ShowBiz Feature
Barbara, and Gina continues showing
today.
In 1969, Dorothy Groth bought
the lease for Sleepy Hollow Riding
School in Chatsworth as a business
opportunity and called Larry to get
his advice. Larry was ready to make
the leap into the horse business full
time and made the deal to become
managing partner and head trainer.
Only then was he able to follow his
passion full time into the horse show
business.
In no time, Sleepy Hollow had 64
boarders, 24 horses in full training,
was the home of the Cal State
Northridge Riding program, and
Larry and assistants were giving
500 lessons a week; huge by any
calculations. showing in California.
As if that wasn’t enough, Larry At that time Larry was becoming a
and Dorothy wanted to try their force to be reckoned with. At every
hands at producing horse shows at show he would talk ad nauseam
their new facility. At a time when about what he wanted to do, what he
most shows were one to two rings, thought everyone could do together,
often shared by both English and and how it could all happen. While
Western disciplines, Larry saw people who knew him entertained
different possibilities, perhaps based the prospects he spoke about, many
upon his northeast upbringing. He people thought he was just plain nuts
began by building four show rings, and humored the discussion simply
and started with all hunter-jumper because he was so entertaining to
shows. People thought he was off listen to. Even then there was a note
his rocker. The main topic of Groth
to?” They never knew what would
of speculation among his friends that
family discussion was “What is crazy
be on their plate from day to day.
removed any doubt that he would
Larry doing today? What is he up
Then they arrived one day to find he
see his dreams happen and everyone
had purchased a drill press, a radial
would be dragged along with him.
arm saw and a huge stack of lumber
While Larry appreciated the
to build jumps. And that he did,
opportunities he gained at Sleepy
four full rings, again with the family
Hollow, he was ready to develop a
scratching their heads.
business where he could own the
The inception of these shows
land. In 1972 an entirely different
changed the face of showing,
opportunity came along when he was
especially here in the west. Larry’s
presented a chance to purchase 32
horse shows offered something
acres in Elk Grove, California. Going
different by creating full divisions
north, he opened Pacific Horse
and sections, adding more classes
Center, a full service equestrian center
to shows and giving riders more
that also offered Horsemastership
opportunities to compete. It was
Programs, three eleven week, live-
at these all hunter/jumper shows
in college courses accredited by
where competitors could get a
California State Sacramento. Riders
greater variety of classes at a single
from all over the nation came to the
horse show. There was no need for
school, spent their days riding, caring
Western classes, and the popularity
for their horses, and learning in
of the shows precluded them. The
classrooms, gaining a valuable hands
success of these multi-ring hunter/
on, and conceptual education, in the
jumper shows changed the face of
horse show industry.
Top to Bottom: Pacific Horse Center photo; Jumping photo of Larry; Larry Langer at ten years old.
80
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