The Teacher’s Pet Is First in Her Class for Good Reason

It doesn’t get more exciting than love at first sight. Professor Cleveland of Saddleback College knew the first day upon meeting Charlotte that they were meant for each other.

“Charlotte is the love of my life,” Professor Cleveland said.

Charlotte’s full name is VPF Miss Charlotte. The initials stand for Villa Park Farms, where she was born. She’s a Morgan riding mare. Her owner is Leah Cleveland of Garden Grove. Cleveland teaches students seeking registered nursing degrees in the medical and mental health fields. She’s been on the Saddleback faculty for 15 years.

Miss Charlotte is fulfilling Cleveland’s childhood and adult dreams. As a child growing up in Southern California, she wanted a horse. Her parents didn’t consider that wise for a city girl.

“But they provided me the next best thing: a good education so I could buy my own,” she said. “It was a little girl’s dream, and I just never grew up.”

Her first horse was Sandy, a crossbreed she acquired in 1974 and rode almost daily for 19 years, often along the Santa Ana River.

Illness and age finally overcame Sandy. Having her horse put to sleep, Cleveland said, “was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

Soon after that came the adult dream. Cleveland had started spending time with the horse crowd that loved to compete in shows. Gerry Rushton, a trainer Cleveland was working with in Norco, told her he had a horse she’d like to buy. It was Miss Charlotte.

They started doing horse shows together about four years ago. Then two years ago--Cleveland talks about it as if she still can’t believe it--she and Miss Charlotte started wowing the judges. At a local tournament at Reno, the duo took first place in their class, Morgan English Pleasure riding.

The regionals in Salem, Ore.--first place. They’ve been first or second the past two years. Cleveland said they enter five to six events a year.

Then, last October, came the grand nationals, held annually in Oklahoma City, with men and women competing together. The grand national champion in amateur Morgan English Pleasure riding: Hand that trophy to Dr. Cleveland and Miss Charlotte.

Contestants (horse and rider) are judged on manners, performance (in walking, cantering, and trotting), presence and appearance.

“I was so shocked I almost fell off the horse,” Cleveland said with a laugh.

They put Cleveland’s name up in lights during the victory ride. And it was the nationals, after all. But another cause for Cleveland’s excitement: Her mother, Leona Grimes, and stepfather, Art Grimes, were in the audience and got to see her named champion.

Cleveland asked if I’d like to see the videotape of the grand nationals. It was a beautiful show. Cleveland rode into the arena in top hat and a spectacular silk formal coat she’d bought on a trip to China a few years ago. Miss Charlotte, a beautiful chestnut with black legs, carried the look of a winner. “The horse has to have that ‘Hey, look at me, I’m the hottest thing here’ attitude,” Cleveland said.

For me, the most fun was watching Cleveland relive this special moment in her life. She is crazy about this horse. “Miss Charlotte was meant to be a princess,” she said.

While they were waiting for the judges’ decision, Miss Charlotte got a little antsy and started moving around. Don’t blame the mare, Cleveland was quick to say. “I was the one nervous and she picked up on that. Every feeling you have goes straight through to the horse.”

Cleveland, 48, has a busy life. She has traveled the world, including a trip to Kenya for a safari. Right now, she’s busy writing a textbook for college nursing classes.

And she’s anxiously awaiting the start of the next show season.

“I found that I had a competitive spirit in me,” she said. “I think what I love most is getting the best out of myself and my horse. Riding in competition is an endorphin rush.”

Daydreaming by Design: Most of us cannot afford a 13,000-square-foot estate, with tennis court, pool and ocean view. But for a small fee, we can fantasize while we tour one. The bonus is that the money goes to a good cause.

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County has chosen “Vista Capistrano” on Peppertree Bend in San Juan Capistrano for its 1997 annual House of Design tour.

The price is $18 ($15 pre-sale) and the tours run April 19 to May 18, except on Mondays. Each room of the new home has been arranged by a different designer from the Orange County chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. Four different landscape design firms have manicured the grounds.

If you go, parking is at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center & Sports Park. A shuttle bus will take you to the house.

Proceeds from the House of Design go toward music education programs for Orange County youths.

Center Stage: Cal State Fullerton kicked off its Front & Center program last year with retired Army Gen. Colin Powell as speaker. How do you follow that? The university has come up with a pretty good encore for this year, Walt Disney Co. Chairman Michael D. Eisner.

Eisner delivers the keynote address next Thursday night at the Pond of Anaheim. George Golleher, chief executive officer of Ralphs Grocery Co., will be honored as Orange County Person of the Year. Last year’s event grossed $450,000, which went toward scholarships at the university.

If you want to eat dinner and sit on the main floor, it will cost you $500. You can hear the speeches without the dinner for $20.

L & H Redux: You don’t find many these days like Laurel & Hardy. Some might argue that’s just as well, but Orange County has many devotees of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, the bumbling Hollywood duo who were such a huge hit before World War II.

Laurel & Hardy fans will meet tonight at the First Baptist Church, 701 W. Broadway in Anaheim, to relive some of the pair’s best moments on celluloid. Call Randy Skretvedt at (714) 527-5845 if you want to attend or learn more.

Wrap-Up: Leah Cleveland is not the only winner for Rushton Stables in Norco. Missy Rushton, who runs it with husband Gerry, says they keep about 60 horses on board, and train about two-thirds of them.

“It’s very exciting when you see the rider and the horse really come together, like Leah and Miss Charlotte,” Missy Rushton said. “The last couple of years they’ve really had a remarkable run.”

The Rushtons’ prize horse has been another Morgan, Fletcher Banjo John. He won the Park Harness World championships (the Super Bowl for Morgans) twice. He’s owned by Delores and Paul Nichols of Somis.

Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling the Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax to (714) 966-7711, or e-mail to [email protected]