Agoura Hills 9-year-old enjoys ride to the top

By John Loesing Acorn Staff Writer

EQUESTRIAN TEAM--Boyd Zontelli of Malibou Lake and his granddaughter Sierra celebrate completion of the 25-mile endurance race at Norco. Sierra was the top junior rider; it runs in the family.

Long-distance equestrian racing has become a time-honored tradition at the Zontelli household in Malibou Lake.

Boyd Zontelli, a local realtor and an avid horse owner, is a three-time winner of the Tevis Cup 100-Mile Endurance Race in California, but recently it was his granddaughter who stole the family spotlight.

Sierra, 9, was the top junior finisher at this year’s 25-Mile Norco Riverdance Race in Norco, Calif., a popular equestrian town near Riverside.

Almost 150 riders of all ages competed in the 25-mile and 50-mile races. About a dozen of the competitors were juniors under the age of 16.

"It was really a ball," Zontelli said. "It was just so much fun taking her through all the things kids go through, from being very nervous to start with and not knowing what to expect and all the changes she went through."

Sierra, a fourth-grader at Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills, rode her grandfather’s 8-year-old gelding, "Glotoc."

"I love him, he’s my friend," Sierra said.

Zontelli intended to use a rope to guide Glotoc at the start of the race, but at the last minute Sierra told her grandfather she wanted to take the reins on her own.

"I wasn’t afraid except in the beginning when all the horses ran out in front of me," she said.

The winding course included one stretch that led across a river bottom where tall grasses formed a scenic archway for the riders. With the tall reeds whipping by, Zontelli, who was aboard "Royal Flush," kept a close eye on his granddaughter’s progress.

"We’ve been doing some riding to get her ready for it, but she hasn’t really done a 25-mile yet … She gets along great with Glotoc," however.

Sierra has been riding Glotoc for about six months and can even handle him bareback, the grandfather said.

The Zontelli family has owned and boarded dozens of horses at their Malibou ranch over the years. Many of the animals they have trained for clients overseas.

Horsemanship at the ranch now covers three generations. Zontelli’s two daughters also grew up in the saddle.

On the drive home from Nortoc, Zontelli said Sierra told him she next wanted to try the 50-mile race.

"It’s really amazing for a kid that age to want to do that," he said.