Hello, my name is Ron Radmer. I am an Orange Park Acres resident and longtime horseman excited to share my story and experience with this amazing equine community. 

Here is a little about me. I was born and raised in Westminster, California. I consider myself a typical southern California boy. I spent most of my early years at the beach surfing, sneaking into theaters, and visiting local hangouts until I fell into the cowboy scene and discovered the horse world. 

It was the early 1990s and the country western dance craze was in full swing. A chance Friday night outing at a local line dancing bar led to a decade of building new friendships and great memories at both the Riverside Cowboy and the Cowboy Boogie in Anaheim. Lucky for me, many of my new found friends were also involved in the equine community. At some point one of these friends invited me to watch the cowboys’ team rope at the Irvine Ranch; I eagerly went along. I was immediately fascinated and drawn in by the excitement of it all, soon finding myself in the arena working the chutes for the cowboys. One weekend turned into two, and then three, and before I knew it all of my spare time was spent on the ranch. 

Fortunately for me, the man in charge at the ranch was Angel Crosthwaite, a three-time national
finals rodeo qualifier and third-generation cowboy of the Irvine Ranch. Meeting Angel quickly evolved into working on the ranch daily after work and even sleeping in the bunk room in
order to help out throughout the weekends. My unofficial apprenticeship included saddling the customer’s horses, warming up horses, and cooling them down. I also worked the cattle chute, doctored horses and cattle, fixed fences, operated the tractor, cleaned tack and much more. Some of my best memories include waking up in the bunkhouse on Sunday mornings with the sun coming up, the sounds of horses stomping and neighing for their breakfast, and the smell of the wood from the old red barn. It was an amazing three year experience at the Irvine Ranch and I am proud to say I was one of the last to work the ranch before.

After the ranch closed, I continued to expand my knowledge riding cutting horses, reiners, and ranch horses. I began to attend cowhorse shows where I would work the back gate, verify entries, and check bits as riders exited the arena. I worked as a cow hand at the Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association Shows, managed the herds, and selected the cows to be used for the events. I graduated to scribing for the judges and have been fortunate enough to scribe for many of the top judges in the country including world champions and hall of
famers. This experience taught me firsthand how to spot an outstanding horse through the eyes of the judges. 

Along the way I connected with my current horse, a solid paint gelding named Scouter (apha z tintastic stitch) who came to me as a dead shot runway at seven. 

Through patience and training, Scouter has transformed into the once in a lifetime horse he is
today. I have not only worked, roped, and doctored cattle on him, but also shown him in reining, cutting, cowhorse, ranch versatility, and ranch horse show classes. I can work bucking and rearing colts on him on Saturday and then show him on Sunday. Together we have won several buckles, been on the cover of monthly AQHA Magazine America’s Horse, and even been on television. People are most impressed by our bond when I ride Scouter bridleless at a lope around the arena, one of my proudest discoveries.

I recently moved to the OPA Community to live with my partner, Mandy, who shares my passion for horses. It is such a pleasure to be in the heart of this equine community surrounded by beautiful horse trails and parks. I look forward to sharing the knowledge I have gained from my days at the Irvine Ranch, the years of attending horse shows and hours spent in the saddle with this wonderful community.

Editor’s Note: Ron Radmer is a professional horseman living in OPA with his partner and their beloved horses. Ron is excited to help others connect with their horses by unlocking the secrets to learning and training through his newest venture, Let Go Equine.  You can learn more about Ron and his fundamentals by attending one of his clinics with your horse, attending as an auditor, or by setting up a more personalized individual session. Follow Ron’s page Let Go Equine on Facebook www.Facebook.com/LetGoEquine 

Ron Radmer
949-400-4470
Justletgoequine@gmail.com