Clearing Hurdles

The event: The Oaks International Equestrian Show Jumping Competition and Charity Dinner, held on the green at the Oaks/Blenheim/Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano. Saturday’s gala dinner benefited seven Orange County charities.

Under the big top: More than 1,300 guests gathered under a massive white canopy after watching riders and horses leap over obstacles in the Grand Prix competition. They dined on gourmet fare prepared by El Adobe Restaurant, danced to the music of Tango Argentine and heard from representatives of the seven chosen charities.

“Tonight’s about giving back,” said R.J. Brandes, who teamed with Joan Irvine Smith to form Oaks/Blenheim Exhibitions, which presented this year’s Oaks competition and will continue to host community events at the riding park.

“Our objective is to create a place where the riding community can have competitions and give back to the community,” Brandes said.

Brandes and his wife, Gloria, had a personal reason for getting involved in horses: They watched their 14-year-old daughter, Katy, compete in four events.

Lucky seven: According to Brandes, about 20% of the gala guests were serious equestrians, and the rest came on behalf of their favorite charity.

Architect Michael Graves, a friend of Brandes’ who designed the San Juan Capistrano library, came to support the restoration of Mission San Juan Capistrano. “We took a tour of the mission and got an idea of the gravity of the [deterioration] problem,” Graves said. “We can’t let it go further. We don’t have a lot of ruins like this to preserve in this country.”

Quote: “The theme of this charity gala is really about children. Each one of these charities benefits children in some way,” Brandes said. “My wife and I are involved in the restoration of the mission, and the primary people who go to visit the mission are schoolchildren from Orange County.”

Bottom line: The dinner was expected to net $100,000, which will be shared by the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley, Drug Use Is Life Abuse, Fran Joswick Therapeutic Riding Center, Mission San Juan Capistrano, National Water Research Institute, Rancho Mission Viejo Land Conservancy and the UCI Reeve-Irvine Research Center (for spinal injuries).

Faces: Tony and Melinda Moiso; Richard

O’Neill; Dana Butler; Thomas Cesario; Laura Cohen; Wyatt Hart; Mark Laret; Ronald Linsky; Michael and Zara Cerni; Marta Egan; Michael Lindsay; Gilbert Aguirre; Marilyn MacDougall; Jerry Miller; Rob

and Susie Roof; Oswald Steward; James Irvine Swinden; and Garret Westerhoff.

For more information: The Oaks/Blenheim/Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park is off Ortega Highway and La Pata Road in San Juan Capistrano. For information on upcoming events call (949) 443-1841 or (949) 443-1844.