What an amazing day for us as breeders and selectors of young stock at Flying Cross Horse Trials in Skylight, KY! We took one entry each for the FEH 3 year-old, 2 year-old and yearling classes, our youngest two straight out of the field. While we handle our foals and young stock, teach them manner make and expect them to trust us and behave, nothing prepares them for a show atmosphere like, well, a show! All three of them absolutely blew us away with their willingness, adaptability and trust in us under pressure. And the results speak for themselves, with the two highest FEH scores of the day!
First was Olenna WF, our homebred yearling by our KWPN harness stallion Vanando A and out of our beloved ASB mare Roseglow, who we so devastatingly lost earlier this summer. Olenna’s full sister, Primrose WF, is 4 months old now and we hope she’s able to debut in this same class next year! Little miss knocked it out of the park, earning an 83.6% with highlights of an 8.7 on her trot and a 9.0 general impression. She won her class by 13 percentage points, and received the second highest score of the day! Olenna is for sale
Next up was Notoriously Merry WF, our 2 year-old ASB filly who is a half sister to my longtime competition partner CH Good Deal. They are both out of the grand mare Highpoint’s Queen Merry. Merry is expecting a foal by Vanando A in March 2021. Tori impressed the judge with with her nice angles, uphill build and “stunning head”, earning an 80.2%, with highlights of an 8.2 on her type and her trot and an 8.5 on her general impression. She came second in the class by only 1.2%, and earned the fifth highest score of the day, a fantastic representative of the American Saddlebred in sport disciplines.
Our final entry was for the 3 year-old class, Mblem WF. Mblem is a full brother to the gorgeous mare Lindrini we sold late last year who is beginning a fabulous career in dressage for her amateur owner rider. We drove north to buy Mblem not long after selling his sister and hearing that he was available. Three strides of trot and I said, “That’s good. I’ll take him.”
Mblem ended our day with one heck of a flourish, earning an 87.4%, with highlights of a 9.0 on general impression, a 9.2 on his walk and a whopping 9.6 on his trot! Judge’s comment – “Suspension!” Mblem received the HIGHEST SCORE of the day! Mblem is for sale
Today far exceeded any expectations I had, which were basically none besides get through it in one piece! Our young horses were fantastic as we played “trailer jenga” with them, loading and unloading depending on which one we needed, as the show ring was a 7-8 minute walk away. They stood patiently, didn’t get wound up, loaded and unloaded multiple times, and did everything asked. Olenna had only been on the trailer once before today, and Mblem maybe twice. Good kids.
Each one far exceeded the USEA qualifying score (72%) necessary to qualify for the FEH Regional Championships. We couldn’t be prouder of each of them, and happy to represent American Saddlebreds and Dutch Harness Horses in Eventing!
Waypoint Farm 