The soft drinks are cold, the hamburgers...

The soft drinks are cold, the hamburgers are sizzling, the breeze is wafting through the blue and white booths, and in the riding ring, some of the top competitors in California are jumping, trotting, cantering and galloping their horses.

It’s the 34th annual Portuguese Bend National Horse Show, a three-day fund-raiser for Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles that winds up today at the Empty Saddle Club in Rolling Hills Estates. Events begin at 8 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m.

“This is a family event that children and adults can enjoy together,” show Chairman Karen Learned said. “It’s a nice atmosphere, pleasant surroundings and good food.”

With a full array of equitation and jumping events and the Pacific Coast Horse Assn. horsemanship medal finals for competitors 14 and under, the show has drawn riders from as far away as Santa Rosa.

Along with the competitive riding, today there will be precision riding by the Long Beach Mounted Police, a Morgan horse exhibition and the Palos Verdes Quadrille Dressage Team performing ballet on horseback. Even mules will get a turn in the spotlight as the Greslie Girls take them through their paces.

Youngsters who tire of all the horsing around may take refuge in the “Kids Korral,” where diversions include the Jim Gamble Marionettes, crafts, games, contests and pony rides.

“This show started out as a homemade kind of thing and it has grown and grown,” said Learned, adding that more than 90 families volunteer their time to bring it to life. “It has gone on long enough now that people really look forward to it.”

Admission is $5, $2 for children 4 to 6. The Empty Saddle Club is at 39 Empty Saddle Road.