Rising Star Ranch's Joel Weaver dominated the Riders Cup standings in 2007 but was second in last week's first poll of 2008 to Justin Harris.  But Joel loaded his truck and racked up enough points to move into first place with 4,380 points for the week ending April 16, 2008.

     Weaver, who led every week last year and won the Riders Cup with 27,900 points, erased Harris' 940 point lead and moved 310 ahead of Harris who now is in second place with 4,070 points.  Rounding out the top five trainers are Chris Zahnd moving up to third place with 2,910 points.  Making his first appearance in the top five in the number four slot is Tim Smith with 2,820 points while Link Webb, with 2,800 points, dropped from third to fifth place.

     The Riders Cup is a joint program of the Walking Horse Trainers' Association and the Walking Horse Report, the official publication of the WHTA. Now in it's fourth year, it has paid out over $180,000 to members of the WHTA in its first three years.