uninitiated.

But the signature event of the GTE Summer Classic Sunday at the Central Park Equestrian Center in Huntington Beach requires no explaining.

The horse that jumps the highest wins. And to make things more interesting if the winning horse goes higher than 7 feet 2 inches--the California record--it will win a $100,000 bonus for the owner and an $85,000 Porsche for the rider.

The high jump event will finish a big week of show jumping events at the 10th annual Summer Classic. The festivities started Wednesday and admission is free today and Friday. Saturday it’s $3 for children 12 and under and $7 for others. Sunday, which includes the featured Grand Prix event, is $10.

“It’s exciting,” Don Jankowiak, executive director of the event that raises money for the Huntington Beach Arts Center and other local charities. “It’s like hockey, you can watch it on television but there’s nothing like seeing it in person.”

But if you can’t, you can watch the competition on KOCE Channel 50 from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

The gates open at 10 a.m. Sunday and the Grand Prix starts at noon. Details: (714) 536-5258 or https://gtesummerclassic.com

JUMP START

Training for a marathon is a task not to be taken lightly. But A Snail’s Pace running store tries to ease some of the pain with its marathon training program.

The store--with branches in Fountain Valley and Laguna Hills--is starting programs in September to prepare for the Los Angeles Marathon on March 5.

It’s a sixth-month course that meets once a week--starting at 7 a.m. Sept. 11, at the Laguna Hills store (24741 Alicia Pk.) and 7 a.m. Sept. 12, at Edison Park (across from Edison High in Huntington Beach). Applications are being accepted now. Details: (949) 707-1460 or (714) 842-2337.

Each group, which is limited to about 100 runners, starts with a five-mile run and adds a mile each week. It’s suggested that you are running at least three to five miles three times a week before joining the program. A Snail’s Pace also has fitness programs to help people get to that point.

“A lot of people come off the couch and want to run a marathon,” said Richard Scott, director of marathon training for the store, “and they just don’t realize that the body takes a long time to adapt.”

SENIOR GAMES

The Orange County Senior Games begin Saturday with basketball, tennis, paddling, softball, swimming, table tennis, volleyball and ballroom dancing.

So far 850 athletes 50 and older have signed up for the Olympic-style competition that runs until Aug. 22 and also will feature badminton, lawn bowling, golf, shuffleboard and billiards.

Track and field, which will be held Aug. 21 at Saddleback College, is the only competition still accepting entries. Details: (949) 499-7202.

SAILING

A national youth sailing championship will be decided off Newport Beach starting next week. The Sears Cup will go to the winner of this fleet-racing event. Colin Campbell of King Harbor Yacht Club in Redondo Beach will represent Southern California in the regatta. The competition, which will match three-person crews in Santana 20s, starts Wednesday.