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.

With the USEF Young Rider Championships taking place in California this summer, Area III did not field any riders. Instead, we decided to focus on running a fun and educational young rider camp at Majestic Oaks Farm in Ocala, Florida.

The camp instructors were myself, 5* rider and Ocala resident Jonathan Holling, and Area III Team Selector and former Young Rider Lauren Eckardt. We had a fantastic couple of days! Majestic Oaks owners Ron and Marisa DiMauro were incredibly gracious hosts, as they always are. We truly appreciate their willingness to let us use their facility!

Amy Frank, mother of two campers, took on the role of “social coordinator.” This included theme days, karaoke, water ballon fights, and an incredible relay race where campers raced to get their instructor “dressed” in vintage clothing first. This proved to be a very competitive event!

Along with the instruction in all three phases, campers had unmounted sessions, including performance psychology, safety, and nutrition. A highlight was when a Seminole Feed truck pulled in, featuring instructor Lauren Eckardt on the side!

Thank you to all who helped to make this camp such a success!

In 2016 I took on the role of the inaugural coach of the University of Florida Eventing Team. Over the past seven years, I have loved working with the students and offering an off-campus haven for them at my farm in Ocala, FL. I strongly believe in supporting riders both in and out of the classroom, and I love mentoring this age group.

Over the seven years that I have been coach, the team has grown and evolved. Riders have gone on to professional lives, graduate school, and many have been accepted at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and will stay in the equine industry. As a team, we have also attended five Intercollegiate Championships – at The Virginia Horse Center twice, Chattahoochee Hills twice, and once at Tryon Equestrian Center. Many of my personal horses have been a part of the UF Eventing Team, including my retired 3* horse Monte Carlo, who has attended all five Intercollegiate Championships with UF and placed individually every time, my retired 4* mare FireFly, and my homebred Remington 500.

As much as I have loved my time with the UF Eventing Team, I have decided to step down as coach after this year’s championships at Tryon Equestrian Center to focus on my new role as Area III Young Rider coach. I am handing the reins over to the very capable Michelle Mercier, who is an advanced level event rider who already coaches the UF Dressage Team. Thank you for all of the great memories and lasting friendships, UF Eventing Team! Go Gators!

In January of 2022, I took over the role of USEA Area III Young Rider Coach. The program has not only been going through a transition within Area III, but at the national level as well. This year, the USEF Young Rider Championships was moved from its regular summertime date to the Tryon International, which took place at the Tryon Equestrian Center in North Carolina in mid-November. The championships were run as a long format. Area III was able to field both a CCI1*-L team (Rory Frangos, Chloe Paddack, Breanna Robinette, and Evelyn Davis Douglass) and a CCI2*-L team (Rory Frangos, Breeana Robinette, Lea Kilpatrick, and Katarina Midgley), but our riders had mixed levels of experience. The competition proved to be stiff. In the 2*, Rory Frangos finished 9th individually and Breanna Robinette finished 10th. In the 1*, Rory Frangos finished 6th on her younger horse, and Chloe Paddack finished 7th. Unfortunately, neither team was able to finish all four riders.

The riders all gained experience, however, and most had never competed at the championship level before. My hope is that as we head into the next few years, the Area III Young Rider program will begin to grow and flourish again. As an area, we have some of the best opportunities in the country, and this program is a wonderful experience for riders hoping to compete on senior USEF teams!

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.