Very nice trees. I'd recommend getting a copy of Larry Jackel's book - that will give you a wealth of information on the species, including care guidelines written by people from various regions of the US and Walter Pall in Europe.
For my ponderosas, full sun all day, and I water and feed pretty heavily to get them well established. You get long needles as a consequence, but you get a healthy tree. When I repotted my new trees, they went in very well draining, 100% inorganic soil - I did not do any root pruning in the first repotting. I also repot, then let a year go by before styling.
One tip on styling - wet the branches and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Makes the branches a little more pliable and easier to bend without cracking. Also, make sure your trees are tied down very well. Because ponderosas are so flexible, you might find yourself making severe bends. If your tree is not tied down securely, you could end up hurting the roots from the tree moving around in the pot.
How was the weekend? I came close to going. I noticed Walter wasn't able to make it due to the volcanic activity.
There is nice material in all price ranges though. If you make the trip, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
