Xpress Foto

Xpress Foto

Xpress Foto

Xpress Foto

Xpress Foto

Charlton Fame (Charlie) cumulated her first year at preliminary level with a strong performance in the Hagyard Midsouth CCI2*-L in Lexington, KY last week. With a consistent dressage test, she scored a 31 and sat in 6th place after the first phase. On cross country, she loved the turf and the atmosphere, but I used up valuable seconds in a few places to make sure she was balanced and attentive to the jumps. Those seconds meant time faults that ultimately kept us out of the ribbons. On the final day, she jumped a beautiful, clean show jumping round in the Rolex Stadium. As we look towards the future, I am excited to move her to the Intermediate/3* level in 2024!

To watch more, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5HuZWGhOG0.

Photos by Xpress Photo.

In 2018, Ashley began the process of becoming a nationally licensed eventing official. After fulfilling the requisite coursework and completing her apprenticeships, she tested for her ‘r’ eventing judge and technical delegate (TD) licenses in 2020. Then, with the experience of being invited to work on fantastic officiating teams all over the country including at Tryon International, Ocala International, Terra Nova Equestrian Center, The Event at Rebecca Farm, The Event at Archer, Spokane Horse Trials, and many more shows both big and small that represent the heart of the eventing community, Ashley took the opportunity in 2022 to test for her “R’ judge’s license and in 2023 to test for her ‘R’ TD’s license. She was also awarded a USEF Licensed Official’s Grant in 2022 as well as the USEA’s Haller Educational Scholarship to help offset the costs associated with becoming a licensed official. Ashley eventually intends to go for her ‘S’ licenses, but at the moment she is working towards becoming licensed through the FEI. As a 5* competitor, Ashley loves doing what she calls stepping to the ‘backside’ of the sport as an official. Qualified officials are important to the integrity of three-day eventing competition at all levels. Ashley feels that officiating is a way that she can give back to the sport in a meaningful way for years to come!

When Lisa Madren Photography was here to photography the 2023 foals, she also snapped some beautiful pictures around the farm. Tessa and Talia are the Border Collie fur children. The bright bay is yearling AE Falcon by Apache Quicksilver xx out of FireFly (Sprout) from my 2022 foals. His companion is 2021 foal Sandro’s Foreign Exchange (Banks), who is an Oldenburg colt by top eventing stallion Sandro’s Star that I hope to keep as a stud for the future. Also in the photos Nijinsky, my thoroughbred gelding who has to keep the two young men in line during turnout.

I was so pleased with my foals from 2022 that I did some of the same breedings for 2023. My Irish bred thoroughbred mare Porspoder was once again bred to Connemara stallion WH Topgun. She foaled a beautiful black colt with a crescent moon on his forehead. Although he will become grey, we named him AE Moonshine. My Oldenburg Sport Pony mare Ashland’s Temptress was once again bred to Diamante’s Legacy for a colt called New Icon AE (Neimo) that I intend to keep. The darling of the group is the buckskin filly AE Sundrift Glamour. She is also by WH Topgun but out of my mare Silver Slipper who is by Windfall out of Sundrift Sandal xx.

Photos by Lisa Madren Photography.

We have a beautiful group of babies this year at Ashland Equestrian. First Lady (Iris) was the first on the ground. She is by WH Topgun out of Porspoder xx. I also bred my advanced ISH mare FireFly (Sprout) to a thoroughbred stud named Apache Quicksilver. She foaled a colt named AE Falcon (Bodhi). My Oldenburg Sport Pony mare Ashland’s Temptress was bred to Grand Prix Selle Francais stallion Diamante’s Legacy and she foaled a beautiful filly named Madeline. Last we have Elvis, who is a dark bay colt by Knabstrupper stallion Graffiti out of my Belgian Warmblood mare N-Lillie. The only baby of this crop that I am keeping for myself is AE Falcon, but it is a joy to see the whole bunch develop.

Photos by Lisa Madren Photography.